Tag: Flavors on the Avenue

Eggplant Meatballs

The end of April can mean only one thing, Flavors on the Avenue is almost here! Held the last Sunday of every April, Flavors on the Avenue is one of my favorite annual events. The food festival is held on E Passyunk Ave from Broad St to Dickinson St this Sunday, April 28 from 11am to 5pm.

Over two dozen of the region’s best restaurants will fire up street food, small plates, and signature dishes along the Avenue, ranging on average from $3.00 to $6.00 and will be pay-as-you-go. Craft beef, wine, and seasonal sips will also be available, sold by select restaurants, plus a Founders Brewing Co. Tasting Tent. Restaurants participating include:

  • Barcelona Wine Bar
  • Bing Bing Dim Sum
  • Brigantessa
  • Cantina Los Caballitos
  • Chhaya Cafe
  • El Sarape Restaurant
  • Essen Bakery
  • Fond
  • Fuel
  • ITV Philly
  • Izumi
  • Le Virtù
  • Mamma Maria Ristorante
  • Manatawny Still Works
  • Noir Philadelphia
  • Paradiso Restaurant
  • Pistola’s Del Sur
  • Plenty Café
  • P’unk Burger
  • Redcrest Fried Chicken
  • Saté Kampar
  • Stogie Joe’s Tavern
  • The Bottle Shop
  • Teas n’ Mi
  • Tre Scalini
  • Vanilya Bakery

In addition to all of the yummy food options, look for live music and entertainment throughout the festival, plus bring the kids for free family fun activities in kid zones up and down the avenue.

Source: EPABID

Retail, family, and fashion shops along the avenue will also be participating; look for shopping, sidewalk sales, special events, workshops, and much more!

Source: EPABID

This is an event that I’ve been attending since it first began as Flavors of the Avenue, under a tent. In 2017, the event moved along the avenue itself and has become the largest event on E Passyunk.

Source: EPABID

To read some of my past posts highlighting this event, check out:

This year, I wanted to highlight one of the many vegetarian options that will be offered on Sunday: Eggplant Meatballs from Brigantessa! I attended a media event for Flavors this year and was struck with how many delicious meatless options will be offered this year.

Every Sunday is pasta night in my house, so we went for a meatless Sunday, substituting in these yummy Eggplant Meatballs for our usual Meatballs in Tomato Sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced (or use a garlic press)
  • 2 (28 oz) cans tomato puree
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 tablespoons chopped basil, divided, plus more for serving
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2.5 cups bread crumbs (I used Italian bread crumbs)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • crusty bread or pasta, for serving

Continue reading Eggplant Meatballs

Limoncello Whiskey Sour

Before I go into my recipe for a Limoncello Whiskey Sour, I have to tell you about the upcoming event that inspired it!

My favorite outdoor event of the year is nearly here – Flavors on the Avenue! I am such a fan of this event that I even moved to be closer to it! (I’m only half kidding, but I most certainly did move to the Passyunk Square area partially because of the amazing shops and restaurants.)

source: visiteastpassyunk.com

Flavors on the Avenue is inspired by East Passyunk’s former Flavors fundraiser held under a tent each year. In 2017, the event went from under the tent and into the street.  Adding to the original food and drink offerings, the event now includes family activities, music and retail sidewalk sales. Flavors on the Avenue will be held this Sunday, April 29th, and covers five blocks, lasting six hours starting at 11am.

source: visiteastpassyunk.com

Craft beer, wine and seasonal sips will be available. Look for drinks to be sold by select restaurants out on the street, plus stop by and visit the new Founders Brewing Co. Tasting Tent. Food will be specially priced between $3.00 and $6.00 (average) and be pay-as-you-go from individual restaurants.

source: visiteastpassyunk.com

Participating restaurants and eateries, along with their menus, include:

  • Barcelona Wine Bar –  Vegetable paella
  • Bing Bing Dim Sum –  Roast pork sandwich, cold noodles
  • Brigantessa –  Sausage with giaroinviera relish with aioli
  • Cantina Los Caballitos –  Pork tacos, ceviche
  • chhaya –  Fried chicken and waffles, iced coffee
  • El Sarape Restaurant –  Tacos al pastor, cemitas, pina coladas and homemade water: Jamaica and horchata
  • Essen Bakery – Mini za’atar croissant stuffed with labneh cheese.
  • Filitalia International –  Penne with gravy and meat/cheese sandwiches
  • Fond – TBD
  • ITV Philly/Laurel – Pork Skin with Sour Cream and Onion
  • Izumi – Gyoza (pork dumplings)
  • Le Virtù – Palotte cac’e: egg & pecorino croquettes, tomato, basil
  • Mamma Maria Ristorante – Pasta primavera and chicken cutlets
  • Manatawny Still Works –  Whiskey cocktail, Gin cocktail, vodka cocktail, Sly Fox beer
  • Noir Philadelphia –  Rice balls, poutine (French fries with potato gravy), meatballs w/marina sauce, watermelon salad
  • NOORD eetcafe – Bitterballen, poffertjes
  • Paradiso Restaurant –  Arancini
  • Pistola’s Del Sur –  Seafood ceviche
  • P’unk Burger –  Swiss and bacon slider, cheese burger slider, hot dog, shoe string fries
  • Redcrest Fried Chicken – Spicy chicken slider, fried chicken slider and vegan slider, spicy vegan slider
  • Saté Kampar – Nasi Lemak (rice, peanuts, anchovies cucumber, chilie sauce), Rendang Nasi (beef stew, rice,carrots, cucumber), Nasi Ayma Kurma (chicken potatoes and rice), Teh Tarik (hot milk tea), Coconut Water
  • Stogie Joe’s Tavern – Meatball sandwiches and pizza
  • The Bottle Shop – Variety of beer (12-16 ounce)
  • Vanilya Bakery –  Chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, ice cream sandwiches
  • Will byob – Quiche – Bacon and Spinach
  • The Chilly Banana (food truck as part of Nice Things Handmade show

I’ve written posts about this event for years now, including recipes for Pomegranate Tom Collins Cocktails, Watermelon Feta Salad, and Charred Ramp Arancini inspired by offerings at past Flavors.

This year, I wanted to highlight one of my favorite new-ish additions to E. Passyunk, Manatawny Still Works, that I’m thrilled is a part of Flavors on the Avenue this year. Manatawny Still Works opened a tasting room on E. Passyunk late last summer and has been a welcome addition to the Avenue.

I am a big fan of their whiskey, specifically their ever-changing small batch options. Their Coffee Whiskey (Batch #16) didn’t last very long in my house at all, and their latest Pennsylvania Whiskey isn’t going to last much longer!

It’s actually one of a few tasting rooms on East Passyunk. There is also a store, Pollyodd, that sells multiple flavors of Limoncello. So I thought it might be fun to make a cocktail using both – a Limoncello Whiskey Sour!

A traditional Whiskey Sour is made with lemon juice, simple syrup, and of course, whiskey.

Limoncello tends to be on the sweeter side, so I thought it would be a perfect substitute.

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • 3 oz Manatawny Still Works Pennsylvania Whiskey
  • 2 oz Pollyodd Limoncello
  • The juice of 1 lemon (about 1 oz)
  • splash club soda
  • ice
  • maraschino cherries and lemon wedges, for garnish

Continue reading Limoncello Whiskey Sour

Charred Ramp Arancini

Tomorrow is one of my favorite events of the year: Flavors on the Avenue! I’ve written past posts about this event, but this year, they are switching things up a bit. The event, usually held under a tent, is coming out onto the street to make for what should be a pretty awesome five block street festival tomorrow, April 30 from noon to 5 pm.  The event will be held around the Singing Fountain at the intersection of S 11th, Tasker and Passyunk.

Tickets aren’t required to attend the event, although they are strongly encouraged. Cost is $50 each and include all of the dishes, two glasses of beer or wine, and valet parking – a $130 value. You can also pay as you go; each dish will be priced at $3 to $6. Further details can be found here.

East Passyunk Avenue is known for its fantastic restaurants, and a bunch of them (27!) are participating in this event. There will also be free kids’ activities and a crafter’s market. Here is a list of participants and the food they will be serving: (note: options shown in photos above are in bold)

  • Bing Bing Dim Sum: Pork Buns, Corn Rangoon
  • Birra: Pizza slices, plain and pepperoni
  • Brigantessa: Chorizo Cotto with whipped ricotta and peas
  • Cantina los Caballitos: Tacos al Pastor, Elote, Classic and Cucumber Margaritas
  • Chhaya: Fried chicken and waffles, Iced coffee
  • El Sarape: Tacos al Pastor, Pina Coladas
  • Fond: Salmon Tartare with sesame, nori and avocado
  • Izumi: Pork Gyoza
  • Laurel: Chocolate egg cream pudding pops
  • Le Virtu: Octopus and chick pea salad
  • Mamma Maria: Cheese ravioli
  • Marra’s: Mozzarella pizza
  • Noir: Arancini balls, watermelon salad
  • Noord: Bitterballen (Dutch meatballs with nutmeg and mustard)
  • Paradiso: Arancini Di Riso
  • Perla: Pork Belly, Adobo with garlic rice
  • Plenty Cafe: Choripan (Traditional South African sandwich with chorizo, chimichurri, and pickled red onion on a baguette)
  • POPE: Zucchini feta fritters, Cashew teriyaki
  • P’unk Burger: Pulled Portobello sandwiches, Caprese pesto burgers
  • Sate Kampar: Achat (carrots, cucumber, peanuts and chile sauce), Sago Gula Melaka (sago pearls, coconut cream, palm nectar) and Chicken Sate
  • Stargazy: Sausage Rolls, Potato Masala Rolls, Sticky Toffee Sundaes
  • Stateside: House-made steam buns with duck confit, peppadew and radicchio
  • Stogie Joe’s: Meatballs with Toasted Bread
  • Townsend: Roast pork sandwiches
  • Tre Scalini: Tripe in Umido
  • Vanilya Bakery: Buttercream cookies, Buttercream cupcakes
  • Will BYOB: Caramelized onion crepes, Banana and caramel crepes

I had the opportunity to go on a media tour a try a bunch of these bites. Noord’s Bitterballen remains one of my favorites (they serve it every year, and every year I love them). New to Flavors is Sate Kampar, and all of their offerings are fantastic! Absolutely go try the Achat, Sago Hula Melaka, and Chicken Sate.

One of the restaurants on the media tour was Brigantessa. If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen my high praise for their Charred Ramp Arancini. They were absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, Brigantessa is not serving these for Flavors, but is serving Chorizo Cotto with Whipped Ricotta and Peas that sounds right up my alley as well. There will be plenty of arancini available though, a few restaurants are serving it.

I wanted to try my hand at making the Brigantessa Aracini, so here goes! I adapted this recipe to include charred ramps, which adds a slight onion flavor to the cheesy rice ball.

Ingredients:

  • 8 ramp leaves, charred

Continue reading Charred Ramp Arancini

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