Max Brenner

Center City, Philadelphia -- So whippicle. Famous for it's chocolates, this American bistro/chocolaterie is pretty well-known and popular. We've been here twice and both times it took a while to get a table (we waited about 40 minutes just to get dessert). The atmosphere is pretty romantic and there was a gay couple when we went. Pause. Since everything there is ridiculously expensive, we sometimes just hop in to get some free samples.

Dark Chocolat Hot Chocolate - Coca Origin (Venezuela made from criollo cocoa beans with a distinctive aromatic flavor) $4.95 - This was deliciously thick and creamy. It was served in a cute "hug mug" and came with a truffle on the side. If you love hot chocolate, then this decadent treat will definitely hit the spot for you. Note: this did not come with hwipped cream.

The Berry Delicious, Berry Refreshing Berry Sorbet Sundae (raspberry, & mango, sorbet, fresh strawberries, candied blueberries, crunchy macadamia nuts, caramelized rice krispies, garnished with honey pop rocks, served with raspberry sauce & whipped cream) $11.90 - This dessert was fairly large and came served on a wooden paddle (so you could spank your date after seducing her with dessert). I really liked the berries and sorbet because they went well with the hwipped cream. However, we weren't really into the macadamia nuts. And when was the last time you had pop rocks? Very innovative (they were sprinkled on top of the hwipped cream). Furthermore, the Sundae had a lot of hwipped cream on top of it but then there was a side of hwipped cream too (maybe the side was for the after-dessert festivities, ya digg?)

Overall grade:

B- (Steph) - The desserts are really good but it is kind of over-priced. Also, they only have one bathroom stall for the entire restaurant. If you're a fan of chocolate, it's definitely a good experience, but I'm not dying to go there again any time soon (except for the free samples).

D (Louie) - I'm not the kind of person who loves chocolate and I definitely don't love over-priced chocolate. The dessert was good but I feel like dessert any where else would have been just as good. Why not just get a Kit-Kat bar? Or go to the stoh and buy some sorbet, some fruits, and some hwipped cream and make it yourself. Or just go to Popeye's for an apple pie for dessert. Max Brenner sucks.

La Viola

Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia-- One of the cutest BYOBs in the city, this is a neighborhood gem and one of our fave restaurants in the city. Great as a date spot or for a fun meal with friends, it features "moderately cheap" authentic Italian food in a European-style atmosphere (note: it's CASH ONLY). When you come to eat here, prepare to get cozy with your neighboring tables. Just like dining out in a small trattoria in Rome, the tables are connected with each other and you're pretty much sitting right next to strangers- but that just adds to the charm of this place. Also, if you know you definitely want to eat here, I would recommend calling ahead for a reservation. It can get very crowded around dinnertime since it's so popular. In fact, they actually created a second restaurant (La Viola Ouest) right across the street. It features the same menu and is sometimes easier to get a reservation to. One negative thing about this joint is that the waiters talk very slowly and loudly at you when they are telling you the specials (almost as if they thought we were "special").
Side note: If you get a window seat, it's really fun to watch the waiters run across the street to and from the two La Violas (sometimes carrying plates of food).

Now let's talk about food and drank. The nice thing about this establishment is that there's no corkage fee and they'll chill your wine for you, if you want. That means you can bring multiple bottles and have one chillin' on the side while you're drinking tha otha! Also, the sourdough bread they bring out is always warm and tasty. They have an olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and herbs dipping sawce which is pretty standard, but still delicious.

Appetizer: Grigliata Di Calamari (grilled calamari marinated in lemon juice, garlic and peppered extra virgin olive oil) $8- This is da trufe. We had never had grilled calamari before this (usually it's always deep fried), and this was a great first-time experience. The calamari was chewy and all of the flavors of the marinade mixed really well together. The quantity was just right for an appetizer.

Funghi Trentino (porcini shitaki and portobello mushrooms in a garlic basil and olive oil sauce) $8 - This was aiiiite. If you luh to eat shrooms like Mario, then this is for you. In my opinion, mushrooms are good in small doses. When these little fungi are constantly embarging in my mouth, I pretty much get sick of them. Anyway, the gravy that it comes with is very tasty and goes well with the bread after you have finished shrooming up.

Entrees: Gnocchi Al Filetto Di Pomodoro (homemade gnocchi with spinach and ricotta cheese in fresh tomato basil sauce) $10- This is my favorite dish and I get it every time. If you are a gnocchi lover, this is the entree for you. The green gnocchi (alien turds) are soft and doughy and look really pretty covered in the tomato basil sauce. The plate is plentiful, which means I often have trouble finishing it.

Ravioli Alla Viola (homemade ravioli stuffed with lobster in a pink cognac sawce) $14 - It was pretty good but not as good as the gnocchi. Each ravioli is fairly large but the portion size for this entree isn't as sufficient as the others. The filling was very flavorful and you could really taste the lobster in each bite.

Orecchiette Alla Romana (shell shaped pasta tossed with chicken, sausage & mushrooms in a white garlic sauce with french plum tomatoes) $13- This is a fantastic dish, especially for meat lovers (pause). The chicken and sausage are tender and juicy and the sauce is really creamy and delectable. Louie thought this dish was a little spicy, but it was a very large portion size and it was very yummy.

Dessert: Tiramisu $6- This homemade tiramisu was off da hook. It was light and creamy but not overly sweet. The portion size was perfect and you should definitely be careful not to J your P. After finishing the dessert, it is really difficult not to lick the plate dry.

Overall grade:
A+ (Steph) - Excellent food, cheap prices, intimate yet lively atmosphere. It feels like I get to travel to Italy for an hour or two every time I go here (maybe it's because all of the waiters are foreigners)...which I love.

A (Louie) - Best Italian restaurant. My favorite place to go in Philly besides Popeye's. Large portions, very delicious, good prices, GREAT place for a date, you sit right next to other people, familial environment, service is pretty fast.

Miga Korean BBQ & Bar

Center City, Philadelphia-- Miga is a great place for Korean BBQ. With sophisticated and traditional decor, the restaurant is very cozy and the service is friendly. This is a great place to check out, especially if you're into Korean food or hot Asians.

First, drinks (SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS!). They have a bunch of Korean liquors and beers. We tried the OB (Korean lager made from rice) and shared a bottle of Soju (sweet vodka) with the table. They were both pretty good.

Before you get your entrees, they bring out a huge variety of Banchan (kind of like Korean tapas) for the entire table to taste. We went awhile ago, so I can't exactly remember...but I think there were between 7-12 small plates of appetizers. Among them were plates of kimchi, potato salad, seaweed salad, a spicy chili and turnip dish, pickled radish and carrots, and a sweet potato dish. It was fun to try all of these dishes, especially because they were free and you get as much as you want.

Each BBQ table comes with a skillet on one end of it. They bring out whatever meat is chosen and you get to cook it on your own. It was pretty nice because we went with seasoned Korean BBQ eaters, so they knew what to order and how to cook it. We ended up getting the Galbi (Marinated premium beef short ribs with Galbi sauce), Bulgogi (Marinated thin sliced rib eye with Bulgogoi sauce), and the Chaldobaegi (Thin sliced beef brisket). All of the meats are pre-sliced and come with sticky-icky rice, garlic, lettuce wraps, and dipping sawces for the table. Of course, you can eat everything separately, but it tastes so good to take the meat dipped in sawces (PAUSE!) and wrap it up in the lettuce with rice and garlic...a Korean burrito!

We also got the seafood Pajun (a sizzling scallion pancake). That thing was so good- you could hear knocks from underneath the table. If you ever go there, get it.

Overall grade:
A- (Louie and Steph) - It's a really cool environment to have dinner with your friends. Korean BBQ is a very fun, sexy and interactive way to eat with a group of yo best friends, since you all help out in cooking the food. Free banchan is a nice touch too. However, Miga's portion sizes are not very grindin' and you don't really get your money's worth.

Capogiro

Center City, Philadelphia-- This cutesy gelateria is a great place to come for a quick bite or a sweet ending, any time of day! If the beautiful and unique decor doesn't entice you to enter this establishment, then hopefully the wide array of gelato and sorbet will (372 and counting!). They have a huge assortment of classic and traditional flavors mixed in with innovative and one-of-a-kind creations. Some really distinctive gelato flavors include: Burnt Sugar, Rosemary Honey Goat's Milk, Pineapple Mint, Thai Coconut's Milk, Lime Cilantro, Strawberry Tarragon, and Sea Salt.

While they encourage you to try whatever flavors you desire, I always feel super guilty holding up the line trying a lot. I think the last time I went I tried to taste almost everything...but ended up stopping after 4 or 5. Anyway, the gelato is really really good. It's creamy, perfectly textured, and full of flavor. The only downside is it's a little on the pricey side, but I guess you're paying for the experience. That's why we tried to get flavors we probably couldn't get anywhere else. We got prosecco, cantaloupe (the waitress recommended it and it was sensational-true to its flavor and sweet but not too sugary), watermelon and peach. I remember the pistachio and the dark chocolate being really good too.

Overall Grade:

A- (Steph) - It's pretty much as good as real Italian gelato but with a unique flavor twist. It's a little more expensive than any other frozen treat place around here, but I think it's definitely worth it.

C+ (Louie) - They have a lot of flavors and it tasted really good, but I feel like it's really overpriced.

In-N-Out Burger

Newbury Park, CA -- In-N-Out Burger is a West Coast exclusive fast food joint and the East Coast is definitely missing out. Their success has much to do with this exclusiveness (they are non-franchised) and the way they keep the menu very simple (hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, and fries). They serve Coca Cola drinks and have very delicious milk shakes (strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate). Well, I guess the menu isn't that simple because they also have a "secret menu" for the experienced In-N-Out customers.

Basically, you can order your burger or fries in a number different ways...

2x4 Burger (2 patties 4 slices of cheese)
Extra Toast (buns are toasted)
3 By Meat (3 patties no cheese)
Flying Dutchman (2 beef patties 2 slices of cheese nothing else)
Animal Style (patties are grilled with mustard or "mustard fried" extra pickles grilled onions lettuce and tomatoes) - HELL. YEAH!
Grilled Cheese (Cheese without the burger)
Protein Style Burger (burger without the bun, wrapped with lettuce) - Gross.
Veggie Burger (Bun, veggies, no patty) - Don't ever go to a restaurant and order something like this.
Cheese Fries (Don't need to splain)
Animal Style Fries (secret sawce, fried onions, cheese) - HELL. YEAH!
Fries "Light" (Decreased cooking time for softer fries)
Fries "Well" (Increased cooking time for crispier fries)
Fries "Very Well" (Very crispy) - Why?!?

Put that East Coast/West Coast beef aside for a moment and go try the beef at In-N-Out Burger!

Overall Grade:

B (Louie) - I hesitate to give this an "A" because it's a grimy fast food restaurant and it doesn't even come close to Popeye's. In my 4-5 visits to In-N-Out Burger, I have gotten the regular cheeseburger or animal style burger and animal style fries. You gotta go animal style! Also, these burgers aren't the best burgers you will ever have but they are very good for a fast food burger. I'm just gonna go ahead and say that they are the best burgers you can get at a fast food joint. Also, make sure you get a milk shake if you go because they are sooo good.

B (Steph) - I'm not a burger super fan (woo hot dogs!), but their burgers are definitely better than the other chains (McDonald's, Burger King, etc.). In my opinion, the animal style for the fries was "too chunky" and they are better without the sawce. The milk shake is very good but extremely thick (like Rick Ro$$'s beard).