Honey's Sit and Eat - Southern Fried Noshes

After a long hiatus and fueled by the wonders of a smart phone, a borrowed laptop and the company of new foodie friend I'm back with a few new blogs.

I'm starting it off with Honey's Sit and Eat. Honey's is a small shabby chic establishment in Northern Liberties. On the weekend the wait for breakfast can easily reach two hours. I personally can't wait for two hours for breakfast. I would either pass out from hunger or eat another patron. That said I have waited over an hour for breakfast there. I may, or may not, have longingly eyed a small child's chunky arm during that wait while wondering how it would taste with a bit of Queso but I refuse to comment on that subject any further. The concept of Honey's to think of the best down home southern cooking made by your Jewish Grandmother after she returned from a visit with your Aunt Edie in New Mexico. Vegetable Latkes sit next to Fried Green Tomatoes on Honey's menu right across from Mahi Mahi Tacos. If you can't find anything to eat on the menu you're either not really hungry... or a picky vegan.

My first couple of trips to Honey's was for their breakfast. On this particular trip I had Nutella and Pear stuffed Challah french toast topped with whipped cream and crème anglaise.



Challah bread is a traditional bread served on the Sabbath as well as anytime a good Jew wants to indulge in delicious braided carb goodness. It's very versatile for use in recipes and has become a popular choice for french bread due to its ability to soak up the wet ingredients without turning into mush. It's also very damned delicious. When topped with the nutella and pear combination it is a decidedly delicious diabetes inducing dish. Since it was late in the day, my dining companion ChopStixx and I shared a plate of Guacamole and Chips. Slightly blurry photo below.



This was impeccable smooth and creamy. The guacamole had a consistency less like a mashed vegetable and more like whipped cream. The triangles of tortilla chips were served spiked into the Guacamole like a culinary hedgehog. Not that I think a hedgehog is appetizing. Although it might be if served with this Guacamole. Sorry, Sonic. I failed to get a picture of the Enfrijoladas with Chorizo but I have to say I've gone to Honey's three times for breakfast at this point and I always order this dish. I may have to wrap it up and take it home but I always have to order the combination of eggs, beans, salsa verde, queso fresco, and fresh fresh fresh micro greens. My only defense for not getting a picture is that I'm usually halfway through the dish before I remember I'm supposed to be blogging.


Originally they were only a breakfast and lunch joint. They have since expanded to include dinner, appear on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, and are soon opening a second location. My most recent trip was my first for dinner. I took along my Mom, MommaFox, visiting from California. During what seemed to be the Down Pour Of The Apocalypse I took MommaFox into Northern Libs for a bite at Honey's. After waiting in the car for twenty minutes for the rain to either let up or Noah's Arc to appear on the horizon we finally braved the rain to dash inside. We were quickly greeted by one of the most upbeat servers I've even encountered. I'll forgive him for wearing those hideous tiger print wayfarer sunglasses on the top of his head. We decided on sliced heirloom tomatoes.



The tomatoes although not visually the most appealing dish were full of bright perky flavor that was in stark contrast to the doomsday happening outside the windows. Simple but delicious. For dinner we both decided on Bubby's Brisket Platter. MommaFox is watching her carbs and they were happy to substitute her Red Bliss Mashed potatoes for another choice of side from their list of over twentyoptions. I stuck with the mashed potatoes.



The portions was huge. This was my dinner, lunch and snack. The mashed potatoes were super creamy, smooth, and a perfect comfort food for a rainy day. The brisket was fall-apart-tender. The root vegetables were super fresh and had soaked up the au jus from the brisket. It was honestly nostalgic to share this with meal MommaFox because it reminded me of something that would have come out of her kitchen during my childhood. It was a cozy warm meal served with great friendliness. Our server even managed to convince me to take home an pecan apple tart. I wish I'd had the room to stay and have it at Honey's where they serve it warm and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream from the legendary Basset's. MommaFox confessed that when she first walked into Honey's small dining room and spied the ultra hipster waitstaff she was more than just a little doubtful. Not that I can blame her. Bicycle shorts should never be worn by a man working in a kitchen. That much un-netted hair can't be sanitary. However the food at Honey's shines even when the sun refuses to.


Honey's Sit and Eat: Fox tested, MommaFox approved.

Dead President's - No, this isn't a pop quiz.

Dead President's Pub & Restaurant is a small bar on Union Street in Wilmington with a cult following that rival's Rocky Horror. Back in November on ThanksgivingEve ChopStixx and I unknowingly were there on what would become a night of infamy: Dead President's Last Night. The following day we were shocked and horrified to find the doors locked with a note pointing to plumbing problems as the cause. Slowly rumors began to circulate that there was a good chance the bar would not be reopening. Were we heart broken? Does a bear shit in the woods?

Lucky for us we live in the modern world of Facebook. A grassroots moment started by John Dieleuterio, Jr popped up and quickly gained the attention of local media. That's when Brian Raughley, former bartender at Dead President's stepped in and took over. The bar reopened on December 18th.

This Sunday fueled by a the need for dinner and beer, Shirazsta and I headed down the block to our local watering hole. This is St. Patrick's day weekend and of course the place was lit up with green, shamrocks, and cuties potted faux green carnations. There was also the promise of a live band playing Irish music later on in the evening. DeadPrez has the typical bar fare. They do however have daily specials that are most often pretty bitchin'. This night we were treated to an Irish themed menu. With a nudge from the lovely barkeep Veronica I selected the Lamb and Stout Stew with a side of Mrs. Raughley's Irish bread.




Now I've obviously exposed myself as a lover of this bar. However I'm not blowing sunshine up your arse when I say this was delightful. The lamb retained its gamy taste but had a tingtang (yes, that is a culinary term) to it from the stout. The veges weren't mushy or over done and the carrots added a nice sweetness to the dish. The bread was outstanding. Mrs. Raughley has both of my thumbs way in the air for her recipe and I'd like to encourage that it be left on the menu. Or sold down the street to Black Lab Bakery so I can enjoy it more frequently. It was dark and spicy but surprisingly sweet. It tasted almost like lighter, sweeter version of gingerbread with raisins. It was a very enjoyable, although my only gripe is not realizing that many of the owner's family were there. Because they brought their children, Shirazsta and I cuss like sailors, and we didn't know their were children present until one of us dropped a loud "F" bomb as a youngin' walked by. D'oh >.<


Dead President's - Like Cheers but without Ted Dansen's Toupee.

Monk's Belgian Cafe - Beer me.

One fine early March afternoon ChopStixx and I discovered we were both off. What to do? Lunch, of course! Off to Philadelphia for the Best Lunch Ever: Part III. This time we invited along Roux-bbinson for the festivities. We first stopped by Ikea to replenish my wine glass supply and ogle the bizarre offerings at the Swedish all-assembly-required emporium. Such as the following:



I admit it: I bought the chocolates. They were only $1.50!
Edit: ...And there is a reason they were only $1.50. Yuck.



Then we were off to Monk's Beglian Cafe. I'd hoped to check out Zot but they've closed. Damn. Monk's is easily spotted with a black, red, and yellow facade calling out to you "Come, we have beer!". Once you step inside however you have to walk down a dark narrow hallway until you reach this door:




This intimidated me. Would we be cool enough to enter? I suppose so since the staff didn't chuck us out and instead seated us in the pews. No, really. The back of this supermodel skinny building is striking in its similarity to a church. After all the place is called Monk's. The pews we were seated in were just about as uncomfortable as the real deal are for me. It's impossible to get in and out without sliding the table to the side. This is especially cumbersome when you add in a (wobbly) table full of food and dining companions on the other side of the table you have to squish in order to get to the restrooms. The restrooms are also uncomfortably small. Belgium must be the land of very skinny dwarfs.


Each table is fitted with two small one sided menus. One lists what they have on tap and the other with special brewed offerings. They also have a brochure listing the rest of the beers available. I didn't count but they appeared to have about a hundred or so options. None of these options contain the word Miller, Bud, or come with a lime.



Unibroue Ephemere, Houblon Chouffe, and Chimay Cinq Cent


These were just a small sampling of the beers we tasted. I declare them Apply-Yum, Spicy-Yum, and WAY too hoppy for my sissy mouth.

I was absolutely famished by the time we ordered and ready to launch myself at every waiter who walked by with a half eaten plate of food. Roux-bbinson agreed to split a "small" pot of mussels. We went with the Thai Curry mussels.



From the site: Monk's Flemish Sour, fumè, Thai red curry, bais, garlic & coconut milk. Served with bread for sopping up the tasty juices, an order of their Pommes Frites and their spicy bourbon mayonnaise. $9.95. $9.95!!! THAT'S CRAZY!

Let me make it perfectly clear when I say their idea of "small" is huge. The first time I dined at Monk's and the brought out a huge pot of mussels I thought that someone had made a happy mistake. No, their small is easily a meal in and of itself. Unless you're a professional athlete, competitive eater, or just a bottomless pit (See: Roo-bbinson). The Thai Red curry was very good however I have to admit that I preferred the DeKonick mussels (caramelized leeks, apples, swiss cheese & deKonick antwerpen ale) from my previous visit.



Delicious tender little lovies.

For my meal choice I went with the Monk's burger with a side of Pommes Frites. Because really, is one order of deep fried starch ever really enough?


Monk's Burger with carmalized leeks and bleu cheese.

I wish they'd melted down the cheese a bit to make the burger more manageable, but that aside it was one big messy delight. Excellent beef cooked to a perfect medium rare, juicy not greasy. The bite of the bleu cheese contrasted with the sweetness of the leeks. Obviously I enjoyed because I got halfway through the burger before I remembered to take a photo. I'm not a burger girl. I haven't ordered a burger since the 90's, but this was excellent. I've been craving another. Honestly one of the best burgers I've ever had. Which can only mean one thing: I'm stealing the recipe and forcing my fave local bar to recreate it so I can be within walking distance of this meaty delight. Chopstixx also ordered the Monk burger and while she enjoyed, she was more enamored with the spicy bourbon mayonnaise that came with the fries.


Roux-bbinson went with the Chicken&Apple sausage with raspberry mustard.



I didn't try this. The concept of raspberry mustard made my stomach churn a bit. As did the concept of the raspberry beer he later tried. Beer shouldn't be blood red. I do not approve. However, to the rest of my experience with Monk's I absolutely do approve.






Monk's Belgian Cafe - Next to godliness.