Reported by Sherrie Longello, President and Editor, YoPhillyFoodies.
On April 23, EATS Philly 2013 (Eat Along the Street), the region?s hottest chefs? ?throwdown? for a good cause, took place at Vie, 600 N. Broad St., Philadelphia. The special charity event, chaired by Moon Krapugthong, chef-owner of Chabaa Thai?and Yanako; kitchen designer Judy Spielman (Space by Spielman); and Mary E. Graham, Executive Director, Children?s Village, was held to benefit Two Kitchens/Two Countries: the Wat Bodd Voraditth Orphanage in Thailand?s Angthong Province and ?Children?s Village, a nationally accredited early learning program, located near Philadelphia?s Chinatown. The partnership was formed with hopes of making a positive impact on children locally, as well as globally.
The evening was broken down into 2 parts. First was the street food portion. The colorful and artistically painted food trucks lined the side street where we were treated to an eclectic variety of delightful dishes. We were pleasantly surprised by the gourmet quality of food these vendors were preparing. Gone are the days of the ?roach coach.?
The Philadelphia Mobile Food Association (PMFA) also partnered with EATS, affording attendees the chance to sample homegrown street food. Participating Food Trucks were: ?Cow and Curd, Foo Truck, Gozen, Just Jackie?s, Local 215, Nomad Pizza, Sunflower Truck Stop, Sammy Chon?s, ?Sweetbox, and Vernalicious. The participants were judged, and my favorite vendor was Foo Truck. Their meatball was so different and flavorful, I had to go out and get another one.
After a sweet little show of Chinese Dragon Dancers, 12 of the tri-state area?s premier chefs sharpened their knives for a night of philanthropic fun. ?You could feel the electricity in the air of who would win the event. Just being in the room with these renowned Chefs was a thrill, and tasting the food they were preparing for us was amazing.
At each seat, guests were given a voting ballot to score the chefs in 3 categories: Taste, Interpretation of Street Food, and Originality, and Round 1 of the Street Food Throwdown began.
Celebrity judges were Mary Bigham, Owner/Founder, The Town Dish; Lari Robling, whyy.org producer, food writer; Michael Klein, Editor/Producer, philly.com/Food; Wilhelmina Bell, Chef, Children?s Village; and Tony Luke, Jr., Actor/Entertainer and Owner/Tony Luke?s, world famous Philly Cheesesteaks.
The participating Chefs and dishes were: Angela Brown ? Johnson-Soul Catering Inc.?s Louisiana Creole Peacemaker? a Louisiana oyster po?boy with spicy remoulade sauce and creole praline; Tony Clark ? Valley Forge Casino?(defending his title) whipped up steamed bao (a Chinese bun) with BBQ shrimp, pickled vegetable, and five-spice bacon (my personal favorite); Clark Gilbert ? Bisou on Main?s pork and shrimp sausage with pickled slaw, Adam DeLosso?- Garces Restaurant Group made a Mortadella corn dog with mustard and truffle turnip relish, my pick for the best interpretation of street food; Tim Spinner ? Cantina Feliz?s fish taco with Hawaiian Kampachi (a fish in the Yellowtail, Hiramasa, Amberjack family), lemongrass-coconut sauce, papaya, and mango; and Chad Rosenthal ? The Lucky Well?s Memphis Pie, which was a handmade pie crust filled with smoked pork shoulder, homemade BBQ sauce, and spicy slaw and pickle trio.
Next came the live auction emceed by NBC10 reporter Tim Furlong, who had also been doing on-the-spot interviews outside with the crowd and food trucks, shown on large-screen TVs inside. Trips, dinners, sports packages, theater tickets, etc., were auctioned off and thanks go to the lucky winners and contributors for their generosity to benefit Two Kitchens/Two Countries.
Already full from the food trucks and Round 1 tastings, came Round 2. Out marched the servers with dishes from Chaz Brown, Cubana Social -? Season 9 Top Chef competitor?s Chicharrones Cubana, pork belly with pickled melon, habanero vinegar, jungle nuts, and cilantro; Sylva Senat ? Tashan?s Slider, 21-spice pork tenderloin on a Pav (traditional Indian bread) bun with mango mayo, baby arugula, and pickled cucumbers; Greg Vernick ? Vernick Food & Drink?s ginger chicken rice, an interpretation of the classic Hainanese dish common in China, Singapore, and Malaysia (my favorite of round 2); Aimee Olexy ? Talula?s Garden?s Gooey cheese and mushroom crepes; Richard Landau & Kate Jacoby ? Vedge?s Korean mushroom tacos with kimchee crema; and Marcie Turney ? Barbuzzo?s Indian turkey kheema (a traditional ground meat) kabob with chickpea salad, yogurt, and mint.
And finally, the reason we were all there? the announcement of the winners! Iron Chef Jose Garces was on hand to deliver the news. Voted Best of the Food Trucks was Nomad Pizza.
They feature locally grown organic produce and all natural meats to ensure their customers enjoy the freshest, most delectable wood-fired brick oven pizza, out of their beautifully restored 1949 REO Speedwagon truck.
The popular vote winner of the Chef Throwdown was Tim Spinner, Executive Chef and Co-owner of Cantina Feliz, in Ft. Washington, which was listed as one of Zagat?s Top 10 Hottest New Restaurants in Philadelphia, and Best New Restaurant 2012 by Main Line Today magazine. Philadelphia Magazine named Spinner?s Ceviche Verde the Best Ceviche in Philadelphia.
Coming in third this year was award winning Chef Tony Clark, Executive Chef of Valley Forge Casino and Resort?s Pacific Prime, the ultimate upscale dining destination for the freshest fish and the finest prime beef, and Viviano, offering home-style culinary delights inspired by rustic Italian cuisine.
Second place went to Richard Landau, half of the Landau & Jacoby team, chefs of the former Horizons Caf? in Willow Grove, and now Vedge, the modern vegetable restaurant in Philadelphia?s historic Tiger Building at 1221 Locust Street.
And?. drumroll, please?. the First-place winner of EATS 2013?. Chef Marcie Turney, who alongside partner Valerie Safran, has transformed the once desolate 13th Street neighborhood into trendy Midtown Village, with their 3 restaurants (Barbuzzo, a Mediterranean kitchen and bar, Lolita, a modern Mexican BYOB, and Jamonera, an Andalusian tapas bar), a gourmet food market called Grocery, two lifestyle boutiques, Open House and Verde, and her own signature line of chocolates, sold online and at Verde. Congratulations to all the winners!
The event venue, Vie, opened in October 2011, is one of Philly?s trendiest party spots. The 17,000 square foot space can accommodate as many as six hundred guests. The venue is modern and chichi? high ceilings, a huge, beautiful main dining room and an amazing floor-to-ceiling, illuminated 2-sided bar which served as the cocktail bar on one side, and VIP dinner bar on the other.
All in all, this was an incredible event for a very worthy cause, and if you weren?t there, you were square! Plan to attend next time, for sure.
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