Restaurant Chat: An outrageous corkage fee?

Good afternoon my hungry friends, and welcome back to the Philly food chat that chews back. Tell me, tell me, where have you all been eating this week. I'm just fresh back from two of the most unexpected places - West Africa (via Southwest Philly), and Mid-Summer (courtesy of the Jersey Shore). Since the Crumb Tracker's going to be hard this week, I'm going to keep it to just two clues from those locales. Guess which place I ate these plates, and win a signed copy of my book: 1) fried whole tilapia smothered in onions and tomatoes, Cote d'Ivoire style; 2) a thick pork chop smothered in sauteed apples and onions (hint: at $14 a plate, this may be one of the best food bargains at the Shore - let alone downtown Ocean City). Ready, set, crumb!!

In your recent review of Chabaa Thai, you neglected to mention their outrageous corkage fee. Why should someone charge a corkage fee if they are not selling wine at the restaurant?

John - you make an interesting point. I actually didn't even notice that Chabaa had a corkage fee. Upon further research, however, I just spoke with a waiter there who asked not to be named, who confirmed that yes, in fact, there is a $3 corkage fee for 1 bottle, and a maximum of $5 for two more. It's not exactly what I'd call "outrageous". After all, the staff has to serve that to you, ice it down, provide decent stemware, etc. Then again, we are so spoiled by the absence of corkage fees in our byos, that anything at all probably strikes the BYO aficionado as outrageous. Personally, I don't think $5 is that bad, especially since you are SAVING so much by bringing your own bottle. There IS a cost to serving wine in a byo, even if we're not used to paying it. In addition, Chabaa saves you money other ways - like validated lot parking behind the restaurant for $4 - that should probably be factored into your value assessment before get too upset. Parking in Manayunk isn't usually cheap.

Craig, any suggestions on good places to eat diner in fishtown? I have been to Ida maes and the new Radicchio place, but need more more more.

Jed - I've been scouting Fishtown of late, in preparation for my Ida Mae's review (see Oct. 21), and I have to say this neighborhood is coming along for real. Aside from the two you mention (Bistro Julianna being the 'radicchio place'), there is also Johnny Brenda's, the tapas grunger bar/indie music venue from Standard Tap guys that really launched the nabe's momentum. There is also Modo Mio, the new Italian BYO on Girard just west of Fishtown, that I really liked. There is also the Hot Potato Cafe on Girard, where I ate a pretty decent crab cake a couple months ago. Deeper in Fishtown, there is also the Rocket Cat Cafe, which is really a groovy coffee shop, but makes some lunchy nibbles. I've also heard some props for the Hinge Cafe, though I've yet to get there myself. Anyone out there have a report to offer on the Hinge?

Good Afternoon Craig. I've been to Honey restaurant in Doylestown a couple of times in the last few weeks. The whole family enjoyed both visits. They are a mainly small plate restaurant, which is the first I know of in Bucks County. If there any small plate/tapas in Bucks do you know of them? Guess we'll have to wait another year or two to get gastro pubs up here. Looking forward to reading your next Bucks County review. It's been a while.

Hi John Bear - Yes, I do know about Honey, and it's an interesting place for that neck of the woods. Can't comment on it quite yet, but you should be reading a Bucks County review from me pretty soon. It has been a while. If any one has some Bucks recommendations outside of Honey in Doylestown, I'd be interested to hear.

I've been told that corkage fee's are illegal in PA if you don't have a liquor license. I have no authority to back that up however. The only other place I know that does that is the mexican place around 16th and south.

Hey Mike - I don't know the letter of the law here, but that doesn't quite sound right, as I've been in more than one BYO that does charge corkage fees. The Orchard in Kennett Square is one place that comes to mind; so does Sola in Bryn Mawr. Each of those places provides some pretty nice, expensive stemware, which is their justification for the fee.

Someone had told me that Chabaa Thai had raised their corkage fee to $15. No, $3 or $5 is not outrageous. Sorry for my lack of research.

Glad we cleared that one up, John. It always helps to do a little reporting to get the story straight. Chabaa struck me, overall, as a reasonably priced dining experience for the quality and ambiance.

Living in the land of Delco I have long come to realize that there are very, very few places that are worth venturing to eat. There are great little fast places - Charlies for burgers, Java Joes for breakfast, Trio's for hoagies. How about some tips for dinner? BYO? (let's leave Wayne out of this, they have a few good places) How about a good BYO?

Rob - you pretty much hit some of my Delco highlights there, but then, I probably haven't spent nearly enough time eating that county as it deserves. I would add the Margaret Kuo restaurants to that list, both in Media and Granite Run Mall. I keep waiting for Media, which has a darling downtown, to spring something worthwhile on the dining front - byo or otherwise. I'll be curious to see how Azie, the new place coming from the crew behind Teikoku, turns out. Chadds Ford is probably a little far off your Delco radar, but Big Fork, in the Olde Ridge Village Shoppes near Rt. 202, is one BYO worth paying attention to. I've mentioned them in chats and Or Try These capsules, and found it worth a visit. Any Delco recommendations out there would be welcome. You'd think all those Slow Fooders bubbling out of Swarthmore might have conjured up something worthwhile for the locals...

Bashful Banana Café and Evamos are where you ate

Brian - thanks for guessing a first crack at the Crumb Tracker, but nay on both.

Thanks for the reply. Look forward to hearing the update. I wonder if Doylestown area restaurants will step it up on their wine selections. Very few seem to go over 5-10 basic selections of red and whites.

John - It seems to me that Honey had a few more than that, though not by the glass. The French bistro I reviewed there a couple years ago, Slate Bleu, also had a growing list.

Mission Burrito in Lansdowne is a fun BYO. Food is decent Mexican fare and the owner is a really nice woman who is new to the area from California. They recently won Fox Philadelphia's best burrito award.

Also in Media...La Belle Epoque Cafe Decent French food...a little pricey and not too sure of whether it's BYO or not, but the food is great.

Hi Marty - thanks for these Delco shout-outs. La Belle Epoque is not a BYO (though I understand they offer a $10 corkage), though I've not been myself. As for the Mission Burrito, I'll have to check it out myself. As for their recent award, I'd put even less stock in the Fox awards than Philly Mag's Best of Philly. And that's about zero. Any organization with a website now can offer "readers vote" awards. Take them with a grain of salt. Still, I'd like to taste the Mission Burrito for myself.

Where can one get a good breakfast in center city during the week? I am tired of diners and the marathon grill.

Early2Rise: You have hit upon what I think is one of Center City's weak spots. I was struck by this while researching Ida Mae's - a funky brunch spot along the lines of a Sabrina's, or Morning Glory, or Honey's Sit 'n' Eat - and how it always seem to be the "emerging" neighborhoods that land the cool, thoughtful, fun brunch places. Right now, I can't think of any that really strike me - Sabrina's new outpost on Callowhill Street is about as close as it gets. Then again, I'm not a huge breakfast person, what with all those work lunches and work dinners. If anyone has some good breakfast nominees, let's hear 'em!

True about the philly mag award. Is there any restaurant that has been around for more than two years in philadelphia that doesn't have a best of philly mag award, or at least a citypaper award? What I don't understand are the zagat rated signs that don't have the ratings, but jsu tsay that the place was rated. How is that useful?

Not to pile on the award and rating givers (since I'm one of them), but the Zagat sticker in the window means zilch. It only means that they were one of the 979 local restaurants that were included in this current 2008 guide. Stickers like that, and "Best of' awards are just as much marketing tools for the organizations that give them as well as the ones that receive. There is no replacement for a good critic you can trust - even if he/she doesn't happen to be me! I'll always trust restaurant feedback from a real person over the results of a mysterious survey.

Thanks Craig for the Delco update. Have you tried the new Carmines? As for Breakfast in the city - Honey's Sit and Eat, on N. 4th, has a great deal 4.95 breakfast during the week. Sabrina's two locations are great. Both are great for breakfast - not all that crowded during the week.

Hi Rob - thanks for your two cents on breakfast, but like I said before, the places you mention aren't really considered Center City. Marathon literally has the corner on those kinds of places in the high-rent zone with an appealing combination of convenience, style, and concept, but, in my opinion, doesn't always deliver the same level of good cooking. How 'bout a funky brunch place for G-Ho or Rittenhouse Square? And no, I've not been to the new Carmine's yet. John Mims was a favorite in both my books, in both his two first locations. When you move a THIRD time, though, it's going to take me a while to catch up...maybe when I need my next gumbo fix?

I like Day by Day at 21st and Sansom for lunch and brunch.

LT - I've not been to Day by Day, but that sounds like a good suggestion. It's been there forever, so it must have a following for a reason. Up the street, by the way, Cafe Habana does a pretty interesting Latin brunch on the weekends.

Hi Craig- An Italian BYOB which seems to be under the radar screen Is Trattoria Costiera. We have had a number of excellent and authentic Italian meals there always with friendly service. Friends from the suburbs have loved the food, ambiance and value. Any thoughts?

Hi Marc - thanks for the report on Trattoria Costiera. As I said in last Sunday's review of Salento, there are soooo many italian byo's springing up around town, it isn't hard to remain under the radar. The competition is fierce. I, too, have heard some good things from readers about Costiera, but I've also heard a couple less enthusiastic reports from colleagues and friends I trust. What was it, specifically, you liked about your meal at Costiera? What separates it from the other zillion trattorias in town?

Craig, Long time no chat. I've been out of the loop for a while so I was wondering if you'd heard of any exciting names that might be setting up shop in the Comcast Center since they appear to be due to open soon. If not, that Corner Bakery across the street is going to have it's hands full!

Well, E-Boogie, I follow Michael Klein's Table Talk like the rest of you, and all I've heard so far is that the team behind Brasserie Perrier, King Georges and Chris Scarduzio, are planning a big deal "trilevel extravaganza" of a place called (at least for now) Table 31. A new Brazilian steakhouse (a la Fogo) called Chima is expected to open nearby, around 20th and JFK, around the same time of year - next spring/summer (probably fall, if experience follows....)

Ants Pants is a worthy breakfast place in GHo. I'm not as big a fan, but Apamate does serve breakfast/brunch daily. Further in the Ho, the Sidecar serves up a legit Sunday brunch.

Good call, Art, on the Ants Pants, though this cute cafe is tiny-tiny. Love the quirky Australian theme to everything (especially the shakes blended with Violet Crumble candy bars)...Apamate also has gotten some good mentions for brunch; I'll have to check out Sidecar's effort. I understand the new chef there has really tried to step the kitchen up....

House made pastas such as penne with sausage and orrichette with shrimp and whire beans...very tasty Tuscan recipe. Fish specials have been terrific but of course you can't beat Little Fish just across the street for fish. The chef cooked in has family's restaurant in Naples for 10 years before returning to Phila.

Thanks for those details, Marc - though most restaurants that make their own pasta tend to make long noodles (fettuccine; pappardelle) rather than the short stuff, which tends to be extruded through die (Osteria is one exception, they make their own rigatoni)... Anyway, it does sound worth a try.

Hidalgo in Secane for mexican is good BYO. bring tequila and they will have margarita ingredients

Hi Larry - thanks for this additional Delco suggestion. I've been to Hidalgo a year ago, not long after they picked up and moved Xochimilco from Upper Darby. It seemed like a brave adventure in authentic Mexican cookery (and shockingly bright orange decor) in the middle of Delaware County. I'm glad to hear it's still kicking!

Craig...right you are it was the Linguine pescatore fra diavolo was house made and delicious

OK. Glad we cleared up that pasta mystery! Sounds good enough to try, either way...

Did you go to the Blue Nile on Baltimore Avenue?

Well, if I can stump Zoe, I know I've made a Crumb Tracker that's too tough to crack. The West African place (not Ethiopian, which is from East Africa) is a little storefront on Woodland Avenue called Le Baobab (a.k.a. Jeanne's African Restaurant), at 5353 Woodland. It doesn't look like much, but that kitchen just cooked me the most delicious feast - plump whole tilapia fried to a crisp, and topped with onions and tomatoes alongside sweet plantains; garlicky grilled,thinly-sliced lamb chops (dibi) served beneath the same onion mix; char-grilled chicken served with fermented athieke (sort of like tangy couscous), and spicy okra stew. Very tasty, and worth the adventure.

And with that, I'm calling this chat fully cooked. Thanks to everyone who joined in with tasty questions and comments. I left the many queries that popped up in the question box about the city's "best gnocchi" unanswered - because it is almost a chat in itself. I'll nibble on that a little, and get back to you next week. Until then, may you all be well and eat something to brag about!