It was a sunny Sunday and we had plans to meet my in-laws for brunch. I know it’s a long drive for them all the way into the city so I suggested a compromise. Push it back to lunch and we can meet at In Riva, just off Kelly Drive. My father-in-law, a pizza aficionado, was happy to oblige. What the cycling fanatic didn’t know was that In Riva is not only bike and runner friendly but a cycling theme throughout.

We decided that we would embrace the gorgeous day. My husband rode his bike to the restaurant, while I left a little early and went for a run along the drive. We met at In Riva at 11am where I gave my husband a tongue-lashing for opting to wear his cycling shorts to lunch. I was wearing my running pants though. Double standard? We stepped inside and admired the myriad framed cycling print that decorated the wall.   We were offered a seat on the patio overlooking the water and eagerly obliged.

We settled down and took a look at the menu. Surrounding the patio were old bicycles adorned with lights. I, however, was ogling the menu. There was an intriguing salumi and formaggi menu, including a wild boar cacciatorini, and a variety of cheeses. I liked the option of “the mix” where you can get two salumi and two formaggi for $16. However, we had our eyes on the pizza.  Between the four of us, we ordered a pizza each and one antipasto and a salad. My husband was yearning for some green veggies so he had the chopped salad and I just couldn’t leave without ordering the carciofi fritti (fried artichokes.) The waiter said he’d put in the antipasti and salad orders first so our food would be well-timed.

The salad came out first. With salami, provolone and ceci, it was a crisp and refreshing salad with hints of Italy.

The carciofi fritti arrived next, followed closely by my in-laws’ pizzas.

The fried artichokes were actually less flavorful than I had anticipated, although the lemony yogurt was the perfect balance.

Check out my father-in-law’s pepperoni pizza. He’s a traditionalist when it comes to pizza and I was glad they had an option for pepperoni. And check out the pepperoni–they certainly didn’t skimp on it!

I love the idea of perching the pizza atop the La Valle tomato can.

Unfortunately, the lag time between dishes was just a little too long and my in-laws were nearly done their pizzas by the time ours arrived. Have no fear, these pizzas were worth the wait!

Having decided to go with a red and a white pie, our red option was sausage and peppers with pepperonata and fennel.

Look at the beautifully charred crust. Perfect to munch on and wipe up the bits that spill onto the plate. The sausage was full-flavored with the perfect touch of fennel. The roasted peppers were the ideal partner to the tomato sauce with just a touch of mozzarella. Although it looks heavy, this was actually a light pizza, if there is such a thing.

When I saw a burrata pizza on the menu, it immediately beckoned. Then I kept reading and saw garlic spinach and balsamic onions. Balsamic onions? You had me at hello. The server explained that the pizza was actually cooked without the burrata, which would be added after it came out of the oven.

Scope that burrata! The spinach was garlicky, as promised, and the onions were more of a balsamic caramelized onion than I had anticipated (no complaints from me.) This was the perfect foil to the sausage and pepper pizza. I do believe we ordered well. In case you’re wondering, we did have leftovers. If you’re ordering apps, you could probably get a heavier app each and split one pizza. However, my loyal readers, if you know anything about me, you know I like trying as much as possible. And my motto is “we can always have leftovers!”

In Riva is a great option for lunch after an AM workout. The staff is friendly, the deck is relaxing and…SPANDEX ARE OK! As it turns out, my husband was NOT the only guy in there rocking his spandex. While it’s a little out of the way for me, I’d love to check them out for happy hour. They have a nice-looking Italian beer list and I can only imagine that deck on a cool summer evening.

I’m a local food blogger so here”s my obligatory Shake Shack post.

I love a good burger (maybe not as much as this guy, but believe me, I’m a fan.) When I heard that the much lauded Shake Shack, Danny Meyer’s burger chain, was coming to Philly, I got a lil’ excited. When I heard it was coming to 20th and Sansom–walking distance from my job!!–the excitement increased monumentally.

When it finally opened on June 6th, twitter told me that the first people got in line at 9:15am. No way was I waiting in line for hours for anything, let alone a simple burger. The next day, however, a few of my co-workers and I decided to brave the line (in hopes it would be shorter) and check out this new attraction.

At around 11:30am, we walked the few short blocks from work and there was a line out the door and about halfway down the building. It seemed to be moving quickly, so we took our spots at the end of the line and were quickly followed by dozens of others.

Our wait in line was made much more pleasurable by the friendly Shack employee handing out free custard (so rich and creamy!) and menus and asking if we had any questions. It was obvious a lot of thought has been put in to customer service. After about 10-15 minutes outside, we made out way through the door and scoped the scene.

While the burger line was long, pro tip: there is a separate line for cold orders like custard, drinks, etc. So if you’re hoping to stop by for a shake, have no fear! Your wait will be significantly shorter.

I put in my order for a shack burger, cheese fries and the Abita root beer on draught, which came to about $12–a bit steep for a fast food lunch. I was then given a numbered beeper that would alert me when my food was ready. As we waited, we checked out the back seating area and watched the employees at work through the glass window. My co-worker kept trying to signal to one of the employees that he had something on his nose (a spot of custard, I do believe,) but he just kept working.

A highlight for me was this neat-o water fountain!

But I digress…after a short wait–ten minutes, tops, my beeper went off. I was SO excited. I went to the counter to accept my food. It comes in a neat Shake Shack brown bag. My only critique is that the to-go orders aren’t wrapped and our food was lukewarm once we got back to work, just a few blocks away.

It was pretty good though.

I bit into the burger first, of course. The Smoke Shack is a cheeseburger topped with Niman Ranch applewood smoked bacon, chopped cherry peppers and the signature Shake Sauce.

I loved the potato-esque bun that contained the simple patty. The cherry peppers added a nice tang, while the bacon–well, it was bacon. What else is there to say? The creaminess of the Shake Sauce (a chipotle-esque mayo) blended perfectly with the other components contained between the bun. The burger was decent. Despite the bit of gristle I got with my first bite, it had a nice char and the entire burger, bun, condiments and all really maintained the perfect balance. While it filled me up because I had cheese fries on the side, if I only got a burger next time, I would probably get a double.

I sipped my root beer along with my lunch. It was slightly sweeter and less carbonated than a typical soda, but certainly enjoyable. At $2.65 for a small (12 or 16 ounce) cup, it was a more than I would normally spend for a non-alcoholic drink. And I’m not even a soda drinker to begin with.

My favorite might have been the fries. Cheese fries are high on the list (along with macaroni and cheese) of things that I *must* order when I go places.

When I saw that they were crinkle-cut, I was a little bummed. Crinkle-cut is not my favorite fry “style” as they’re often pre-frozen, limp and flavorless. The Shake Shack proved me wrong though! These fries were crispy and extra salty (if you’re not a huge salt fan, it might be off-putting, but I loved it.) And the cheese dip on the side, a combo of cheddar and American, was nice and hearty. I hate when you pay extra for cheese fries and get a minuscule amount. Shake Shack doesn’t mess around. They also have this adorable little fork (pick? pitchfork?) thingy to help you pick up the fries and dip them in the sauce without dirtying your fingers.

How thoughtful!

I tried a couple bites of the Shack-cago dog topped with a variety of veg. It was decent but with all the fine hot dog spots that we have around the city, I’d stick to burgers at Shake Shack.

Bottom line, Shake Shack is a great new addition to the area. I’m surprised by the insane hype and think those who are comparing it to Village Whiskey are a little silly. But it fits its own niche and we welcome it to the neighborhood.

It’s always so hard to decide what to do on your birthday. It’s extra hard when it’s been a tough year and you know that great food is one of the only things that can make you feel really good. We were originally planning on taking a day trip to New York, but decided we wanted more time than the day would allow and decided to create our own day trip in the area. We started the day at Green Eggs Cafe–always a sure shot for their massive club or quinoa porridge (it was my  birthday so I opted for the club, of course.) We had a nice meal, despite the throngs of folks celebrating Mother’s Day. Have I ever mentioned how AWESOME it is sharing my birthday with Mother’s Day? After Green Eggs, we made our way to Grounds for Sculpture in New Jersey, after hearing that La Phemme Phoodie had celebrated her birthday there the previous day. On the way home, we stopped for some Pop’s Water Ice, which was a perfect snack on the warm and sunny day–and our first water ice of the season!

The previous day, when throwing around ideas of where to go, what to do and, most importantly, what to eat on my birthday, I asked twitter for early word on Vernick Food and Drink. There wasn’t much of a response, but I said what the hell, let’s check it out. With Chef/Owner Gregory Vernick’s impressive background (CIA grad, Jean-Georges vet,) there was quite a buzz before it even opened. I didn’t want to call during dinner service so I booked dinner for two on Opentable and added a comment that we would like to be seated at the kitchen counter, if possible.

We stopped at Dandelion for a pre-dinner drink and had quite the chatty bartender who assured us that we just had to try the food there and told us all about a dish that all the chefs in the city come to eat. Thanks, buddy. I knew I wanted a cocktail at Vernick, so I decided to get a beer. Dandelion is a British spot, so I figured I’d check out one of their ciders. I’ve been partial to Strongbow ever since we visited my brother who was studying abroad in London in 2004. I asked the bartender to recommend a cider based on that interest and he directed me towards the Samuel Smith’s Organic Apple Cider. At $15, it certainly wasn’t cheap, but I figured I could go all out, it was my birthday! His recommendation was accompanied by a glorious tale of how Shakespeare used to drink this cider. How could I NOT order it when Shakespeare used to drink it??

The beer was pretty good. $15 good? I’m not sure. But I was obviously pumped to be drinking SHAKESPEARE’S FAVE BEER! Meanwhile, my husband enjoyed their cask flight which was a steal at $8 for three 5 ounce pours.

As my husband and I were drinking and chatting, he picked up my bottle to examine the label, which clearly stated “Est. 1758.” Um, Shakespeare died in 1616 so there’s no way in hell he ever had even a sip of this cider. Dammit! Either way, we got a great laugh out of it.

Now let’s get to the good stuff.

We walked a few blocks to Vernick, which is in an old bookstore’s space on 20th and Walnut. When we entered, we saw Shola Olunloyo of Studiokitchen fame and pastry chef, Monica Glass hanging at the bar.  I gave my name to the hostess/owner Julie Vernick and she glanced down at her reservation book.

“Oh,” she said with delight. “You wanted to sit at the chef’s counter?” I was nervous that she’d say it was unavailable or we couldn’t sit there for whatever reason.”

“Right this way.” She was SO pleased that we wanted to sit there.

YES!

We were brought to the back room with a few tables and a small, 7-seat chef’s counter. As we sat down, the hard-working folks in the open kitchen made sure to greet us without interrupting their dance.

We began the evening with a cocktail. My husband stuck with a classic martini while I ordered off the drink menu. The Green Goddess, with absolut, cucumber water, lime, chartreuse and bubbles tasted of a cool cucumber. The perfect summer drink.
 Soon after we received our drinks, they brought out a complimentary taste of pea soup. The soup was fresh and tasted of spring. With the soup, Vernick does the perfect job of preparing your palate for what is to come–simple ingredients with big flavors.
Following the soup, we received another gratis bite–one of our favorite dishes of the evening. The parmesan custard is made by boiling down the parmesan rinds and adding egg, of course. It is reminiscent of an Italian street food. This custard had the sharp tang of a real parmiggiano, cut with the richness of the egg. It was, quite literally, the perfect bite.

Following the parmesan custard, we received our toasts. There are a variety of toasts, ranging from $6-14. The toppings change seasonally. We had fromage blanc with pickled ramps (swoon!) and beef tartare with freshly grated horseradish.

The pickled ramps provided a tangy complement to the creamy fromage blanc. The beef and horseradish provided a similar, but more shocking combination. Look at all that fresh ‘radish!

Next up was the house made mozzarella with rhubarb jam. It provided a refreshing bite. The mozzarella was a bit denser than I was accustomed to, but the rhubarb jam paired nicely with the creaminess of the cheese.

The only thing I didn’t love about this dish were the tiny dark rye croutons. While I liked the concept of an added crunch, they were just a little too hard.

A simple beet salad followed. It’s hard to mess up a beet salad, but it’s also hard to really nail it. I’ve had great beet salads at both Barbuzzo and Vernick lately.

It was just so refreshing. And the moliterno cheese added just a bit of sharp creaminess to the dish to cut the richness of the beets.

Throughout the evening, we chatted with the chefs during the down times. They were working hard, but there was an ease to their work–you could tell they were really enjoying themselves. About halfway through our meal, a single gentleman sat down at the end of the counter and we started chatting with him. As it turns out, he was the owner of Rotisseur and fed the Vernick Food and Drink family many, many meals as they were building and developing the restaurants.

Our next two dishes were on the heavier side–the pacing was spot-on throughout the evening, starting with the toasts and moving graduating to the larger dishes. Our first pasta was the only real miss of the night. A buckwheat pasta with broccoli rabe and lemon, it kind of just fell flat.
The next pasta, however, hit the nail on the head…hard. The potato ravioli with braised lamb was something I could keep eating and eating for days. The pillowy ravioli was filled with a simple potato mixture but the braised lamb was rich, meat and just plain delicious. I loved the crunchy bread crumbs sprinkled delicately atop the dish.
We ended up forgoing dessert, although I can only imagine that Pastry Chef Angela Ranalli, who splits her time between Vernick and Le Virtu, is pushing out some amazing food.

Although we went the first week, there were no major kinks. The food was one of the better meals I’ve had in the city for a long time. If I lived closer, I’d be a regular for the creative cocktails and toasts at the bar. I’m sure my wallet (and my husband) is pleased that I don’t.