always hungry in philadelphia

Have you ever visited a city for a day where the extent of your tour revolved around food? My friends and I got in the car to drive to Philadelphia with only a piece of paper. There were a few words written on it: Dim Sum, sushi, gelato, coffee… You get the idea.

This being my first trip to the city of brotherly love, I felt a tinge of remorse about missing out on some historical monuments. However, we managed to squeeze in a peek of the Liberty Bell, the stunning architecture of City Hall and a panoramic view of the city from the steps of the National Museum of Art.

Our morning began at Ocean Harbor in the heart of Chinatown. If you've never had Dim Sum, it is certainly an interesting experience. It’s like a Chinese buffet for lazy people. Instead of trekking your plate through aisles of unidentifiable hot plates, the food comes right to your table.

When the cart arrives, it’s safe to point at what you want rather than ask what each item is. Don't worry about being extra polite, and don’t expect a friendly attitude from the staff. In traditional Chinese culture, wait staff do not receive tips and therefore they are not accustomed to pampering their patrons. Additionally, the concept of dim sum is that each table is served several small plates and each cart is constantly circling the restaurant. My favorite dishes are the fried sesame pastries (jin deui- pictured), rice porridge (congee) and dumplings (gow).

We took a stroll down Delancy Street, with its many colored doors, floral window boxes and a healthy canopy of trees that allows the light dance on the cobblestones as the wind blows. A few photos later, we headed down South Street to check out the shops. Among the plethora of cheap clothing stores and Philly cheese steak joints, there are some odd antique and vintage thrift shops, namely Orphelin Vintage and C. Neri Antique Lighting.

We stumbled upon Bistro La Minette for a late afternoon snack. Everything about this French café was simply adorable. The mustard colored walls, the porcelain bar and a row of copper pots hanging from the ceiling in front of the open kitchen give the interior a vibe that is serene and sincere.

We ordered a house white wine, the cheese platter and a chocolate mousse- my ideal afternoon snack. Although the portions were a bit small (almost too small for sharing), the flavors were good and the prices were fairly reasonable.

Our waiter was also very kind and offered to show us the family dining room and outdoor patio area. From the strings of white lights above the wooden tables outside to the dimly lit banquet-style room, both spaces felt authentically French. I left Bistro La Minette wishing there were a place like this in DC that I could frequent often.

After browsing through a Jewish synagogue transformed into a vintage flea market, we took the subway (and trolley!) to the waterfront. The incredible weather made it a popular day for a wedding, as we witnessed two separate bride-and-groom photo shoots in the gazebos overlooking the Schuylkill River. We then walked maybe a mile to our next destination: Capogiro Gelato.

Capogiro is a mainstay in Pennsylvania, and they have an appreciative clientele for good reason. Having recently returned from Italy, I wanted to be critical of Capogiro. However, they offered authentic Italian flavors, including Nocciola (hazelnut), Pistacchio (pistachio) and Cannella (cinnamon). Needless to say, this gelato was heaven. And to top it all off, the male servers were gorgeous.

With room left for dinner, we walked down to RAW Sushi & Sake Lounge where we had reservations. My friend Annie had been raving about this place for months, so I was really excited for some tasty sushi. RAW also has a pretty reputable following around the city and they really deserve it. We were seated in the newly renovated outdoor courtyard, and RAW certainly boasts an awesome vibe, i.e. check out their website for photos. (Note: There are no photos of our decadent rolls because we were too busy eating them.)

The menu was a little extensive for a sushi bar, but as I looked around at the other orders I could tell that each dish was prepared fresh by a perfectionist. Most of us at the table ordered from the "specials" list, which was well worth it. My Snow Castle roll was large and in charge. Although there seemed to be a lot going on (snow crab, tempura shrimp and a spicy crab sauce), it was absolutely delicious.

I thoroughly enjoyed my 14 or so hours in Philly, and would love to visit again soon. If you've never toured a city on a culinary itinerary, I highly recommend it. Better yet, you should schedule it around Restaurant Week...

*photos courtesy of Joe Dickerson, gophila and wikipedia.