Nothing beats home cooking, Philly-style

Without sounding too much like a homer, people in the Greater Philadelphia area are spoiled.

Despite all of our complaining (which we are very good at), we have it pretty good.

We have the mountains. We have the Jersey Shore. We have an amazing sports complex in South Philly. We have an interesting and diverse group of suburban communities surrounding the city. We have cheesesteaks, soft pretzels and tomato pie.

And, speaking of food, we have one of the most amazing restaurant scenes in the country.

For years the accolades for gourmet cuisine have gone to New Orleans, San Francisco, New York and, more recently, Charleston. But Philadelphia has popped to the top of the list a couple of times. More importantly, the consistency and quality of such a broader spectrum of restaurants in the Philly area is undeniable.

To add to the culinary appeal of Philly, surrounding towns in the suburbs have risen to the level of providing patrons with outstanding dining experiences. Ambler, Conshohocken, Phoenixville, West Chester, Wilmington and Collingswood, NJ all have carved out an interesting niche in the knife-and-fork scene. And the short drive to Atlantic City provides another great array of restaurants.

The latest to join the list of dining hot spots is King of Prussia – especially, since the new Town Center has brought many more interesting choices to the area.

Referring back to the old “can’t see the forest for the trees” theory, sometimes it takes a bit of time on the road, to appreciate what we have. Especially if that time on the road is not in one of the other great restaurant cities in America.

For the last 27 years, attendance at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando has meant anywhere between a 7-to-14-day stay in Orlando. That body of evidence, compiled from eating in a restaurant every night, has led to the conclusion that the Town that Disney Built is the worst restaurant city in the country.

It can honestly be said that I cannot point to one, single outstanding meal during that entire span of time. In fact, there weren’t more than a handful that could even be ranked as good. Chain restaurants are everywhere, if that is your inclination. Sometimes that is the safest bet.

The difference is that Philadelphia area is really a collection of neighborhoods. Restaurants have to be accountable to their returning patrons. And, even though the tourist business continues to climb every year, the mindset of accountability carries through to all patrons.

In a city like Orlando, where the vast majority of the business comes from tourists (especially

of accountability carries through to all patrons.

In a city like Orlando, where the vast majority of the business comes from tourists (especially from other countries) and corporate travelers on expense accounts, it is a one-anddone mentality. Service can be spotty. The places can be overcrowded. And the prices are pumped up.

The latest example occurred last week when 10 people from the golf industry got together for a night of relaxation after a few very hard days of work at the annual national trade show. The group leader, from Orlando, picked a trendy restaurant and made reservations well in advance – smart move during PGA Show week.

The first area of concern arose when the hostess claimed there was no record of the reservation. A quick check by the manager uncovered the fact that a call was made during the day to confirm the reservation. When the person who answered the phone replied that he had made no such reservation, it was cancelled. Finally it was discovered that the wrong phone number had been called.

Awkward scrambling ensued, until a table could be cleared in a noisy, glass-enclosed room that serves as al fresco dining in warmer weather.

The evening went downhill with the arrival of the waiter – sporting an attitude and a man-bun. There was the disinterested recitation of specials, a long wait for drinks to arrive and an assortment of very disappointing appetizers. For example, the $15 fried calamari was about onefourth the portion of a typical order in Philly.

Entrees followed suit. The $29 braised brisket was, at best, a four-ounce portion. A $35 linguini and seafood dish was the size of a typical appetizer.

The ultimate insult took place when it was time to order an assortment of desserts for the table. An award-winning sportswriter, who has dined at just about every city in the country, asked a logical question: “How big are the desserts?”

The waiter, with an annoying smirk, shot back, “I’m not going go into the kitchen and measure them but I will make sure we bring more if you need it.”

Restraint on the part of a few diners prevailed at that moment.

But it only lasted until the desserts were brought to the table. The $8 chocolate terrine was two inches wide by five inches long and no more than a half-inch thick. Two bites. A $7 key lime bar was the same size, only a bit thicker.

That led to a verbal confrontation with the waiter about his dismissive answer about the size of the desserts.

End of story. Drive back to our rented house after dinner and eat a snack.

Then plan a visit to one of the local favorite restaurants upon returning to Philadelphia. Maybe even on the way home from the airport. There’s nothing like home cooking, especially when that home is in the Philly area.