Back in the 'burbs...

Up in the Philly 'burbs again, prepping to go on QVC with Samsung this Sunday, so that means lots of food-related exploring to do in the surrounding area. The good news for me is that I have friends who used to live and work in this neck of the woods, so I have no shortage of recommendations.
Last night, ate in downtown West Chester at Pietro's Prime (http://www.pietrosprime.com/), a nice-looking place with a fairly classic steakhouse vibe. Got my spot at the bar, situated perfectly within range of three TVs, so I could keep an eye on the US Open, the Eagles-Jets game, and the Phils-Giants game. Ryan, my bartender, suggested the bone-in pork chop, and I took him up on it. Started with a spinach salad that had a great ratio of egg and bacon (but a little too heavy on the red onion for my taste), then onto the main course. One thing I love about a good spinach salad is how the warm dressing makes all the components come together so beautifully. This one was simple, no-frills, and just the way I like it. A good starter...
I ordered the pork chop Oscar-style, with the Hollandaise on the side, because I really wanted to make sure I got the full flavor of the chop without any impedance of other ingredients. The plate came out looking super and the taste was the same. I ordered it medium rare, and it was cooked to perfection, with just the right amount of succulent fat on the edges and juiciness inside. There was a healthy amount of lump crab meat, and the asparagus was thick and colorful. The Hollandaise on the side was key, because all of the items on the plate deserved to be tasted and appreciated on their own. Of course, I loved the few forkfuls where I combined all the elements, too!
I threw caution to the wind and ordered a tiramisu and a cappuccino for dessert. Tiramisu is an all-time fave dessert for me, and I've had it served many different ways. Sad to say, this one was not up to snuff for me. It was a bit too much like a spongecake texture, and I prefer more cream and cinnamon and amaretto, giving it more of a 'drunken' sensation to the lady fingers. Still, the disappointing final course did not leave me regretting my choice. Pietro's would be a place I'd most certainly return...

This morning, I embarked on a pilgrimage, of sorts. My good friend, Curt, was adamant about me finding the DK Diner. Now, Curt is as passionate about food as I am, and the way he gushed about this place made it a mandatory stop on my journey. You know, this is what I love about the Northeast, be it Jersey, Pennsylvania, or New York: there is never a shortage of classic diners and family-owned pizza joints (more on that to come!) ...
DK is your prototypical truck-stop-style diner. Stainless steel outside and in; countertop spots are at a premium; specials hand-written overhead. Hasn't changed it's looked or it's menu since it opened in 1947. And despite the plethora of diners in the area, it still regards itself as "West Chester's only Diner" since that time.
I had very specific orders, which I had committed to memory, and was only too happy to oblige. Here's the lineup: creamed chipped beef, on top of crispy home fries, with a side of scrapple. I didn't even look at the menu until after I placed my order!
While it took waaay to long to get my meal, at least the coffee was appropriately diner-style satisfying to keep me at bay...
Let me tell you, Curt got it right, and I could tell from the first bite why, even after more than a decade away from DK, he recited the order as if he'd had it himself just yesterday morning. The chipped beef had a lot of flavor, and reminded of biscuits and gravy without the gravy; it seeped into the nooks and crannies of the crispy potatoes, which had the perfectly golden browned crackle of a crust on top. Add the salty, sausage-like flavor of the scrapple, and you've got yourself quite a trifecta of diner-iffic food, P-A stlye! The DK did not disappoint...

More to come...