Working 16-hour days might not sound like an appetizing concept, but Jimmy Rubino Jr., — the fourth generation of his family to maintain the legacy of running Ralph’s Italian Restaurant, 760 S. Ninth St., – said, “It’s in my DNA.”
Jennifer Choplin‘s dad served as the family’s chef when she was growing up, but she assisted in the kitchen at chili competitions the Choplins entered near their West Deptford, N.J. home. Despite the experience, she had different plans.
Percy Street Barbecue chef Erin O’Shea unveilled a new menu last month with the 900 South St. spot’s first seafood dish, an $8 appetizer of Poached Shrimp with Spicy Pickled Vegetables, which are prepared in a housemade beer vinegar and served with saltines.
Chef Justin Swain still was enrolled at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College when he became the head chef at Rex 1516, 1516 South St. He has since wrapped up his studies and graduated as the class valedictorian.
In September, I finally made it to Honey’s Sit ’N Eat in Northern Liberties for a delicious, moderately priced brunch. There is always a long wait to dive into eggs, grits, potatoes pancakes and sandwiches on any given weekend. Brunch was so tasty, I wanted to try lunch at Honey’s.
Several weeks ago, I had a chat with a friend who has been a long-standing chef in the city. We discussed the annoying trend of eating in the dark and the difficulty of reading menus, the majority of which are printed in tiny pale type.
On a November evening in 2000, Mary Ann Ferrie and her husband Dan Grimes opened Chloe, a quiet, unassuming BYOB just across the street from the Betsy Ross House. Word quickly spread about the couple’s approach to global cuisine and their dedication to simple, fresh ingredients.
