Amada - Restaurant Week Style

Amada

Restaurant Week is probably one of the best weeks for a Philadelphia foodie, such as myself! My friend, Caitlin and I recently went to Amada to celebrate both our birthdays and Restaurant Week. Neither of us has been to Amada, so we excited to explore this restaurant!

Amada is owned by the well-known restaurateur, Jose Garces. Amada offers authentic Spanish dishes in which are small plates. Typically for Restaurant Week, it includes 3 courses for $35. But here the first and second course is each pick 2 items. Amada is a great place for sharing and trying new menu items! So you get a lot of food for the asking price!

Caitlin and I both had the Temporada which was the Watermelon Basil Sangria and it was very refreshing! To start, I got the Aged Manchego Cheese and Olives. This was probably the perfect cheese plate because the cheese was served with truffle lavender honey and sliced granny smith apples. The olives were tasteful being marinated in fresh olive oil. Caitlin got the Garrotxa Cheese and the Pimentos de Padron. The cheese was served with a garlic, caramel sauce and sliced granny smith apples which was nice and sweet! The peppers were fried with sea salt and we both loved the unique taste to them.

For our second course, we both got the Madre e Hijo which is chicken breast served with truffles with a fried egg on top. The truffles and fried egg made the dish! For my side, I got the Queso de Cabra which featured baked goat cheese, tomato, basil and almonds. This dish was very comforting with the baked goat cheese drenched in the tomato basil sauce. It was served with bread to soup up. For Caitlin’s side, h she got the Coca de Costillas de Ternera which is flatbread with beef short ribs, horseradish, parmesan and bacon. With all these ingredients combined, it was a great side dish!

By the time dessert came, we were so full but we had to at least have a try! The two dessert menu items Amada offers for Restaurant Week is the Crema Catalana which is traditional Spanish custard and the Pastel de Chocolate which is a chocolate cake served with caramel sauce. Both were light and refreshing!

Other than the amazing food, I love the atmosphere of this place. Between the spacious bar, dining room and open kitchen with a counter seating around, would definitely feel like you’re in a home enjoying home-style cooking. It’s a very enjoyable and relaxed environment.

Now I am sure it hard to make a reservation for Amada for restaurant week, but if you can, I highly suggest coming here! As you can tell, you get a lot of food and it’s a beautiful atmosphere to have company with.

Restaurant Week: Rouge

Rouge

I am so fortunate to have gone out for Restaurant Week twice for dinner this season! I had the pleasure to go to the impeccable restaurant, Rouge with my mom and sister. Rouge is a fine dining restaurant located right on Rittenhouse Square known for its quality of food and service. It is also known for its beautiful views overlooking the park. This is a great place for restaurant week to take advantage of the 3 courses for $35 deal.

For my appetizer, I got the French Onion Soup, and it had to be the best French Onion Soup I have ever had! What made it so unique was the bread was a garlic crostini and it consisted of the two cheeses: gruyere and provolone. You never see this soup with that type of creation! My sister got the Spicy Duck Soup and she said it was rich in flavor. My mom got the Bibb & Endive Salad and she said the key ingredient was the Roquefort cheese.

For our entrees, both my mom and I got the Rouge Burger which includes: caramelized onion, gruyere, bibb lettuce, tomato, dill pickle, challah roll and pommes frites! The burger was very flavorful and huge in size. So if you do order it, make sure you have a big appetite! My sister ordered the Herb Roasted Chicken because it was voted the Best Dish of Philly. Her favorite part was the garlic spinach the chicken was served on. She sees why it was voted the best dish!

And now for the final course, dessert! I got the Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding which was served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Between the warmth of the bread pudding and the fresh taste of the homemade ice-cream, this dessert melted in my mouth! My sister got the Crème Brulee which was the perfect end to the meal. My mom got the Caramel Apple Pie. What she loved most was the cinnamon homemade ice-cream on top.

Everything was so delicious and I am glad I got to share this dining experience with the people I love. 

Restaurant Week: Bridget Foy's

                                                                   Bridget Foy’s

Well, the best week is back for a Philly foodie: Philadelphia Restaurant Week! You can go to any of the participating restaurants for a pre-fix menu. Lunch includes three courses for $20 or dinner includes three courses for $35. You really have to do your research on the different menus and which restaurant you really get your money’s worth!

My friend Caitlin and I chose Bridget Foy’s on 2^nd and South Street and we felt as if we got the best deal yet! With great food and service, we are happy with our selection. The restaurant week menu included a cocktail, two appetizers, an entrée and dessert all for $35! It was a lot of food for what you were paying for and we left full and satisfied!

For my cocktail, I got the Red Sangria and Caitlin got the Blood Orange Bellini. Our drinks were served with the first appetizer, which was a Mac & Cheese Fritter. Basically, it was macaroni and cheese fried in the shape of a ball encrusted with a potato chip crisp! It had a barbecue sauce to dip it with and it was out of this world!

For my second appetizer, I got the Harvest Salad which included arugula, roasted beets, butternut squash, goat cheese, pecan, apricot and bourbon soaked raisins. What really made this dish was the goat cheese and bourbon soaked raisins. Caitlin got the Roast Pork & Broccoli Rabe Spring Rolls and thought they were amazing!

For my entrée, I got the Eggplant Parmesan Stuffed Pepper which was stuffed with broccoli rabe and garlic marinara sauce served over creamy polenta. Everything tasted so fresh and what I loved most about this dish was the combination of the sauce and creamy polenta. Caitlin went with the Wasabi Crusted Salmon and loved the cashew fried rice it was served with!

Then, dessert came around and we were so full. But, we knew we had to make room for dessert though! I got the Apple Crumble which was served with Basset’s vanilla ice-cream. A nice, warm dessert was a perfect end to this wonderful meal. Since Caitlin loves chocolate, she tried the Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake and loved the different flavors of chocolate!

As you can tell, this was a lot of food! I highly recommend you come to Bridget Foy’s for Restaurant Week or any occasion for that matter!

Farm to Table

The Farmer’s Cabinet

Yay, the best time of the year is here…Restaurant Week in Philadelphia! My first reservation was for lunch at The Farmer’s Cabinet on 11^th and Walnut Street. This restaurant has always been on my list to try and I thought it be great to go for Restaurant Week!

Restaurant Week includes participating restaurants with pre-fix, three-course meals. Dinner is $35 and lunch is $20. You get a great quantity and quality of food for what you are paying for. It’s a great deal! It goes from September 20^th-25^th and September 22^nd-27^th.

The Farmer’s Cabinet, has an old rustic, 1800s era feel to it. When you walk inside, you first notice the bar with many craft beers on tap and candles lit in Mason jars. Straight back, you see long wooden tables or barrels to sit at. It feels like you are stepping back into time!

For my first course, I got the Smoked Beet Salad which included watercress, almond vinaigrette and crumbled goat cheese. The goat cheese was so creamy, it truly made the salad. And what I loved was the beets were thinly sliced and it was a different texture than used too.

For my second course, I got the Butternut Squash Ravioli which was goat ragout, sage cream, shaved parmesan. The raviolis were on a bed of the goat ragout, which is shredded goat meat. It was a great compliment to the taste of the butternut squash. The dish was three fairly large raviolis and it was the right amount!

For dessert, I got the Goat’s Milk Ice-cream. Now the flavor changes daily. But today’s was vanilla with chopped chocolate covered pretzels! The ice-cream made with goats milk truly makes a difference. It was so smooth and creamy! Add with the crunch of the chocolate covered pretzels, this is probably the best ice-cream I’ve had in a while.

I highly recommend coming to The Farmer’s Cabinet or any of the other participating restaurants for Restaurant Week. Here is the link to the website to see a full list of the restaurants and their menus! Make your reservations fast!

http://www.centercityphila.org/life/RestaurantWeek.php