Tucked away between 11th and 12th on Locust is Iron Chef Jose Garces’ latest Philadelphia endeavor, the Garces Trading Company. We’re truly amazed that in just four short years the man has been able to open up six restaurants in our lovely city, with a seventh already on the way in the Cira Centre. Unlike his previous projects which follow more of a traditional restaurant theme, GTC is a one of a kind, pioneer establishment in this city.

Featuring a long list of their own lines of coffee, cheese, house-made charcuterie and meats (the Village Whiskey burger blend is available to-go), oil and vinegar and house-baked breads, GTC is part gourmet market/deli and dine-in cafe with the addition with a very unique, State Store inside the building. Despite the clumsiness of Pennsylvania’s restrictions on wine and liquor, GTC’s special arrangement allows patrons have the ability to buy a bottle of wine and consume it on premises as if it were brought in like a BYO.

Dine-in options feature a nice selection of European-inspired, plates from antipasti, soups and salads, sandwiches, pasta, pizza. The notable exception to the European theme would be the deep dish pizza pies, more than likely a result of Garces being a native of Chicago. Though, we found that their presence on the menu is exceptionally complementary. The plats du jour are complete meals available for dine-in or for take out. Those who opt to take the entrees to-go will find that all parts of the meal are separated and flash frozen to preserve their individual flavors.

We had the opportunity to stop in and try each of the six sandwiches available on the menu. The Spaniard features two respected key players in the modern sandwich world: grilled chicken and bacon combined with crisp romaine, a glorious amount of finely shredded manchego cheese and almond romesco aioli. The Moroccan, from what we can gather, lives up to the name with an authentic taste of Moroccan cuisine. It features roasted lamb loin, roasted pepper, eggplant, bacon and comté cheese.

Tartine Aux Fromage, as the name would indicate to the French-savvy, is an open-faced cheese sandwich using melted tomes crayeuse on fresh brioche and topped with a slice of marinated tomato. The Italian combines bresaola and hot coppa with melted taleggio, it’s then topped with arugula and a lemon confit spread. El Cubano Clåsico is GTC’s delicious interpretation of a classic Cuban pressed sandwich that includes roast pork, ham, gruyere mustard and pickles.

With a great variety of experiences under one roof, the Garces Trading Company is already gaining some notoriety for being a wonderful addition to not only the neighborhood but to the city as a whole. We definitely anticipate some repeat visits to dine on the other wonderful selections on the menu, or pick up a plat du jour to go.

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Garces Trading Company
1111 Locust Street – Philadelphia, PA 19107 (Google Map)
(215) 574-1099

R2L is serving up some of the city’s most inspired and delicious sandwiches from their perch high above the city in Liberty Two – a location that happens to overlook South Philadelphia.  The symbolism is not lost on the menu, as Chef/Owner Daniel Stern has created food that “walks the fine line between traditional and modern, where the old school things that people grew up on also grow up.”  Old school sandwiches like cheese-steaks, burgers, lobster rolls and the Reuben are transformed by Stern into unbelievably decadent, yet unpretentious finger-foods.

We started with cocktail Reubens.  Stern had to get this one perfect, as he is a believer that there ”probably hasn’t been a better sandwich invented.” House-brined corned beef, fresh-made sauerkraut, Gruyere cheese and a stone ground mustard are wrapped in a pocket of homemade rye dough, grilled and baked.  The crunchy, tangy and savory delight is served on a plate dressed with celery-root ketchup based thousand island dressing and stone ground Dijon. “Eat it with your hands” – the Chef insists.  Our complaint was that we didn’t have 700 of these little treasures lined up to knock down.

The venison cheesesteaks draw inspirations both from South Philly and Stern’s days as executive chef of Le Bec Fin.  The cheesesteak has grown into a seriously sophisticated sandwich here, as venison loin, sauteed wild-mushrooms and carmelized onions with a reduced venison jus is served inside an Amoroso roll, cut bite-sized to force you to savor the richness of this masterpiece.  The Amoroso roll and Fontina fondue “whiz” that the morsels rest upon both ground us in this dish’s roots, while the old-world preparation of the venison brings the flavors sky-high.

The lobster roll, inspired by the chef’s visits to the coast, is lip-curlingly delicious and has us inventing adjectives. Tail, claw and knuckle-meat is dressed with a smooth and light, yet rich home-made lavender mayonnaise. The finely diced blanched celery balances well texturally with the hunks of lobster, and the home-made potato roll brings a very homey property to the sweet and savory sandwich.

The Chef has imparted his decadent signature on the classic cheeseburger, and to do so spent weeks experimenting to get his meat proportions perfect.  We love when a chef aims for “optimal fat and flavor content” when selecting what to grind – and this burger, with aged cheddar and smokey bacon, can’t help but make you giggle like a school girl.  Both the mind and taste buds are absolutely tickled by the unsweetened donut that it’s served on, as well as by the fermented mushroom-ketchup that the chef created after “researching the various forgotten ketchups that stopped being made when people started relying on the grocery store for their condiments.”  This burger is legit.  To paraphrase MC Hammer, this burger is R2L2Q.

R2L is open from Monday through Wednesday 5pm to 1am and until 1:30 Thursday through Saturday, serving food until 10 and 11 respectively, and offers a full menu fit for the exclusive and inviting cocktail-party ambiance that the decor and highrise view suggests.   While we came for the sandwiches, we wouldn’t mind spending an evening here, eating the finger food, sampling the well-crafted cocktails and moving on to the full menu.

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R2L
37th Floor of Two Liberty Place
50 S. 16th Street – Philadelphia, PA (Google Map)
(215) 564-5337

Midtown Village’s modern Asian restaurant Sampan started offering a delicious lunch menu last week. “Our variety of banh mi sandwiches, noodles and salads are perfect for a fast, affordable lunch,” says Chef Michael Schulson. We had the opportunity to stop by and try all six brand-new delicious banh mi.

Schulson came to Philadelphia roughly twelve years ago and along his many stops to try out the local fare he happened upon the banh mi sandwiches available at a few Vietnamese restaurants and bakeries along Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia. Drawing from these sandwiches as inspiration, he created several of his own using fresh and exotic ingredients to bring about intensely robust flavors. Influenced not only by Vietnamese cuisine, Sampan’s “Banh Midtown” are truly a representation of not only pan-Asian cuisine but domestic offerings such as the cheesesteak and meatball sub. Schulson and his banh mi were recently featured on the NBC’s Today Show and The Philadelphia Inquirer cited Sampan’s version as “one of the wonders of the sandwich world.”

However, now we get to feast upon six wonders. The Pork features Berkshire belly sitting on a bed of lettuce, cucumber and carrot strips. The Chicken, which is decidedly Japanese in origin, contains katsu-style fried chicken breast and Oshinko (pickled Chinese cabbage) with a mustard spread. The Tuna, of Thai origin, is a medley of tuna, pickled cucumber, scallion and Thai basil.

For more of an Asian-fusion experience, Sampan also offers fluke; it completes the flavor of the breaded, fried fish with bacon, BBQ potato chips and tartar sauce. The steak version is truly an exquisite offering with the complement of spicy shallot, tomato and a sunny-side egg. For an Italian spin, the meatball takes red sauce, parmesan cheese with the addition of Thai basil, fish sauce and lettuce.

With lunch offered from 11:30am-5pm, a menu extending well-beyond just these six sandwiches and with prices ranging from $6 to $9, including not only sandwiches but ramen and more, we’re sure Sampan’s new lunch menu will be a hit.

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Sampan
124 S. 13th Street – Philadelphia, PA 19107 (Google Map)
(215) 732-3501
Twitter: @MichaelSchulson

We’ve just discovered why sous chef Ann Suk Miller’s Korean Short Rib Tacos are much talked-about. Under the guise of an unpretentious name, they’re now on special at Meritage in Philly’s Graduate Hospital area, having found their way from the now-closed Ansill in Queen Village. The practicality in the dish’s name is where the simplicity stops. The tacos are extraordinarily delicious.

Made from braised beef short ribs lathered in a spicy Korean chili sauce and topped with kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage) and served on a crispy flour tortilla, these Korean tacos are nothing short of amazing. Pleasantly spiced, the tacos go well with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc for the ultimate experience. What’s also unbelievable is the fact that they’re at the absurdly affordable price of only three dollars a piece. Ordering two or three or even half a dozen is still an absolute steal. While only on special for two weeks, we can only hope they become recurring characters alongside Meritage’s already-impressive cast.

We doubled up on our order of pork bites and went with the BBQ Pork Sliders, the same juicy pulled pork but in a more neutral barbecue sauce. They’re served on toasted brioche buns and Asian coleslaw. Unfortunately absent from creating a triple-header of pork goodness during our visit were the also-new Steamed Pork Buns with pickled Napa cabbage, Hoisin sauce and scallion.

Located on the southwest corner of 20th & Lombard, Meritage is open for dinner Tuesday through Thursday 5-10pm, and Friday through Saturday 5-11pm. Aside from the delectable pork bites we feasted upon, they feature a full menu of Asian-fusion goodness with a wine selection to support it.

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Meritage Restaurant & Wine Bar
500 S. 20th St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 (Google Map)
(215) 985-1922
Twitter: @MeritagePHL

While many of us are unfortunately unable to attend this year’s 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, we can still participate in competition and Canadian-esque celebrations. Five local bars in five neighborhoods (Smiths Restaurant and Lounge, the Kite and Key, the New Wave Café, the South Philly Bar & Grill and the Swift Half Pub) are participating in selling $3 bottles of Vancouver’s Molson Canadian throughout this month in the “Barstool Olympics” with proceeds to benefit the Fraternal Order of Police Survivors Fund.

The Barstool Olympics is the brainchild of Smiths Restaurant executive chef and owner, Brendan Smith. “Last year was a particularly hard year for the Philadelphia police and we are honored to be able to support them through a little friendly neighborhood competition,” says Smith. “We encourage everyone to visit one of the participating Barstool Olympics bars during the 2010 Winter Olympics to root for the USA, drink some Molsons and raise funds for the families of fallen officers. Adds Ken Brownell, owner of South Philly Bar & Grill, “We’d also like to thank our partners, the Molson Coors company and Origlio Beverage for their support and generosity.”

We had a chance to stop in at Smiths Restaurant and Lounge during their kickoff and sample some of the Canadian-themed food specials. The Canadian Bacon Sliders featured fresh miniature rolls, grill-toasted with ground beef, Canadian bacon and cheese blissfully combining the two, topped with lettuce and tomato. The seafood inclined will be pleased with the Maple-Glazed Salmon, served as either a salad or a sandwich. We of course opted the for sandwich, a hearty portion of grilled salmon covered with creamy fresh guacamole containing large chunks of avocado. Both sandwiches went very well paired with Canada’s premium lager.

Be sure to stop into Smiths or any of the other participating venues from now through Sunday, February 28th, watch the 2010 Winter Olympics and help raise money for the FOP Survivors Fund. The announcement of the three winning bars (Gold, Silver and Bronze) and check presentation of the proceeds to the FOP will be held in early March.

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Smiths Restaurant and Lounge (representing Rittenhouse Square)
39-41 S. 19th St., Philadelphia PA 19103

The Kite and Key (representing the Art Museum area)
1836 Callowhill St., Philadelphia, PA 19130

New Wave Café (representing Queen Village)
784 South 3rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19147

South Philly Bar & Grill (representing South Philadelphia)
1235-37 East Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19147

Swift Half Pub (representing Northern Liberties)
1001 North 2nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19123

For a few months now we’ve been privy to Peter McAndrews’ and Nathan Baynes’ plans to introduce an Italian Market location of their wildly successful Paesano’s Philly Style. Last week word spread that the shop was nearing an open. Hastily, lunch plans were made for that Friday. However, those plans had to regretfully be postponed. Today, after impatiently waiting for five very long days, we were able to stop into the new location on the northwest corner of 9th and Christian, on their first day open to the public.

Following in the footsteps of the first shop on Girard Ave., the owners of Modo Mio have once again impressed us with a little bit of sandwich heaven. Generously, heaven has added four new angels on its menu: The Liveracce, Bolagnese, Meatloaf Parmesan and Pesce Fritti. Aside from new sandwiches, Minestrone soup and a Chopp salad will also find their place as fixtures. With the new location comes a larger kitchen and a dining area that will allow customers to sit down, and enjoy every breathtaking bite.

Like their predecessors, these sandwiches all have an explosive multitude of flavor in each and every bite, stemming from Chef McAndrews’ slow cooked approach. The Liveracce is seared beef liver topped with sauteed onions, iceberg lettuce, roasted tomato and gorgonzola on an Italian long roll with a spread of garlic mayo. Baynes remarked that as always, the sandwiches are constantly being improved, and told us that the Liveracce will most likely be finalized with the addition of hot sauce and salami in the near future.

The Bolagnese, is something of a guilty pleasure for McAndrews, apparently, he’s eaten it forever — and we sure are glad he’s decided to release it to the public. Crispy-fried lasagna bolagnese is dotted with smoked parmesan and topped with the chef’s favorite, a fried egg. Baynes tells us that it would be delicious when paired with red wine. A subtle hint that the shop is BYO? The Meatloaf Parmesan sandwich is, you guessed it, Italian-style meatloaf with Modo Mio’s signature Sunday gravy and fresh mozzarella. Finally, there’s the Pesce Fritti a fried Tilapia fillet with lettuce, tomato, onion, caper maionese and sharp provolone.

A majority of the original menu from the first location has also been brought down into South Philly, some of the notable favorites offered include the Arista (whole roasted suckling pig, broccoli rabe, italian long hots and sharp provolone), the Diavlo (spicy chicken breast, salami, herb cheddar, roasted tomato and broccoli rabe), the Daddywad (their award-winning Italian hoagie) and of course the namesake Paesano (slow-cooked beef brisket, roasted tomato, sharp provolone, horseradish mayo, topped with a fried egg). The rumored Paesano Burger hasn’t made the menu just yet, but is sure to come sometime soon, topped with fries, pancetta, gorgonzola and an aged balsamic vinegar mayo.

With locations north and south of Center City, downtown Philly has essentially become “sandwiched” in pure bliss. The South Philly location will have its hours of operation eventually fixed from 11am to 7pm, Wednesday through Sunday. While the folks over at Paesano’s have no intention of starting a separate brunch menu, we can only imagine that this availability on the weekend might just draw some patrons away from waiting in the long lines just across the street.

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Paesano’s Philly Style
901 Christian Street – Philadelphia, PA 19147 (Google Map)

Before we get started, let us wish all of our readers a happy, and healthy New Year. Cheers to even more great things coming in 2010. We don’t like the word “best” around here, so hit the jump for our personal sandwich picks of 2009, in no particular order.

Bebe’s Barbecue – Pulled Pork
Mark Coates took the Italian Market by storm when he first opened his barbecue shop, named after his grandmother whose recipes he recreates. We were immediately won over by the massive, unbelievably tender pulled pork sandwich the moment we laid eyes on it. Then we doused it in Coates’ East Carolina sauce, took the first bite, and haven’t been able to stop eating them since.

Read more: Bebe’s Barbecue Smokes The Competition

Paesano’s – The Paesano

Incorporating techniques and ingredients used in dishes at his highly regarded Modo Mio, Peter McAndrews initially started making sandwiches to feed his hungry kitchen staff. The Paesano, his namesake sandwich has evolved over the year; from a slow-cooked roast beef with sweet and sour red cabbage, and peperoncinis to beef brisket with plum tomatoes, horseradish, and a fried egg. Both incarnations are absolutely brilliant, and a stellar example of how fine cooking can be translated into sandwich form.

Read more: Paesano’s: Where The Main Ingredient Is Love | Paesano’s Proves Sandwich Heaven Is A Place On Earth

Barclay Prime – Pub Burger

There are only a few sandwiches that would command $20 or more from our wallets, and this is one of them. The combination of ground NY strip, Kobe strip, ribeye and Kobe filet on top a buttery, fresh baked bun is simply impossible to argue with.

Read more: Barclay Prime Pub Burger Is A Compact Flavor Bomb

DiNic’s – Pulled Pork

DiNic’s has kept it in the family for four generations, and is a Reading Terminal Market staple. But it’s not the infamous roast pork that we go for. It’s Joe DiNic’s saucy pulled pork, braised in wine and tomato that stole our hearts. Smother in greens, and you’re good to go.

Read more: Pulled Pork Is Roast Pork 2.0 At DiNic’s

Q.T. Vietnamese Sandwich – House Special Banh Mi

Crusty bread, a plethora of fillings, and an unbeatable price. The House Special is a god-like combination of ham, roasted BBQ pork, pork ears, and pork pate.

Read more: A Banh Mi For Me At Q.T.

PYT – PYT Burger

Say what you like about Tommy Up, the man knows how to command a crowd. Enlisting Chef Josh McCullough of Time, Up set out to create what he found to be the ultimate burger; a combination of his favorites from around the country. When it’s prepared right, the PYT Burger which is set atop a Martin’s Potato Roll is one of our favorites to eat, and tweet about.

Read more: Pretty Yummy Thing: Tommy Up’s Burger Lounge At The Piazza

University City’s White Dog Café has long been known as a leader in sustainable food practices, and new Executive Chef Mark Andelbradt continues that tradition of serving quality organic, local and natural foods.  Having worked at some of the nation’s finest restaurants including Morimoto (Philadelphia and New York,) Daniel, Tru and most recently, Tao in Las Vegas, Chef Andelbradt was attracted to the sustainability concept at White Dog, and has added “responsibility” as a core tenet of the restaurant’s ideology.  Working together with Chef de Cuisine Eric Yost, he has introduced a selection of gourmet hot dogs that represent a variety of culinary influences and styles.

The 4oz all-beef dogs are made of hormone-free, nitrate-free and antibiotic-free beef that was raised on strictly vegetarian feed.  Served on a toasted Amoroso small hoagie roll, the dogs are grilled so that the juices inside come to a boil, expanding to the point of cracking and blistering the natural casing.  Piled high with toppings, the dogs are a substantial portion of food, offsetting the sticker shock of a $7.25 price.

Chef Andelbradt’s personal favorite is the Chihuahua, a Mexican style dog reminiscent of nachos on a bun: salsa, cheese sauce, pickled jalapenos, guacamole, tortilla strips and sour cream.  The Mastiff, a modified Texas Tommy, offers bits of rendered bacon, cheddar cheese, jalapeno and corn relish.  The Bloodhound features natural beef chili, cheddar, lime sour cream and scallions.  The Pit Bull, a Chicago-style dog that has been “dragged through the garden” offers onions, tomatoes, pickles and relish.  The Italian-inspired Pomeranian dog serves up tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, red onions, basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.  And for traditionalists, the Schnauzer offers classic hot dog fixings: homemade sauerkraut, spicy mustard and sweet pickle relish.

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White Dog Cafe
3420 Sansom St Philadelphia, PA 19104 (Google Map)

Public House’s new Great American Pub menu gives Chef Al Paris the opportunity to show off his passion for sandwiches.  Chef Paris calls Philadelphia a true “sandwich city” and recognizes that sandwiches are one of the most identifiable elements of our collective civic identity.

The stack burger features two 3oz patties of black angus beef griddled on a flat top with thick cut bacon, pickles and American cheese on a toasted Le Bus bun.  It’s a fresher take on the classic bacon double cheeseburger found in fast food restaurants across the country.  By contrast, the 9oz Public House burger is loosely packed to retain a juicy, tender texture, and served with your choice of cheese and toppings.

The BBQ pulled pork sandwich is slow cooked overnight at 210 degrees in a braise made with orange, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes.  The after resting for a few more hours till the pork butt cools and absorbs the flavorful liquid, the fat is trimmed off and the pulled meat is tossed with a BBQ sauce made with coffee and root beer.  Served with crispy fried onions and a drizzle of sauce on a toasted bun, the sandwich offers a lot of complimentary textures and flavors.

The filet mignon sliders deliver three 3oz portions of tender center cut filet mignon on brioche buns with sautéed onions and a blue cheese cream sauce.  The Greek style chicken pita is Chef Paris’ interpretation on the classic gyro.  The chicken is grilled with the skin on, then removed before serving on a Kontos flatbread with carrot, tomato, tzatziki, roasted peppers and olives.  And Chef Paris’ cheesesteak springrolls – sliced ribeye with shredded provolone, sautéed mushrooms, onions and peppers served with a smoky BBQ ketchup – taste remarkably like an authentic cheesesteak (at least, on the inside.)

A resident of the Bella Vista neighborhood, Chef Paris loves many of the great sandwich places in and around the Italian Market: Sarcone’s, Geno’s, George’s, Ba Le, South Street Souvlaki and the South Street Diner.  But even in a foodie’s paradise like South Philadelphia, Chef Paris occasionally ventures out to Burger King to get a good, old fashioned, flame broiled burger.

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Public House
2 Logan Square Philadelphia, PA 19103 (Google Map)

At Philadelphia’s acclaimed Cypriot restaurant Kanella, you will not find fusion, which Chef Konstantinos Pitsillides calls “confusion.”  Rather, you will experience the diverse culinary influences of the world cultures that have occupied and settled the chef’s native Cyprus over the centuries: Turkish, French, Venetian, Arab, North African, English and Greek, each of whom have left their imprint on the island nation.  Chef Pitsillides strives for authenticity, simplicity and freshness that reflect his passion for traditional ingredients and preparation.  Sandwiches are available at lunch, served Thursday through Sunday.

The grilled tuna sandwich exemplifies a North African influence (Morocco, Tunisia) with a robust spice rub that is paired with preserved lemon, olives, capers, garlic, slow roasted tomatoes and cilantro on a 7-grain roll (the same roll is used for each sandwich.)  The lamb sandwich offers a slow roasted shoulder or leg that is sliced thin then fried, served with spinach, scallions, dill and Greek feta.  The grilled Haloumi and Lounza sandwich is like a Cypriot ham & cheese.  A traditional cheese made of goat and sheep’s milk is grilled and tossed with tomatoes and a vinaigrette, paired with a thick-cut slice of smoked Canadian bacon.

All of Kanella’s meats and cheeses are organic, and the fish is always wild, never farmed.  Chef Pitsillides values nose-to-tail cooking because using the entire animal shows respect.  His commitment to Mediterranean cuisine is, in his view, the opposite of a trend; it is a stable, healthy way of life.  And aside from Kanella, where he thinks the value for the price is virtually unmatched, Chef thinks the best sandwiches come from your own kitchen.

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Kanella
1001 Spruce St. – Philadelphia, PA 19107 (Google Map)