Sip.by.sip

House beer fails to impress, while cuisine does the opposite at Kong

2009-10-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Like I've mentioned in the past, I'm no food critic. But part of writing about beer at an amateur level is frequenting new watering holes and restaurants. Often as I do this, I eat a meal to go with the beer. I invariably think about the quality of the food as well, and also, how well it pairs with the cuisine available.The folks at Kong, a Chinese street food restaurant on 2nd and Fairmount,

Why pastries have nothing to do with the fall

2009-10-05T06:00:00.001-07:00

I'm not stoic. I'm an expert at making a big deal out of something nearly negligible. There really isn't much honor in that perspective. But there is a problem in craft beer right now. It's the fall. Not every brewer has the capacity or the desire to brew Marzen-style beers. I know, in America, lagers have a bad reputation. I don't think they ought to have one, but not everyone can brew a killer

Hyping up the food of the commoner, but not without a good beer list

2009-10-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

This may feel a bit out-of-date. I wrote it a while ago and I'm just now getting a chance to post it. I hope you might enjoy it still.Restaurant Week, while it's nothing compared to Philly Beer Week and sometimes isn't really beer-centric, is still exciting for me. I do love food, and for our purposes, I'm always interested in what other restaurants, especially those with extensive wine lists,

Around the glass... On embracing Oktoberfest, avoiding pumpkin beers, and winning awards

2009-10-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Another weekly (I hope) feature that I'm introducing is called Around the glass. With so many excellent beer blogs out there, it only makes sense to give homage to the local individuals that influence me. And furthermore, with so many stories about beer, I think it's cool to acknowledge what catches my eye. And I might add some of my own editorializing, too. You can always find a regularly

Third time's a charm

2009-10-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Not beer-related, except for that part where they sprayed beer all over each other. It's a good moment, it's good to make a dynasty-esque. But it's sad to do it without an old friend. But if that's bumming you out, we can laugh, too.

Even a broken clock is right twice a day

2009-10-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Even though some people seem to love Johnny Brenda's, including Vinnie from Russian River and my girlfriend Kristen, I generally avoid the place as if it's the devil. Even though I think its sister tavern, Standard Tap, is probably the best bar in Northern Liberties--Brenda's doesn't have the crowd, food, or prices to get me there. But, from time-to-time they have good events. So I was happy to

Mystery Beer Week leftovers gives MTR the best taplist in Philly

2009-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

The good feelings and the bad feelings I have about Northern Liberties' Piazza don't exist with enough ferocity to keep me coming back to this fortress of the middle-class, urban professional, nor to they steer me very clear of it either. I find myself eating and drinking there fairly regularly. Usually Swift Half is my choice, but because PYT ran a campaign to get the word out about the peculiar

A nice welcome home

2009-09-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

After I took off from San Jose, made a connecting flight in just 20 minutes, and then proceeded to land in Philadelphia, I certainly was exhausted. Even after a wonderful trip across the country, seeing many sights that I had not seen previously, I gazed outside of my window and looked at the incoming skyline of the town that I call home. I was so happy to have arrived. Philadelphia means a lot

To the West Coast, Day 7: “Before this neighborhood was safe…”

2009-09-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Like any city, it seems like San Francisco has its share of “bad neighborhoods,” gentrification, and even segregation. Though I didn’t encounter these items directly—and what tourist would?—I saw little bits of evidence throughout. And really, all I did was eat and drink while I was there. But below you'll find some listed with no semblance of subtlety. I’m not sure whether this particular bar

Well-lit with nothing to hide; Brendan and Leigh strike again

2009-09-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't visited Manayunk yet, like I'm avoiding the plague, I continue to delay my review of that region of the city. But I will try to make it there in the coming week to do some bar-hopping and maybe grab dinner. I keep asking myself why I might go there, because neighborhoods in the central area of the city seem so much more appealing.Especially when Brendan and Leigh, the two geniuses