August 21st, 2013

Good Gotta Eat!! Food…Han Dynasty, Philadelphia…A little tasting here or there in the City of Brotherly Love!! Sichuan Cuisine

We went for a little bit of a more upscale Chinese dining….it is still a very casual place…Han Dynasty is located at 3711 Market St. in Philadephia.  The telephone is 215-222-3711.  Website?  http://www.handynasty.net.

The cuisine at Han Dynasty is known as Sichuan.  “Sichuan” , previously known as Szechwan, is a province in the West of the Southern Central Region of China.

This restaurant serves food family style.  It is perfect for sharing and they do open for lunch and dinner.

You can eat at the bar or sit at the tables. It does get crowded.  Our server was CJ and he was great with his recommendations.

Han Dynasty packs a lot of heat in its dishes.  The level of heat for each one is on the menu.  But, if you want a little milder or hotter, don’t be afraid to ask because they will be more than happy to oblige.

And this is what we ordered:

The Dumplings in Chili Oil were spicy and perfect for an appetizer.

I thought this particular entree had tofu, but I am not sure if they forgot and gave me an extra order of Stir Fried Lamb in Hoisin and Oyster Sauce.  It was good and I did ask for a number 5 in the heat level.

The Pork Long Hot Pepper Style were stir fried and included shredded long hot peppers.  Full heat!!

CJ told us that the Salt & Pepper Shrimp were very good.  We did try them and they were very light and had just the right amount of salt, pepper, and heat.

And, I loved this vegetarian dish of Bok Choy with Black Mushrooms!!

No dessert was necessary, just a long walk along the streets of University City.

Please note that if you do have a gluten diet they will be able to modify some of the dishes.

Talk to you later.

August 5th, 2013

Parc, Restaurant, Bistro, Cafe, Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Steak Tartare, Chicken Liver Parfait, Heirloom Tomato Salad, Trout Amandine, Coq Au Vin!!

When it is sunny in Philadelphia the visitors and residents really come out to enjoy the beautiful weather.  Sunny skies, low humidity, and cooler temperatures, that’s what everyone in the city was enjoying on Sunday.

Parc is one of those restaurants that sit overlooking the square.  Outdoor dining in a cafe atmosphere…great music playing in the background.

Parc is located at 227 S. 18th St, at Locust St., Philadelphia,  19103.  Tel. 215-545-2262. Website?  http://www.parc-restaurant.com.  Parc is also part of Starr Restaurant Group.

It was late in the afternoon, but nevertheless, Parc was crowded and still serving lunch.  They open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday Brunch.

The bread is baked in-house and smelled delicious.  Since I have been eating gluten free, I have almost forgotten how dense bread really can be.

A few appetizers were ordered:

The Steak Tartare was made with chopped filet, capers and a quail egg on top.

This appetizer is one of my favorites at Parc.  Chicken Liver Parfait with red wine gelee.  It is a filling appetizer, perfect for sharing, as well.  I didn’t, but you know what I mean.

An Heirloom Tomato Salad offered the taste of summer!!

Our server mentioned that he loved the Trout Amandine with Haricots Verts, and lemon brown butter.  And he was right….delicious!

I decided on the Sunday Special.  I think the Coq Au Vin makes its appearance at Parc every Sunday…so if you are there, I recommend it.  It is so tasty and it really falls off the bone.

Parc offers wonderful desserts, but to tell you the truth we were totally satisfied…..so a little walk it was all that was needed.

Talk to you later.