A coffee shop experience is different for most everyone. I remember when I used to be petrified of going into Starbucks. How in the world do you order? I learned quickly…..A Venti, Cafe Mocha, Extra Hot, No Whip. That is my standard.
People watching is a must. Some are relaxing checking their texts. Others are rushing by.
When I was young I remember my grandmother always had coffee in the balcony in Puerto Rico, accompanied by the neighbors. It was a time to relax and talk. Really talk! You had to. There were no portable phones yet. Not even in the imagination of us mortals.
I was in Philadelphia last month and this city is perfect for foodies. It is also a paradise for good coffee shops. Are you a coffee snub? Then you are in the right city.
United By Blue started in Philadelphia in 2013. My son told me he was taking me to a very interesting coffee shop. Indeed it was! It is located at 205 Race St., Old City, Philadelphia 19106. Tel. 267-457-3114. Website? https://www.unitedbyblue.com/pages/flagship
United By Blue is local, so you probably won’t see too many tourists yet. Another location on Walnut Street.
Their coffee was excellent. You can do a little online shopping if you want to try something delicious.
A Breakfast sandwhich with home fries. The menu is online, as well. It was perfect for a cool morning in the City of Brotherly Love.
We all call our planet home and United By Blue is doing its part to help keep it clean. Their Mission? “For every product sold, United By Blue removes one pound of trash from our World’s ocean and waterways.” To find out why please log onto the website above referenced.
Besides being a coffee shop, it is also a retail store. Apparel for men, women, including shoes. Camping gear too.
In the store there is copperwear to buy. I particularly liked the straws. I think you can see them in the following photo, inside the mugs.
Very interesting indeed. Read about them, join a cleanup and check past cleanups as well.
In the meantime, if you are in Philly and want to really be a neighborhood local, by all means stop by. Remember this company offers coffee, food, retail shopping but in their hearts it is an “enviornmental conservation organization”.
Follow them on Instagram ubb_phila and on FB as United By Blue.
Have a great day.
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Breakfast is supposed to fuel your body for the chores ahead, an early morning ritual not to be missed…..The chore at hand was visiting the annual Philadelphia Flower Show. I could not wait…you know how it has been; cold, snowy, and gray. My friend, Jody, and I took off for Philly to make this a girls’ trip.
For breakfast we were to order at the counter, and then it would be brought to our booth. High Street opens for breakfast, lunch, and dinner…yes, they serve food all day long.
All pastries and breads are made in-house. They use locally milled flours and grains.
They also cure their meets…my breakfast was going to be made with this brown sugar cured pastrami.
The long hot peppers were already roasted and were also going to be part of my breakfast. Actually, I found them mild, but others have mentioned that they are hot. Needless to say they give a bit of a kick to an expectant palate.
My friend, Jody, decided on something that would stick to your ribs….oatmeal! It was cold in Philly. But, what she was not expecting was their her oatmeal was the best she had ever tasted…..It was Baked Oatmeal; stone cut organic Carolina oats, dried orchard fruit, oatmeal streusel. Delish!!
My son, who had decided to accompany us went for a more traditional breakfast. It was called the Italian Market Breakfast with Lancaster bologna, spicy Coppa, Roasted Broccoli Rabe, Old Bay Fried Potatoes, Farm fried eggs and homemade toasted bread. Also a winner!!
My usual question….What is the dish that is the most popular, the one that keeps customers coming back again, and again? Without hesitation it was the Pastrami & Hash. This breakfast sandwich was so impressive, with an awesome presentation and fabulous taste. It had shaved pastrami, spiced hash, roasted peppers and onions, farm egg, and Russian dressing. It was served on a board with a side dish of a long hot pepper and hot sauce made from those peppers, as well. The sauce some heat and added even more flavor. Loved it and would have it again in no time.
Fueld up and ready to attend the flower show….we were on our way.
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I told a friend the other day that I had gone to a great restaurant in Old City, Philadelphia. She started laughing and thought I had it wrong. I was not sure since I really do not know Philadelphia even thought it is located at about 2 hours and 15 minutes from the Delaware Beaches.
Well, guess what? Old City is Philadelphia’s oldest neighborhood located in Center City. Walking the streets reminded me of Old San Juan; yes, plenty of cobblestones.
The restaurant that I went to on Thursday is called Amada. It is located at 217-219 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel. 215-625-2450. Website? www.amadarestaurant.com.
This is an only Tapas restaurant. Tapas are small plates, that originated in the most common eateries in Spain; Tascas. Tascas are everywhere; some of them are grand, some have fancy floors; others have floors covered with sawdust and peanut shells and everything else you can imagine. Going to Spain and not eating at the Tascas is unheard of. The best food and the best entertainment.
I am glad that we came in at the time we did. By the time we left Amada, the restaurant was completely full. Reservations are recommended.
The interior looks like a typical Spanish restaurant. Amada has Andalusian influences. Andalusia is in the south of the Iberian Peninsula.
Since it was so early I was able to take some pictures. There is Chef’s table and it can be reserved for parties. Otherwise, anyone can sit there. You are able to see the kitchen at work.
We decided to sit at the bar. We chose a high table. Amy was our server and before I forget, she was great. Gracious, friendly, and knowledgeable.
I really did not know that this particular restaurant is part of the Garces Restaurant Group, whose restaurants are among Philadelphia’s best. Amada opened in 2005.
Jose Garces is the star of the Group. He comes from Ecuadorian parents; raised in Chicago. Please go to the website above mentioned so you can see his bio. Very impressive. He just won the most recent season of The Next Iron Chef. Also his new book Latin Evolution can be purchased through the website.
We had so many tapas; at times we ordered them again and again. A pitcher of Sangria is a must at any Spanish restaurant. Everyone at the table liked it.
Here are the tapas: Since my husband has a gluten allergy we ordered tapas that he could also eat. There were just a few that he could not have like the meatballs and the duck on a flatbread.
Gambas al Ajillo – Garlic shrimp. The bread given was perfect for dipping into that beautiful sauce.
Pulpo Especial – Was a special octupus. It was, I believe, grilled. Very crispy; the sauces added extra flavor.
Pato con Cerezas Coca – Duck breast, Cabrales cheese and a cherry fig marmalade on a flatbread.
Pulpo a la Gallega – Spanish Octupus
Croquetas de jamon – Ham croquettes
Oysters – Strawberry Escabeche and Cava Granita. Best ever; just very unique.
Tortilla Espanola – A traditional tortilla made with potatoes and eggs with saffron aioli.
Albondigas – Lamb meatballs and shaved Manchego cheese. Michael thought they were out of this world.
Boquerones are white anchovies. This tapa had pine nuts and olives. The first time I went to Spain and I had them, I totally felt in love with them. They are expensive and hard to find. At Vic & Angelos in Delray Beach, Florida, they make their Caesar Salad with them. They are so mild.
Someone at the table ordered a specialty drink; Law of Desire. It was made with Spanish Brandy, Absinthe, and Peychaud’s. I had a taste and it was, definitely, one of those drinks you need to sip a little at a time. It was delicious. Absinthe is a flavored distilled liquor and Peychaud’s is a bitter; like Angostura bitters, but lighter.
Had a great evening, in a restaurant full of atmosphere and with good company.
Cannot wait to visit some of the other restaurants of the Garces Restaurant Group. For example, the one called Distrito which is Mexican cuisine, Chifa has Peruvian influences, Village Whiskey is an American Bar with more than 80 whiskies and different bar snacks. And the other one that is attracting my attention is Tinto, which is a wine bar and restaurant inspired by the Basque region of Northern Spain and Southern France. For more info. on these restaurants please visit www.grg-mgmt.com.
The Basques love seafood and food in general. Their food is fresh and perfectly satisfying. Almost everyone is interested in gastronomy. There are clubs in the region where only the men are allow to cook. Sounds perfect!!
Talk to you later…you know I will….How about some Ecuadorian cuisine, Jose?
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