A Pa. woman and her Russian vodka dilemma | Let’s Eat

Imagine Margaret Bayuk’s dilemma: She sells vodka and her only customer will not buy from her because Russia invaded Ukraine. Also this week: Chefs travel to Poland to help refugees, the James Beard Awards narrow the playing field, critic Craig LaBan gets inside Jose Garces’ new pizzeria, and I serve up a surfeit of new restaurants and news of chicken change at Federal Donuts.

But first, a quiz. This week, there’s word of two excellent new dessert spots. One is Little Susie’s, the Port Richmond handpie-and-coffee specialist, which opened a shop in Old City the other day. Little Susie’s sells sweet pies, like apple, cherry, and even Irish potato. Its best-selling pie happens to be a savory one.

The flavor is...

A. corned beef and cabbage

B. beef stew

C. pork roll and cheese

D. cheesesteak

Click here for the answer, and scroll down ⬇️ to read about Kouklet, a new Brazilian bakery.

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– Mike Klein

“I am definitely not an oligarch,” says Margaret Bayuk, a 74-year-old Slovakian immigrant and longtime Pennsylvanian. She also owns Ustianochka Vodka, distilled and bottled in Russia and sold exclusively in Pennsylvania. You know where this is going: The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board banned sales of two Russian vodka brands — and one is “U.” Bayuk, shown here before the fuss, spoke to my colleague Jenn Ladd about the 30,000 bottles she is sitting on.

Michael Strauss, owner of Mike’s BBQ, was watching the news and saw images of people fleeing Ukraine. “I just looked at my wife [Eylonah], and I was like, ‘I’m going to go to Poland and help the World Central Kitchen, feeding people,’” he recalled. “And she just looked at me and said, ‘Of course you are.’” He did just that, and now he’s back. Meanwhile, chefs and entrepreneurs Joncarl Lachman, John Carne, and Olga Sorzano touched down late Tuesday and plan to work for eight days. Just another remarkable example of Philly food folks stepping up.

Bloomsday Cafe in Queen Village — closer to home now— will host a pierogi pop-up from 4-7 p.m. Monday, March 21. Pastry chef and organizer Davina Soondrum of Hey Sugar Philly plans to send profits to World Central Kitchen and the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center. Details are forthcoming on her Instagram.

Speaking of pierogi: Dan and Liz Kulchyckyj have just opened their first sit-down location of The Pierogie Place, settling into 320 Rowan Blvd. in Glassboro on the Rowan University campus. They founded their business in 2020 after returning from Malta during the pandemic and now have takeout locations in Wildwood and Ocean City, N.J. The site 42Freeway fills us in, as they say in the pierogi biz.

In February, the James Beard Foundation named its semifinalists for the prestigious restaurant and chef awards, nabbing 17 nods for food, restaurant, bar and beverage professionals in the Philadelphia, South Jersey, and Delaware region. Ellen Yin, Jesse Ito, Cristina Martinez, and Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon are all finalists for the 2022 James Beard Awards.

That number has been whittled down, and only four remain as finalists, deputy food editor Joseph Hernandez reports.

Yin, pictured above and who operates High Street Hospitality Group (Fork, a.kitchen), is a finalist for outstanding restaurateur, marking her fourth nomination in the category since 2017. Chefs Ito (Royal Izakaya), Martinez (South Philly Barbacoa) and Suntaranon (Kalaya) are in the running for best chef Mid-Atlantic. This is Ito and Martinez’s fifth Beard nomination (both head-to-head in the Mid-Atlantic category), and the first for Suntaranon, whose Kalaya was a nominee in the best new restaurant category in 2020.

Winning a Beard Award is a huge honor for restaurants, but even being nominated means that a chef or restaurant is a standout. For a list to Philly’s award-recognized establishments, check out our guide, compiled by service editor Jillian Wilson.

In his review of Jose Garces’ pizza-and-seafood destination Hook & Master in Kensington, critic Craig LaBan tells how Garces “discovered” chef Steven Seibel: One day, Garces was getting a haircut from one of Seibel’s neighbors, who was bragging about his pizza. The next thing Seibel knew, he was baking samples for the Iron Chef in his South Philly home. Besides making great pizza — and H&M turns out three varieties — Garces says Seibel has the “it” factor: “I could see the passion in his eyes.”

The bolo de rolo is an intricate cake roll from northeastern Brazil, and for about a decade it’s been the calling card of Mardhory Cepeda, who arrived in Philly two years ago. Last month, she opened Kouklet Brazilian Bakehouse, a brick-and-mortar bakery featuring the bolos plus other sweet and savory snacks. Put down the Portuguese-English dictionary, meus amigos. Cepeda made up the word Kouklet (say it “koo-clay”) in high school. Tip: Show up before opening; she usually sells out early.

No bones about it: The three-piece chicken deal is out at Federal Donuts. The popular chain, built on a menu of doughnuts, fried chicken, and coffee, has introduced twice-fried chicken tenders as it has ditched the thigh, breast, and drumstick combo. It’s a matter of labor and customer demand, says partner Steve Cook. Did you just ask, “How are the tenders?” Sorry. It’s hard to hear you over all the crunching.

Sardines aren’t on the menu at L’Angolo. They’re just in the seats. Yes, it’s ultra-snug at this long-running BYOB trattoria on Porter Street just off Broad in South Philly. But if you want fast friends — or the ability to crash someone’s birthday party (as we did last weekend with actor/singer/cheesesteak impresario Tony Luke Jr.’s 60th) — it’s a white-tablecloth charmer.

Just before the pandemic, longtime chef John Perinelli took over for founders Davide and Kathryn Faenza, who opened in 2000. Blessedly, not much has changed. Same cheery staff slips effortlessly between the tables. Menu is tighter. The grilled artichokes in garlic and oil, for example, are not listed. Start with the eggplant Parm, or maybe the smoked mozz (which Perinelli grills), but definitely get the mushrooms, which are baked with herbs and bread crumbs and topped with Fontina and when the food runner says the crock is hot, you believe him. Entrees are the red-gravy standards. While you can find lighter gnocchi elsewhere (at Scannicchio’s across the street or at Pesto nearby), the chicken Parm is a crispy/tender creation that yielded two lunch portions the next day.

L’Angolo, 1415 W. Porter St. Hours: 4-8:45 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 4-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3-7:30 p.m. Sunday. BYOB.

Briefly noted

Need some ideas for St. Patrick’s Day? Our service desk has plenty, including food and family activities. Also: FinanceBuzz tracked the price of Guinness stout state by state, and Pennsylvania’s average price of $6.65 per pint came in on the lower side nationally. New Jersey was sixth, at $7.75. Most expensive: $8.55 in California. Cheapest: $5 in Montana.

Rita’s wised up for its first day of spring water-ice giveaway promotion, now marking its 30th anniversary on Sunday, March 20. Rather than allow people to line up and get a free cup, Rita’s makes them download its app by March 20. (Smart marketing.) The promo will be good for one cup through March 27.

The Nationalities Service Center, which empowers immigrants, is bringing together 20 restaurants (plus dancers and musicians) for its Global Tastes event at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 24 at the Quorum at the University City Science Center (3675 Market St.) Tickets start at $100 for students and $150 for others. Quite a list of restaurants, by the way, including Amina’s Traditional Syrian Foods, Càphê Roasters, Hardena, Juana Tamale, Kalaya, Saté Kampar, South Philly Barbacoa, Tambayan, and the Wonton Project.

King of Prussia District’s restaurant week, a fund-raiser for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s King of Prussia campus, runs April 4-10, with two-course lunch menus priced at $15, $20 or $25 and three-course dinner menus at $30, $40 or $50 from 21 restaurants. A dozen fast-casual/quick-service restaurants will offer deals throughout the week.

Adobe Cafe’s 30-year run at 4550 Mitchell St. in Roxborough will end April 10, as owner Mariano Herrerias posted on Facebook.

New restaurants

Three-plus years in the works, Wilder has set its opening for Monday, March 21 at 2009 Sansom St. (Yes. A restaurant open seven nights a week.) Chef Brett Naylor and wife-partner Nicole Barrick, with designer Hope Velocette, transformed a shell that once was the Academy of Social Dance into a sumptuous 150-seater over three floors, making it among the largest Center City openings of late. Executive chef Bob Truitt (a Food & Wine best new chef for pastry in 2013) and a pal of Naylor’s from their days at Morimoto, has a seasonal menu planned as well as pizza.

Boss Murphy’s Pub opens Thursday, March 17 at 2804 E. Tioga St. in Port Richmond. It’s an Irish-theme taproom, with plenty of private-party space, from Patrick McGinley and crew at Bonk’s Bar next door. Initial hours: noon-midnight Thursday-Sunday.

Brewery ARS opens its Fishtown taproom at 2223 Frankford Ave. on Thursday, March 17 at 4 p.m. with Taqueria Dos Hermanos food truck.

The Cresson Inn (114 Gay St.) in Manayunk comes back Thursday, March 17 after a top-to-bottom renovation and under new ownership, Tracy Hardy and Nate Sanders, native Yunkers and childhood friends. Sanders’ family took it over in 1972. Hardy and his wife, Jennifer Gomez-Hardy, bought it recently. They also own the New Lou & Choo’s in Hunting Park.

Char & Stave Coffee rolls out Monday, March 21 at 21 Rittenhouse Place in Ardmore. Bluebird Distilling founder Jared Adkins is behind the roastery-slash-all-day cafe and cocktail bar, featuring barrel-aged roasts. He’s working with his head distiller, Scott Gilbert, who’s also a 15-year coffee roaster. Breakfast beverages will include barrel-aged espresso, nitro cold brew, nitro draft lattes and something called a whiskey smash latte. It will convert to a whiskey lounge in the evening. Hours: 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-midnight Friday, 8 a..m-midnight Saturday, and 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday.

(Something else fun coming to Ardmore this spring: Twenty One Pips, a dining and board game concept at One Ardmore (24 Cricket Ave.) from Matt Hendricks, owner of Thirsty Dice in Philadelphia. Food, spirits, wine, beer, 170 seats, 600 games, two vintage Skee-Ball machines, a 3-D Pong table, and game-influenced decor. Stay tuned.)

FUEL Healthy Kitchen, Rocco Cima’s fast-casual spot, opens its fourth location, at 10090 Roosevelt Blvd. (at Red Lion Road) in Northeast Philadelphia, on Tuesday, March 22. First 100 customers get free lunch (opening is 11 a.m.), and all customers that day can enter a drawing for a chance to win free smoothies for a year.

Prunella, Michael Schulson’s pizzeria, has set a Wednesday, March 23 opening at 13th and Sansom Streets, where Zavino was. Dinner only, nightly.

Henry Morgan has found that you can go home. The Wynnewood native cooked and worked in the front of the house at Green Bean Coffee at 358 Righters Mill Rd. in Gladwyne Village, which later became Gladwyne Corner Cafe. After seven years working in Center City for Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook, including stops at Dizengoff, Abe Fisher, and Merkaz. Morgan is a day into Homeroom, a breakfast-lunch cafe with a Jewish-ish menu in that same snug, light-filled Gladwyne corner nook at Righters Mill and Youngs Ford Roads. If you like the look, thank designer Melissa Urdang Bodie of Melissa + Miller Interiors and his mother, Lauren Sara, who designed the patio furniture.

We’re going out. Top: At sushi whisperer Kevin Yanaga’s Izakaya by Yanaga in Fishtown, @krmeara enjoyed a toro scallion roll with uni and caviar. Yanaga, whose adjacent omakase room is due in May, so happens to be doing a one-night pop-up on Tuesday, March 22 at chef Bobby Saritsoglou’s Stina in South Philly, an eight-course menu with sake pairing. Below: @megmallon has warm thoughts about the antipasti misto on the weekend brunch menu at Trattoria Carina, the lovely corner near Fitler Square: a shareable platter of carrots, beets, whipped ricotta, and olives, with sourdough.

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