Sabrina's Café @ Powelton, Philadelphia PA

Outside Sabrina's Cafe @ Powelton

 Sabrina's Cafe is known for their incredible brunch specials, generous portion sizes, and long lines. Sabrina's at Powelton may have long lines later in the day (or perhaps this location is still new enough to avoid the wait?), but thankfully our brunching party of eight was seated as soon as we all arrived on a recent Sunday morning!




Sabrina's @ Powelton has a distantly collegiate vibe. From the mahogany walls, Brontësque winding staircase in the front hall, and the large windows on the one hand, to the long "caf" tables and benches and the very un-brunch loud music on the other. 

Fresh Squeezed OJ

I ordered the Apple and Wisconsin Cheddar Omelette ($8.29) with a small fresh orange juice ($3.49). The omelet was delicious. The apples provided a satisfying crunch, with a surprisingly perfect dash of cinnamon that nicely balanced the cheddar's tangy sharpness. The side of fried potato with onions were perfectly crispy. 

Apple & Wisconsin Cheddar Omelette

Barking Chihuahua

One brunchmate ordered the  Barking Chihuahua ($8.99). A delicious breakfast burrito filled with eggs, black beans, red peppers & pepper jack cheese. The crispy tortillas that topped it added a satisfying crunch.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Another brunchmate tried the buttermilk pancakes ($6.59 for full stack, $4.99 for the short stack). Served with real maple syrup, these are traditional  & delicious.

The "White Hats" Egg White Omelet

 
Sabrina's specials change quiet often, and usually have a theme to them. This week the theme was Star Wars, with clever titles such as "Imperial Eggs Benedict," "The Long Walk Nachos," "Palpatine's Pumpkin Patty Cakes."  A brunchmate ordered The "White Hats" Egg White Omelet ($10.95), a unique combination of peas, onions, crimini mushrooms, and manchego cheese.  

Another Special That Looks Delicious-I forget which one it was.

Bagel with Lox Platter

One brunchmate tried the Bagel with Lox Platter ($9.99). Served with capers, fresh tomato, onion, calamata olives, and Sabrina's delicious cream cheese, the only thing lacking in this meal the bagel itself. Nothing wrong, per say, but it tasted store-bought and lacked the wonderful goodness of a New York bagel. 







A dish that is sure to please (though it may leave you in a bit of a carb coma), is Sabrina's renowned Stuffed Challah French Toast ($9.99). Thick, moist layers of fresh challah bread are filled with a tart farmer's cream cheese. Soaked in vanilla bean syrup and served with fresh bananas, it is hard to go wrong with this one.

Stuffed Challah French Toast

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The one big negative that I would give, is that the child's meal, a Grilled Cheese Sandwich, was served well-after everyone else. The waiter apologized for the wait-- the chef had forgotten that the little one had requested it without tomatoes and apparently had to make it over, but at that point it might have made more sense for the waiter to ask the parents if the meal should have been sent back or if the tomatoes could have been picked off.  Leaving the youngest member of our party to wait for food was not very nice.  

Also, I believe that the sandwich was ordered off a special kid's menu. And if that's the case, it was proportionally quite large for your average young child. Despite that, when I asked for a review of the sandwich itself, this brunchmate's huge grin confirmed that the grilled cheese was thoroughly enjoyed.

This is one big kid's meal!

Drawbacks aside, Sabrina's newest location has a lot to offer with spacious tables and a large menu. There is surely something for everyone, even with a large group of brunchmates.



If you go:

• 34th & Powelton, Philadelphia, PA 19104
• Phone: (215) 222-1022
• They accept credit cards.
• Sabrina's Cafe

Community Food & Juice, New York NY

 On a recent visit to New York, I had the opportunity to brunch at Community. Quite popular even on a weekday, there was a bit of a wait. While the atmosphere was a bit of a hustle and bustle, and nothing amazingly incredible, the food was fresh and delicious.








 I tried the Truffled Quiche ($14). The house-made crust was flaky and buttery, the truffled wild mushrooms had an earthy yet delicate flavor that paired nicely with the leeks and cheese. Served with a side of greens, it was filling without being heavy.
  

I also ordered a hot chocolate, which was good quality but too milky-sweet for me.



 A brunchmate ordered the  Biscuit Sandwich ($14),  scrambled cage-free eggs, chicken-apple sausage and Cabot cheddar cheese served with tomato jam and carrot hash browns. It was good but could have used a side of greens to complement the biscuit.

Another brunchmate ordered this delicious looking meal. I cannot for the life of me remember what it was--I think it may have been a special. The heirloom carrots were a nice touch and there were no complaints.









If you go:

• 2893 Broadway  New York, NY 10025
• Phone: (212) 665-2800
• They accept credit cards.
• Community Food and Juice

Pasta Everyone Can Eat

Recently a brunchmate made the most delicious pasta for me. It was made entirely out of...wait for it...zucchini! ("zuculini")

At first I wasn't sure what to expect. Quiet honestly, I wasn't expecting to love it. But if you are hesitant as well, then clearly you haven't tasted it.




This dish is so delicious that I ran out and bought a julienne shredder to be able to make it. Here is my own twist on the original:


Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of chopped sweet onions
1 teaspoon of ghee
1 medium zucchini
2 shiitake mushrooms
1 teaspoon (or to taste) sea salt


Julienne the zucchini while heating ghee & slightly caramelizing onions over medium heat. Add zucchini & shiitake slices. Add dash of salt or other spices to taste. Add splashes of water & also adjust heat to keep from sticking to the pan or burning. Serve as is, or grate cheese on top.

Serves one.

The Rocket Cat Cafe, Philadelphia PA

A fun, relaxed coffee-shop on Frankford Ave in the "Northportfishington" section of Philadelphia, The Rocket Cat Cafe offers more than just coffee and tea.



They have a wide mix of sandwiches and soups, including a number of gluten-free and vegan options. On a recent morning, I tried their sweet potato hummus with fresh avocado on a cinnamon raisin bagel.




I was a bit unsure of the flavor combination, but the cinnamon raisin worked perfectly with the slightly-sweet, slightly-spicy tones of the hummus.

They had chai hot apple cider listed on the menu, but unfortunately were out of apple cider. Being in a bit of an adventurous mood, I asked the barista if it might be possible to substitute hot chocolate instead. Thankfully she said it was because, wow, talk about delicious. Chai hot chocolate tastes slightly like a Mexican-style hot chocolate, with subtle notes of cinnamon and ginger, but is not as overwhelming. The flavors roll gently over the taste buds instead of full-on body slamming them.



One brunchmate tried the honey-beat cream cheese. The beat flavor was extremely minor, if it was even there are all, and mostly just lend a nice pink hue to the delicately sweet cream cheese.




Another brunchmate went with the egg & cheese sandwich. A simple breakfast classic done right.



The atmosphere in the cafe is calm and comfortable: many people are settled down with laptops plugged in, others seem to be enjoying deep conversations. In the corner there is an old computer, circa 1999, that looks available for computer-less customers to surf the web. There is a shelf of books with a possible game or two on it as well. The Rocket Cat Cafe offers good food & drinks along with some friendly neighborhood charm.


If you go:

• 2001 Frankford Ave, Philadelphia, PA.
• Phone: (215) 739-4526
• They accept credit cards
• Open daily until 9PM
  
• Rocket Cat Cafe FB Page

Federal Donuts, Philadelphia PA

Serving donuts, coffee, chicken, and tee-shirts, Federal Donuts has landed. Despite being a new kid on the block, Federal Donuts is iconic South Philadelphia and feels like it could have been here for years. Down the block from the Mummers Museum, it's a great stop for tourists, old-school neighbors and new-school hipsters alike.





If you want to try the fancy donuts, there will be no sleeping in. While it depends on how many early-risers there are, most days the Fancy Donuts ($2 each or $20 for a dozen) are gone by 10 or 11am. Flavors change, but the combinations are always bizarrely delicious.






On a recent visit I tried Razzberry Balsamic, which oddly reminded me of sweet & sour chicken. It probably would have tasted even more like sweet & sour chicken had I had paired it with some of their actual chicken.





The S'mores was super sweet, with bits of marshmallow actually baked into the donuts and then topped with graham cracker and chocolate sauce.






The Grapefruit and Brown Sugar had a sublet hint of coffee flavor to it and, while not my taste, seemed extremely popular with only one left by the time I arrived.






Caramel Banana has a gentle caramel flavor. The bite-sized crunchy banana chips create an interesting mix of textures. The Halvah Pistachio combines two unlikely nutty flavors into an old-world/new-world donut explosion.



Surprisingly, my personal favorite was the Pina Colada. The sweetness of the coconut and the tartness of the pineapple create a perfect mix. While all of the Fancy Donuts are super sweet, the Pina Colada is more mature in flavor. The older sibling of S'mores and Razzberry Balsamic.




All the fuss is on the Fancy Donuts, but I found the true hero to be the hot donuts: moist, warm, melt in your mouth airy goodness. They come in three flavors: Indian Cinnamon, Appolonia Spice, and Vanilla Lavender. All three are reminiscence of home cooked meals, imagined holidays, and big bear hugs. In other words, total comfort junk food. Perfect for dunking in coffee.







If you go, get there early before they sell out. If you're going for chicken they start taking orders just before noon. Chicken is served either dry or glazed ($9 for 6 wings, $17 for 12). Flavors include Za'atar, Buttermilk Ranch, Chile-Garlic, Honey-Ginger, and Harissa.

Whether you're going for donuts, chicken, or both, unless it's a tee-shirt you want plan to arrive early.

If you go:

• 1219 South 2nd Street Philadelphia, PA 19147
• Phone: (267) 687-8258
• They accept credit cards.
• Open 7am-3pm weekdays, 7am-7pm weekends or until they sell out.
  
• Federal Donuts

Portabella Stir Fry

This woodsy, crunchy, stir fry is super easy to make and even easier to eat. Serve it as is, or over rice or quinoa.






Ingredients:

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of ghee or coconut oil
1 portabella mushroom (with stem), cleaned & gently salted
1 carrot
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
1/2 cup of shelled edamame


Chop the carrot into small pieces and set aside in the soy sauce.
Heat the ghee or oil in a frying pan over medium heat until melted. Add the chopped garlic, stirring often.
Chop the mushroom into small pieces and add to the pan, continuing to stir. Once mushrooms darken in color and begin to shrink in size, add the carrots in soy sauce & the edamame. Continue to stir. When cooked, the mushrooms will be a very dark brown, almost black color throughout. Remove from heat and serve.

Serving size: 1.

Oasis Living Cuisine, Frazer PA (Part II)

While the shop at Oasis Living Cuisine is quite simple, the products are unique and competitively priced. They offer everything from raw "ice creams" made from nut-milk, to honeycomb, maca powder, hemp-seed spreads, and chocolate-covered kale chips. They also have an array of books available about eating & living a raw lifestyle.



In addition to their eclectic selection from others, Oasis offers their own product line of flavored raw nuts (from cinnamon to ranch), nut-based crackers, sprouted granola, "cheese" and more.



Their dehydrated kale chips have an airy crunch to them. I tried the coconut curry flavor, which is a playful mix of sweet & spicy. The lingering aroma of curry mixed with a hint of apple cider vinegar, evokes an old world melting with new. I could could see these pairing nicely with a curry chicken or sagg paneer. Or perhaps as the base for a raw foods version of a classic Indian dish.



Oasis also has a wide-array of raw chocolates. Some are sweetened with honey, others with agave. All of the chocolates are dark. It is clear that they use a high quality cocoa source that produces a decent consistency & flavor. That said, the texture is not as smooth as what you would find in a traditionally-made high quality dark chocolate.



Many of the truffles that I tasted had an almost crumbly texture, resulting from the combination of honey and nut fillings. I was underwhelmed by the fruit flavors (cherry, raspberry), but the coconut, mint, and ginger truly shined.







With Valentine's Day just around the corner, vegan & raw food chocoholics will be delighted to know that Oasis will have holiday themed, hand-crafted, raw, vegan chocolate truffles.






Their 2012 Valentine Truffle Collection includes flavors such as raspberry, blackberry, mint-to-be, burnin' love, and coconut cream--all crafted into beautiful hearts of different shapes. I especially like the blackberry: a beautifully dusted, oblong purple heart with a tart bite to it.




If you go:

• 134 Lancaster Ave, Frazer PA 19355
• Phone: (610) 647-9797
• They accept credit cards.
• Oasis Chocolate
• Oasis Online Store