Minar Palace has yet to reopen, but for those of us who couldn't wait one more minute for good, inexpensive Indian food, yesterday was the grand opening of Ashoka Palace on 19th between Market and Chestnut.

The owner is a veteran of many Indian restaurant kitchens, including Minar.

We got takeout from there yesterday (they aren't fully staffed yet, and so cannot deliver), and it was delicious!

So much so that we are considering going back again today.

Which reminds me, I'm ravenous.

Last week for my birthday we had dinner at Supper.

Enjoyed it very much! Particularly tartine of crispy lamb bacon (!), apricot and arugula, and the the capellini with ramps and guanciale. And the delicious, mysterious Viognier (I forget what it was, and it's not on the posted menu).

For our upcoming anniversary, I suggested Zahav, but the spousage isn't into it.

Though coming from the man who couldn't remember where we ate last year (the Mexican restaurant from the same chef as Marigold Kitchen, whose latest project is the aforementioned Zahav)? I may be able to talk him into it.

Blazin' Buffalo & Ranch Doritos are, in fact, blazin'.

Good thing I got a Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper to wash them down with.

Soon I will stop drinking soda again.

Today is not that day.

I only had two this week. Not counting the day I spent at training. Which makes four. Oh, well.

The sea salt gelato was amazing. It was white and creamy, and tasted like salt but wasn't salty. I'm not sure how they managed that.

I paired it with chocolate gelato, though I was tempted to go for its relative opposite, burnt sugar.

It was great with chocolate - like a chocolate-covered pretzel, minus the pretzel.

I did taste the chrysanthemum tea, which was delicate and lovely, but not nearly as good as the flavor called dark and stormy, a blend of lemon, ginger and rum. One of the best flavors I've ever tried there.

Last week I ordered what turned out to be one of the most sublime dishes of my life - Tinto's revuelto del dia, which that day was mushrooms and truffle oil cooked into the soft-scrambled egg.

Today's? Was crabmeat and bacon.

Crabmeat and bacon, people!

Now, bacon is usually the magic word when it comes to food, in general, and Tinto's bacon-wrapped lamb is fantastic.

But while the revuelto was tasty? It could not compare to the earthy luxuriousness of the mushroom and truffle version.

Sigh.

This morning I gave myself a little treat. Instead of my usual cottage cheesy breakfast, I went to the Coventry Deli to get a breakfast sandwich with turkey sausage, egg and cheese.

These things are so good, they're like crack. I spent a good part of a morning last week fantasizing about them.

When the woman at the counter read my order back to me, she said "turkey bacon."

I corrected her gently. "No, turkey SAUSAGE, please."

I watched her cross off bacon on the ticket and write sausage.

Yet what did I find when I got to my desk?

Turkey frickin' bacon.

Which is not the same thing AT ALL.

I will be celebrating my birthday here.

I just got back from lunch there, and oh, my, was it delicious.

We began with some Idiazabal cheese, served with thin slices of bread and green apple, housemade quince paste and a little golden honey.

We moved on to translucent slices of Serrano ham, served with finely minced egg salad and paper thin crackers.

The first entree to arrive was grilled skewers of lamb and eggplant wrapped in bacon, presented atop a shallow pool of olive oil and herbs, with a wedge of lemon to squeeze over and brighten the flavors.

The second was a wee baguette sandwich of hangar steak, grilled asparagus, frisee and lemon aioli.

We finished with marvelous coffee and a goat's milk mousse topped with pomegranate gelee, with an almond lace cookie for crunch, all placed atop a drizzle of the lightest, clearest honey I've ever seen.

Philly locals, make a reservation now. You'll thank me later.

Trader Joe's now sells nice hormone-free stew meat!

You can make stew fancy, with fresh thyme and whatnot, but it can also be quick and simple, thrown together on a break from your MBA homework.

Throw the meat in a pot, on medium-low heat. Add salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and a splash of good red wine.

While the meat browns, chop onions and carrots. Throw them in the pot, stir, cover, reduce heat and leave alone.

Prepare 1 cup pearled barley (like brown rice in terms of water and cooking time). Add this to the pot.

A few minutes before serving, add frozen peas (they get mushy if you add them too soon).

Eat.

When I first moved to Philadelphia, there was a restautant across the cobblestones from the Ritz Five. It was called Lamberti's Cucina, and served your basic Italian restaurant food. Aggressively ordinary. The only reason I ever ate there was a) its proximity to the Ritz, and b) someone at my old firm liked it, so we celebrated a few office birthdays there.

Last year or so, the owner closed it up and reopened it, completely reinvented.

It's now called Positano Coast, and it's molto delicioso.

I mean that. jumakiwi and I had lunch there on Saturday, and it was so good we went back for dinner on Sunday.

I'm still dreaming about their soup of artichoke and lemon, with ricotta dumplings. The Aldo salad is a fabulous combination of flavors and textures (jumakiwi, the thing we couldn't identify? Was fennel).

They describe their entrees as being on the small side, good for sharing, but I found them to be perfect portions, not the giant planks of food commonly served in American restaurants. This is not to say they aren't good for sharing - aside from the soup, so good we each had our own bowl, we shared everything. This made it easy to nod and smile in agreement on how fabulous each dish was. A standout was the osso buco, so tender it could only be served off the bone, in an orange sauce accompanied by saffron risotto.

I'm not sure why the place isn't mentioned in the same breath as the trendy bistros that always seem to receive acclaim, but it should be. It's that good.

I made pesto last night, my usual basil recipe.

I even used the wee bottle of Spanish olive oil qspawn brought me. Years ago. (I'd been saving it for something special.)

And then I remembered I had some fresh garlic.

I enjoy using my garlic press. Most satisfying. Almost cathartic.

One (hefty) clove didn't seem like enough.

So I added two more.

I can still taste the garlic.

Oh, well. At least it'll keep the vampires away.

Especially ones like today.

It was a half-day at work, since I worked late Tuesday to get a proposal out. (Don't get me started on potential clients who set deadlines the day after a national holiday.)

Though it was a lovely summer day just right for strolling leisurely, I booked on home, since plans were afoot. Bundled everyone into the car and dropped Pop Phooey at the doctor's office.

Which is right down the street from Franklin Square.

I am ashamed to say I hadn't been there since the big reopening, what, last summer?

It's positively lovely. There are huge old trees and a lovely fountain with flowers all around it. There is miniature golf with a historic Philadelphia theme. Best of all, there is an old-timey carousel, with animals as varied as an eagle, a seal, a cat, and a zebra to ride.

#1 chose the cat, so I hoisted him up, buckled him in, and swung onto the adjacent horsie, #2 strapped to my chest. Just before the bell sounded, #1 grew anxious and wanted to get down, so we sat on the bench just behind, where he was delighted to feel the wind on his face, and to wave at his beloved grandma upon each revolution.

Then we spent a considerable amount of time in the playground, where he wanted to swing higher than ever before, and where I cursed the lack of a camera as he played beautifully with the other children.

After one final ride on the carousel, we met Pop Phooey for lunch at Ray's Cafe and Tea House.

Where everyone must go immediately.

From the outside, it looks like nothing. For that matter, it doesn't look like much from the inside, either.

But the food is fabulous. From standard items like lo mein to their scrumptious assortment of dumplings (pork and leek, people! Curried chicken!), everything we ate was delicious. Particular highlights were the shrimp spring rolls, crispy but not greasy, and oh, so flavorful, and a special called the triple green, which was bok choy, broccoli, and something else green I can't remember, gently stir fried with pine nuts and a kiss of garlic.

And then there was the coffee. I had iced, and it's cold-brewed, at the glacial pace of one drop per second. It takes a whole night to brew a large carafe, from a rather baroque contraption topped with a large round glass bowl. I can't find the exact thing online, but it looked something like this, only it was mostly brass and glass, and about four feet tall.

Apparently cold-brewed coffee is all the rage these days, and now I understand why. Fortunately, you can make it without any exotic contraptions. Gonna be doing that soon.

#2 was sweet and sleepy, and #1 was a delightful dining companion. I was so proud of him. He enjoys food so much (can't think where he gets that). He ate so much broccoli we ordered a second triple green, and he ate all of that broccoli, too. And brown rice. And lo mein. And shrimp roll. And dumpling.

After a suitable interlude, we went swimming. He waterskied on my knees. He floated along, kicking his feet. I'll have him swimming on his own before the end of the summer.

Oh, and #1 found his feet! Sweet, tasty feet. Gotta get him in the pool, too.

James was a good choice for our anniversary dinner.

We had a nice table in the corner. I sat on a soft suede banquette, and the spousage was opposite on an elegant and comfortable leather chair. There was candlelight. It was pretty.

Our waiter was very helpful, and extremely knowledgable about both food and wines.

The meal began with an amuse bouche, curls of green and white asparagus with a nutmeg vinaigrette. Delicate and delicious, and made me wish I'd ordered the asparagus appetizer, served with fennel sabayon. Another time.

Next was sauteed langostino tails served atop fresh ricotta cheese, with slices of grapefruit. I'd never have thought of that combination, but it was delicious, the tangy fruit livening up the buttery langostino and creamy cheese.

The spousage had hand-cut pappardelle with duck ragu, shaved chocolate and orange. The chocolate was shaved over the plate at the table, a nice touch, but didn't add much flavor. Fortunately it wasn't missed, so intense was the duck ragu. The pasta was cooked just enough, and had a wonderful texture.

My entree was slow-roasted rack of lamb, served with a lamb reduction, morels, and English peas crushed with just a hint of mint. The lamb was perfectly cooked, the sauce was rich and smooth, and the peas had just enough mint (not very much).

The spousage had a special, dry-aged sirloin served atop fork-smashed potato confit prepared with fresh thyme and a little duck fat, with a sauce of red wine and butter. The beef was beautifully seared, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, and precisely medium-rare.

We chose a 2004 Argiano called Non Confunditur (non-conformist), a sort of mini super-Tuscan blend which we both enjoyed tremendously, at least until we were met with mouthfuls of sediment at the very end.

Then there was a cheese course. After listening to descriptions of the five cheeses available, we both chose a cooked, pressed, smoked sheepsmilk cheese called Le Fumaison, which had the texture of aged Gouda, but a paler color and a lighter, less buttery flavor. This was delicious on its own, but even better with thin slices of French baguette and slivers of quince.

Having nearly chosen a goat cheese instead, I then compromised with a wee scoop of goat cheese ice cream. It was only faintly sweet, and not too goaty, and came with dried cherries on top, a perfect pairing of flavors and textures.

My real dessert was a generous serving of honey cream (basically, whipped cream with honey blended in), served with poached rhubarb and buttery, triangular sugar cookies rather like a thin, delicate shortbread. Sublime.

The spousage found his chocolate terrine (topped with fleur de sel and candied orange peel) rather too intensely dark, so we brought most of that home to Mom Phooey, who appreciates such things. He did enjoy a fine cappucino, so fortunately his meal ended well.

If only we could afford to eat there more often! But I suppose such special treats are appreciated all the more because they are so rare.

Today was quite a day. From toddler serenades to psychiatrist appointments to fine cuisine, it pretty much ran the gamut.

What IS a gamut, anyway? Note to self: look that up.

This morning The Toddler helped me bake cupcakes, the same lemon curd ones I did for his first birthday party in 2005. I took a dozen into the office, where I got caught up on staffing changes and gossip. Also took #2, who was passed around and adored. Met the spousage at the Continental for lunch, which was a crisp and tasty salad with a creamy basil dressing. The psychiatrist was a lovely African man with a delicious accent. Rather than change meds, he recommended just increasing the dose of the one I'm on. Quite sensible. Good to have a plan. I'll see him in a month to assess.

After an afternoon with a sleepy/cranky toddler, went to dinner with the SIL and her SO at Osteria. Oh, my. We were so engrossed in the wine list that we forgot to order the fiddlehead ferns! My lamb with polenta and rosemary was divine, but everyone agreed the most amazing dish was the robiola francobolli with bluefoot mushrooms and fresh thyme. Robiola is a tangy cheese, and francobolli are tiny ravioli the size of postage stamps. I practically licked the buttery sauce off the plate, it was so good. We were too full for dessert, even. And the company was more than worthy of the food.

They don't call matzoh the bread of affliction for nothing.

The stuff is nasty. It's dry and flavorless. Yehuda makes the best matzoh, not that that's saying much.

There are, however, a few ways to make it more palatable:

• Generous quantities of salted butter
  
• Dark chocolate coating
  
• Matzoh brei (the matzoh equivalent of French toast)
  
• ( Pineapple kugel )

I will never let the holiday go by again without making pineapple kugel at least once. SO good.

Champagne Pear Vinaigrette dressing from Trader Joe's is like crack for your salad.

* * *

We finished our tax return late last night. We knew we'd owe a little, so there was no hurry, but still it's a relief to have it done.

* * *

I'd been feeling a little better, but then, today, not so much. Sad. To the bone. I just want to get in bed and cry.

#2's been awake quite a bit today, so perhaps he'll sleep well tonight. That would be helpful.

He actually brought me what I'd requested for Valentine's Day: Wilbur Buds.

Wilbur Buds are what Hershey's Kisses wish they were - delicious. And no annoying foil.

I wisely left them downstairs last night. Because I've been up since shortly past 3 AM (#2 actually did want a diaper change, not a feeding, strangely enough, but has been sleeping soundly ever since; no such luck for yours truly). Chocolate can be very appealing in the wee small hours. And the idea of eating the whole bag can seem like a good one.

But I am too lazy to go all the way downstairs. Even for Wilbur Buds.

I've done a load of laundry, and I just finished watching last night's Lost, which I'd fallen asleep on halfway through. Great episode! Made me glad I've kept watching. I love me some Desmond. It's the Scottish thing. Also, Henry Ian Cusick can really act, which is more than I can say for some of the cast.

And now I've got Say Anything... on, which I haven't seen for years, and the TiVo helpfully grabbed. Maybe it's a theme night - actors named Cusick/Cusack.

I now need to decide if there is any chance of getting some meaningful sleep. If there isn't, I'm going to start watching Bee Season. I caught the first 15 minutes the other day, and liked it. Once I got past the absurd casting of Richard Gere as a Jewish intellectual. The book was one of the last ones I borrowed from my MIL before she died. I kept it on my nightstand for a long time afterward.

Gourmet chocolates?

For a good cause?

My trigger mouse finger is itchy!

Minar Palace will be reopening in approximately 2 months at 1528 Sansom Street!

Best cheap, delicious Indian food ever.

This news totally makes my day. And makes me drool.

While attempting to attach grommets to The Toddler's bedroom curtain, I whomped my thumb, right on the knuckle, but good with the hammer.

Fortunately it was a girly hammer, or I'd have done some serious damage to myself.

Unfortunately, the girly hammer was no match for the grommets. I'll try again tomorrow, with a manly man hammer.

Assuming the pain in my thumb has subsided. Ow.

* * *

While the US Mail was off today, mourning Gerald Ford, UPS was hard at work, bringing not one but two packages to me, in two separate deliveries. One was the new diaper bag, with which I am very pleased. I believe I shall put it into rotation now, rather than waiting for the arrival of #2. The other was my recent Old Navy order, and as earlier this fall, I am impressed with their style and great value and quality for the money this season. Seriously minor ducats.

* * *

Watched A History of Violence on HBO On Demand this afternoon. It was okay, but not as good as I'd heard. I do love me some Viggo Mortensen, though. I'm even fond of Maria Bello, but the woman needs to eat a cookie.

* * *

My homemade chicken soup for dinner, with matzoh balls. Made by me, though from a mix. Which is mostly just matzoh meal. Whatever. The Toddler ate nearly 5 of them, and we're talking good-sized matzoh balls, here. I expect he'll sleep well. So glad to have him home again.