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archives 2008 » may. 7th
sponsored by
  Eat Beat | Field Guide | Recipe | Restaurant Review
Menu Guide| Happy Hour Guide| Food Listings

Eat Beat

Fogo de Chão, Chima and Ashoka Palace.

by Kirsten Henri



Eat It With Mom!

This is the first year in quite a while that Penn’s commencement weekend doesn’t coincide with Mother’s Day (Sun., May 11), an alarming coincidence which usually creates an irritating scenario of impossible-to-get restaurant reservations. Now that you’ve got a bit more flexibility, what will you do for mom to make her feel special? Bring her flowers? Breakfast in bed? Or will you follow the advice of the unfailingly salacious press releases from Fogo de Chão and buy her an unlimited selection of meat on skewers during a “culinary journey” with the Chestnut Street rodizio? The release describes how “Fogo’s gaucho chefs and servers answer to Mom’s every whim, carving up 15 savory cuts of meat tableside,” which is really what my mom wants from everyone, all the time. The restaurant is open on Mother’s Day for lunch ($38.50) and dinner ($48.50); both prices include as many trips to the salad bar as Mom wants and endless chargrilled meats. » Fogo de Chão, 1337 Chestnut St. 215.636.9700. www.fogodechao.com

 

Eat It Later!

Speaking of rodizios, Fogo de Chão is getting some competition from Chima, another Brazilian steakhouse chain opening in Center City on May 27. This one will also offer endless meats (and fishes) chargrilled on skewers by gauchos in costume and an unlimited salad bar for $48.50. It begs the question: Does a town really need two churrascarias? Three, if you count the rustic rodizio-in-a-diner Picanha up in the Northeast? If the whole idea of a rodizio is to have too much food, then why not have too many restaurants to serve it in also? Of course sometimes we forget there are some restaurant-poor towns that would kill for this sort of plenty, so we’ll just say thanks and eat our meat. » Chima, 1901 JFK Blvd. 215.525.3233. www.chima.cc

 

Eat It!

The possibly jinxed spot on 19th Street that once was Tragos, Cha Cha Sushi and Bootsie’s is now Ashoka Palace, a moderately priced Indian restaurant owned by Kinder Jit Singh, who cheffed at the now-defunct Taj Mahal several years back. Bootsie’s wasn’t the fanciest-looking establishment on the block, but Ashoka Palace’s decor comes off as a bit grim, despite being painted a pleasant shade of pink. The prices are quite reasonable for Rittenhouse, though—the most expensive item on the menu is Ashoka shrimp biryani for $12. So if they had to skimp on the swanky decor to pass on the savings to customers in these difficult times, we’ll shut our eyes take it, as long as the food is good. » Ashoka Palace, 38 S. 19th St. 215.564.6466
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 PW Recommends
sponsored by
sat sun mon tue wed thu fri
 sat 5/17 6 events 

Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby
12:30pm. Free. Trenton Ave. and Norris St. 215.427.0350. www.kinetickensington.org

 
Sorrento Cheese Ninth Street Italian Market Festival
10am-5pm. Free. Ninth St. between Fitzwater and Federal sts. www.9thstreetitalianmarketfestival.com
daily – ends 5/18

 
Philadelphia Book Festival
11am-5pm. Free. Free Library, 1901 Vine St. 215.567.4341. www.library.phila.gov
daily – ends 5/18

 
Space 1026 Screenprinting Party
1-4pm. Free. Space 1026, 1026 Arch St. 215.574.7630

 
Fresh Fish
Through May 18. $12-$15. Walking Fish Theatre, 2509 Frankford Ave. 215.427.WALK. www.walkingfishtheatre.com
daily – ends 5/19

 
"David Kessler's Shadow World: Under the El, Year One "
Free. Through May. International House, 3701 Chestnut St. 215.895.6533. www.ihousephilly.org
daily – ends 5/31

 sun 5/18 5 events 

Belgian Bierfeesten
1pm. $55. World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. 215.222.1400. www.worldcafelive.com

 
Sorrento Cheese Ninth Street Italian Market Festival
10am-5pm. Free. Ninth St. between Fitzwater and Federal sts. www.9thstreetitalianmarketfestival.com
daily – ends 5/18

 
Philadelphia Book Festival
11am-5pm. Free. Free Library, 1901 Vine St. 215.567.4341. www.library.phila.gov
daily – ends 5/18

 
Fresh Fish
Through May 18. $12-$15. Walking Fish Theatre, 2509 Frankford Ave. 215.427.WALK. www.walkingfishtheatre.com
daily – ends 5/19

 
"David Kessler's Shadow World: Under the El, Year One "
Free. Through May. International House, 3701 Chestnut St. 215.895.6533. www.ihousephilly.org
daily – ends 5/31

 mon 5/19 4 events 


 
Sorrento Cheese Ninth Street Italian Market Festival
10am-5pm. Free. Ninth St. between Fitzwater and Federal sts. www.9thstreetitalianmarketfestival.com
daily – ends 5/18

 
Philadelphia Book Festival
11am-5pm. Free. Free Library, 1901 Vine St. 215.567.4341. www.library.phila.gov
daily – ends 5/18

 
"David Kessler's Shadow World: Under the El, Year One "
Free. Through May. International House, 3701 Chestnut St. 215.895.6533. www.ihousephilly.org
daily – ends 5/31

 tue 5/20 1 event 

"David Kessler's Shadow World: Under the El, Year One "
Free. Through May. International House, 3701 Chestnut St. 215.895.6533. www.ihousephilly.org
daily – ends 5/31

 wed 5/21 2 events 

Pattern Is Movement
8pm. $10. With Helio Sequence + Ravens and Vultures. Johnny Brenda's, 1201 Frankford Ave. 215.739.9684. www.johnnybrendas.com

 
"David Kessler's Shadow World: Under the El, Year One "
Free. Through May. International House, 3701 Chestnut St. 215.895.6533. www.ihousephilly.org
daily – ends 5/31

 thu 5/22 1 event 

"David Kessler's Shadow World: Under the El, Year One "
Free. Through May. International House, 3701 Chestnut St. 215.895.6533. www.ihousephilly.org
daily – ends 5/31

 fri 5/23 1 event 

"David Kessler's Shadow World: Under the El, Year One "
Free. Through May. International House, 3701 Chestnut St. 215.895.6533. www.ihousephilly.org
daily – ends 5/31

 PW Online Extras
Features  
6 articles 

Turning Tricks
Why won't David Copperfield call me back?
5/16

 
Which Is Gayer--a Skinhead Punk Rock Show or a Belle and Sebastian Disco?
And can either of them possibly be as gay as Philadelphia's first-ever gay rodeo? The answer might surprise you.
5/15

 
Role Model?
ANTM chooses a full-figured beauty; fashion houses still book skinny girls.
5/15 – pop tart

 
Writing Wrongs
Bad journalism is to blame for marijuana prohibition.
5/13

 
Kids, Try This at Home
Is free running about to go mainstream?
5/13

 
Philly's Heavy Metal Professor
Albert Mudrian turned his love of the genre into a job.
By Dan Cappello
5/12

 
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