Philled to the Gills

There's lots to love about the City of Brotherly Love.

I'm surprised it's taken me so long to visit Philadelphia, especially considering the drive from New York is a mere two hours. Ryan and I were itching to get away for a couple days, and we decided the Sunday and Monday of Labor Day weekend would be a good time.

We arrived in Philly around 1 p.m., checked into our hotel and headed to Reading Terminal. Since it was a Sunday, a number of the vendors were closed, but we still got a good glimpse of the market. Tempted by the freshly-sliced corned beef, we opted for a reuben from Hershel's Deli and then grabbed a cone from Bassetts. The cinnamon ice cream reminded me of making it at home when I was younger.

That night, we had reservations at Morimoto and ordered the omakase menu, or the chef's multi-course tasting option. Wow. I dined at the chef's New York restaurant three years ago and was blown away. The plates were just as beautiful and tasted just as good.

On Labor Day, I suppose we were feeling a bit patriotic after touring Independence Hall, so we stopped by City Tavern, a restaurant that maintains the customs and food of 18th Century America. I tried shrub (a fruit vinegar) mixed with rum, and Ryan went for a Thomas Jefferson 1774 ale.

Of course, we couldn't leave Philadelphia without eating the obvious: a cheesesteak. Bypassing the Geno's and Pat's rivalry, we traveled to the city's outskirts and visited Dalessandro's. If I'm being completely honest, I have to admit that I prefer 99 Miles to Philly in New York. I'm all about authenticity, but good food is good food, right?

Glad there's such a thing as free speech. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to Phil you in.