Food And Coffee Photographs In Philadelphia

Exploring the city of Philadelphia and its coffee/food culture, I take a lot of photographs.  Some of the images I shot didn't make it into a longer blog post but are slices of city life I found intriguing.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Afternoon Coffee, Talula's Daily, Philadelphia[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_368" align="aligncenter" width="560"] The Old Rittenhouse Coffee
Built In 1855, Abandoned In The '90s[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_570" align="aligncenter" width="448"] Ela, Philadelphia[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_568" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Wine Key Display, Tinto, Philadelphia[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] French Press At Rouge, Philadelphia[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_590" align="aligncenter" width="448"] Vietnamese Coffee[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_576" align="aligncenter" width="392"] Village Whiskey, Best Hamburger In Philadelphia[/caption]

CoffeeGuru features over 7,000 independent coffeehouses in the US, Canada, UK and Ireland. Download the app here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/coffeeguru-indie-coffeehouses/id547969523?mt=8

Talula's Daily http://talulasdaily.com

Ela http://elaphilly.com

Rouge http://www.rouge98.com

Village Whiskey http://www.villagewhiskey.com

Tinto http://philadelphia.tintorestaurant.com

[caption id="attachment_581" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Vietnamese Coffee[/caption]

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Menagerie Coffee: A breath of fresh air in Philadelphia

A year ago I met April Nett at Elixr one of the premier coffeehouses in Philadelphia. A gifted barista, April was also very interested in wine and coffee pairings and hoped to start a program at the shop if they obtained a license. I invited her to a huge industry tasting and got to meet her partner Elysa DiMauro who worked at another Philly coffee institution, Bodhi Coffee right in Headhouse Square (see my post "Two Beautiful Coffeehouses In Philadelphia" http://wp.me/p3AERF-5r).

[caption id="attachment_538" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Inside Menagerie Coffee[/caption]

Fast forward a year and witness the birth of April and Elysa's dream coffeehouse, Menagerie. Situated in a part of Old City that is wofully lacking in great coffee choices, Menagerie fills a void and then some. Although open for just a few weeks, I predict Menagerie will quickly take its place along side the other great coffeehouses that are transforming the city such as Elixr, One Shot, ReAnimator, Shot Tower, Bohdi and Ultimo.

The first thing you notice is the beautiful decor. From the blond wood counter, white tiled wall to the white La Marzocco GB5 espresso machine, the shop's design is artfully done with clean lines and a welcoming homey feel. Design is by Niko Dyshniku who specializes in repurposing salvaged materials in a sustainable manner.



The coffee program introduces Philadelphia to two of the countries top Direct Trade roasters, Ceremony from Annapolis, MD and Dogwood of Minneapolis, MN, a first for this city. April and Elysa blind tasted roasts from a number of suppliers and decided that these two earned their place as the house selections. In my opinion, Ceremony roasts some of the finest coffee in the US (I'm also looking forward to trying Dogwood's beans the next time I go to the cafe). I first tried their coffee at New York Coffee Fest in 2012 and was blown away by their offerings. Menagerie currently features four from Ceremony and the Simalungun from North Sumatra didn't disappoint. Elysa told me that they plan on introducing Ceremony's bourbon barrel conditioned coffee down the road. I've heard about their experiments with wine and bourbon conditioned coffees but have never tried them. Elysa and I discussed doing a public bourbon and coffee sampling when some of this special lot arrives. If you'd like to taste some of this special coffee, I'm told they will have a limited amount in house in about a week.

Menagerie also offers pastries by local favorite Flying Monkey and a limited selection of sandwiches. This part of Old City finally has a welcoming laid back alternative to the bars and pizza joints that line Market Street. I can easily see Menagerie becoming one of my favorite city haunts.

CoffeeGuru features over 7,000 independent coffeehouses in the US, Canada, UK and Ireland. Download the app here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/coffeeguru-indie-coffeehouses/id547969523?mt=8

Ceremony Coffee Roasters http://ceremonycoffee.com

Dogwood Coffee http://www.dogwoodcoffee.com

Niko D Design http://nikodyshniku.prosite.com

ReAnimator: The Coffee Danse Macabre

The Danse Macabre (Dance of Death): a late-medieval allegory on the universality of death, combining the reminder of the inevitability of death with the desire for amusement while still possible.

reanimate vb (tr)

1. to refresh or enliven (something) again to reanimate their enervated lives

2. to bring back to life

[caption id="attachment_514" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Kensington, Philadelphia[/caption]

Not far from the Frankford El there's a coffee roaster doing magic things with beans, creating a coffee "Danse Macabre". Experiencing their craft in a cup is akin to reanimating the senses no matter how dull they were.

Three years ago, Mark Corpus and Mark Capriotti both neophytes to the coffee business, decided to take the plunge. At the time, La Colombe dominated the market. The two Marks felt that what was missing from the city was a local expression of a less dark roast focusing on single origin beans and not blends. Testing and retesting, Corpus started with a home roaster, honing his craft. Finally, in 2011 he left his finance job behind focusing full time on ReAnimator.

[caption id="attachment_515" align="aligncenter" width="448"] Mark Corpus, Roaster[/caption]

To say the two Marks are fast learners is an understatement. Corpus, now the company's Roaster is producing a tiny 500 - 700 lbs per week. Slow and steady is their pace and business model. ReAnimator (and another local Rival Brothers) are the first to introduce Philadelphia to a home town interpretation of what is sometimes know as "Third Wave" coffee. The single origin beans are roasted just so... not too dark to allow the natural flavors express themselves.

[caption id="attachment_520" align="aligncenter" width="448"] Bagging This Week's Roast[/caption]

It's a tiny operation focusing on quality and artistry over size and quantity. They work with well respected importers such as Coffee Shrub who pay coffee farmers sustainable prices for the best quality beans. The two Marks have also recently visited a farm in Nicaragua establishing a "relationship" partnership (also known as Direct Trade).

[caption id="attachment_507" align="aligncenter" width="560"] ReAnimator Coffee[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_511" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Inside ReAnimator[/caption]

So how is the coffee? Well now you can check it out for yourself in ReAnimator's own cafe which opened August 10th. After checking out their Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, I knew they are going to be a major force in the coffee world. The lemony fruit flavors sang as I sipped a cup. It tasted hand crafted, it was perfectly roasted and prepared.

I'm told that another cafe is in the works. This one will also contain their roasting operations, an exciting development that is sure to enhance Philly's reputation as a major player in the coffee industry.

CoffeeGuru features over 7,000 independent coffeehouses in the US, Canada, UK and Ireland. Download the app here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/coffeeguru-indie-coffeehouses/id547969523?mt=8

ReAnimator: http://www.reanimatorcoffee.com

Rival Bros. http://rivalbros.com

Food Discoveries In NYC

Best Pizza

[caption id="attachment_420" align="aligncenter" width="392"] "Best Pizza" Williamsburg, Brooklyn[/caption]

Want a fantastic slice of brick oven "Brooklyn style" pizza? Then head over to Havemeyer Street where two slices and a soda is all you'll need . The perfect ration of cheese, sauce and dough.

Naruto Ramen

[caption id="attachment_421" align="aligncenter" width="369"] Naruto Ramen[/caption]

The Upper East Side is notorious for overpriced and not so interesting food. That is until you dig a little deeper. Head over to Naruto Ramen on 3rd Ave between 89th and 90th, step inside and suddenly you're thousands of miles away in Japan. Just 14 seats, you might not get in right away but it's worth the wait.

Chinatown

[caption id="attachment_464" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Fruit Vendor selling Longan, Chinatown[/caption]

While shopping around Chinatown, I discovered a fruit vendor selling this strange fruits. A few of my Twitter followers told me it's called a Longan which translates to "dragon eye". It tasts similar to a Lychee and was a rather nice discovery.

Economy Candy

[caption id="attachment_423" align="aligncenter" width="392"] Economy Candy[/caption]

I've been to Dylan's Candy Bar quite a few times. When I stumbled upon Woodward Gallery, John the owner clued me into Economy Candy just down the block at 108 Rivington Street. This is the real deal. Not nearly as organized and much smaller than Dylan's, Economy has them beat on selections and price. After posting this photograph on Facebook, one of my neighbors commented "My girls' eyeballs would explode if they walk in there!"

Shake Shack

[caption id="attachment_422" align="aligncenter" width="392"] Shake Shack & Malbec[/caption]

Finally, the Upper East Side has the hamburger heaven Shake Shack just a few doors from where I stayed for a few weeks. Sometimes you just want to settle in and have your own foodie experience at home. Nothing beats these hamburgers paired with a fabulous Malbec and enjoyed right in my temporary city courtyard.

Support CoffeeGuru download the app here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/coffeeguru-indie-coffeehouses/id547969523?mt=8

Best Pizza http://best.piz.za.com

Naruto Ramen http://www.narutoterakawa.com/default1.aspx

Economy Candy http://www.economycandy.com

Shake Shack http://www.shakeshack.com/location/upper-east-side/