Forcella - awesome 14 seater in Jenkintown, PA

Thanks to Jose and Jennifer Vargas of Leila's Bistro, Jenkintown has a new great BYOB named Forcella.  14 seats. Great chef Tim Thomas (previously of Modo Mio, CIA graduate, lots of experience in Italy and places like Per Se). Menu changes frequently and, though small, can accommodate anyone I know.  Even vegetarians.  

Started with some great homemade bread, house whipped ricotta and olive oil and herb marinated tomatoes.

Grandma's meatballs were tasty, a bite of spicy (now thatsa some spicy meatball), and loved by my Barb who seldom orders meat. 

The octopus was nicely braised and tender.

Poached egg, Sausage, Orange cream and Comsume.  Need I say more?

Ricotta Gnocculli with crab , pistachios, creamy tomato sauce. Light and plentiful. 

I recommend leaving a few to take home.

Tortellini filled with roasted squash, toasted seeds and sage brown butter.

Barb's vegetarian entree: Tomato braised eggplant, crispy bread and ricotta cheese.

Cindy's short ribs, braised with tomatoes. (And I forgot what else.)

John and I both got the Lonza Di Maiale:  

Pork loin with mushroom cream over Polenta cake.  To die for.

Dessert course included an awesome flourless chocolate torte, creme Anglaise, tiramisu and gelato. 

The portions here are generous.  There's a tendency to fill up on the bread with ricotta...don't do it. And pace yourself.  Feel free to not finish a dish, but take home whatever u don't eat.  

Service has been just perfect both times we went to Forcella.  It's exceptionally good, so bring your good wines and feel free to share some with the chef.  When he has time he comes out to check on you and is extremely interesting.

I highly recommend this restaurant.

Ninja Sushi and Hibachi

Tried a new sushi restaurant last night with friends, Irene and Buddy.

Ninja is in far Northeast Philly at Bustleton  and Philmont. They advertise 1/2 priced sushi.  It's a common play in Northeast sushi places. Nonetheless, the sushi was very fresh, nicely presented and quite inexpensive.  I highly recommend this new byob.

Started with Yellowtail belly, Uni and Salmon.  All sashimi

Next we shared a lettuce wrap with chicken.  (More Chinese than sushi).

Our next dish was Crunchy Spicy Salmon Tartar, hold the mayo.  Well  made.  Could have been a bit spicier.

Next plate had Octopus sashimi, Eel on Eel roll, Spicy crunchy Salmon roll with brown rice, Japan One Roll, and Tuna Sashimi. 

Naruto roll.  Salmon wrapped in cucumber with lighter sauce.

Finished with an encore of Uni (fresh, firm and delicious).  Also Quail egg and Salmon egg sushi, Yellowtail sashimi, and White tuna sashimi.

Had some nice cold Sake, excellent Pinot Noir and a Roussanne from the Languedoc.  

Price with tax before tip:  $112.  Very reasonable.  As an old friend would say:

"Oy, vat a deal!"

Fascino in Montclair, NJ

Had a fabulous dinner at  Fascino,  a BYOB, last night.  A truly unrushed dining experience.  Of course, the company added to the fun: two daughters and two sons in law. Everyone brought good wines (Ancien Santa Rita Highlands Pinot Noir, 2009,Ghost Block Cabernet, Sassicia, 2003 among others).

Started with shrimp-stuffed Squash Blossoms. Followed with oysters, beef carpaccio, tomato and mozzarella salads,  fois gras and a tasting of rigatoni with truffles, mushrooms and sweet sausage.

Entrees were Ricotta Gnocci in bolognese, filet mignon cooked with bone marrow, Barramundi, sea scallops, and halibut. 

Desserts included bread pudding, molten chocolate cake, zeppole, and a cheese plate.

Service was attentive, not smothering.  Management was also engaging and easy to speak with.  Pricey meal, well worth it.

My family enjoying an evening of fine food and wines.

Me and Anthony (pronounce that An-tonee).

the Pass, Rosemont, NJ

Read an tempting review by Craig LaBan a few weeks ago.  He had gone to the place that was Rosemont Cafe near Stockton,NJ for about 15 years.  It closed, sadly, about 2 years ago.

The new owners are guys who had met at the Four Seasons and worked under Jean Marie LaCroix.  They followed him to LaCroix in RittenhouseSquare.

They have a business in which they cure Heritage Pork as well as making Pates, Duck Proscuitto, and lots of other goodies.  That sell to DiBrunos and several places in New York. They retail at the Head House farm market on weekends.

So they've started serving dinners Wed to Sat nights only.  Prix-fixe is $38.50 with a couple supplements.  The place is very small, the menu limited by the style of cuisine.  It changes weekly.

We started with the cheese plate.  A whole milk cows cheese. Slightly aged and nicely textured. Served with a blueberry confit and really good course bread.

The Fall Smorgasbord had a squid prep, Drumfish, pickled beets some other fish thing and the most rediculously good slice of grilled Uni bread.  Very Scandinavian style dish. I really loved it.

Could be a challenge to non-foodies.

Marinated tomato carpaccio with pork liver pâté.

Rabbit terrine

Duck confit. 

Heritage pork shank with sauerkraut.

Scallop risotto, Venetian style (supplement).

Bonus of marinated plums and potatoes fried in duck fat (the way they should always be done).

Cho-a-block

French cheese cake with dates and Marsala

Creme Catalon... Better than flan.

Chef and charcutiere:  Matthew Ridgeway.

By my reckoning, this place should have received 3 bells from LaBan, maybe 2 for non-adventurous eaters.

Noord Eetcafe

Last time Craig LaBan gave a byob a 4 Bell review was for Django a million years ago.  In doing so he made it impossible for me to get back into my favorite dining spot.

He has recently redeemed himself by giving 3 bells to a place I'd have never discovered until it was too busy to cop a reservation.  Thanks Craig.  

(I'll try to set up a link to his review at the end of my posting.)

Street parking wasn't too bad at 6 on an August Saturday night. After Labor Day, good luck.

Chef in the open kitchen.  The chef comes out often. The 

manager and entire staff is very friendly and helpful.

Menu was well-written, precisely translated.  Dishes were all generously portioned and not too pricey.

Two of the three Holland Sliders. (The apps got hit quicker than I could grab the camera.). A big hit for people who are fans of Herring stands in Amsterdam. 

Mussels in an herbed sauce ( a special last nite, I believe.) Served with some really great French fries.

Bitterballen...nothing bitter about these braised, then fried pork meatballs. Served with a nice grainy mustard

and salad.

This Portobello and Toasted Walnut pâté came in a little jar that reminds me of fois gras jars you can get at farms in France.  

The rustic toast, pickles and beets made this a "wowza" dish.

A ridiculously great dish: Smorrebrod.

House smoked fish and great stuff around it.  Perfect with the homemade dense bread they bring to every table.

Best rabbit dish I've had in years.  Confit with smoked sausage, lardons, baby turnips, and great sauce.  

Seared diver scallops over tomato salad was a special.  Shared by the girls who were ready to explode at this point.

Mussels, clams and prawns with braised cabbage, pork sausage and caraway.

When it was all eaten I picked up the bowl and drank the broth.

Since we were all totally stuffed, it made sense to order all three deserts.  (Does that seem like a rational pattern of thinking?). 

Chocolate brioche bread pudding, Almond butter cake, and a fresh blackberry and blueberry parfait.

All of them ruled.

If you are lactose-intolerant, do not miss this restaurant.  But do take a Lactaid pill before you go. 

Seriously, the best new restaurant in Philly in years. 

http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/craig_laban/20130811_Noord_A_chef-owned_BYO_s_ode_to_the_North_Sea.html