Wednesday, March 24, 2010

500 Degrees (From the other Fatty!)

Yes, KK is a former Rouge-ette. This definitely makes her more of an expert on this place. But let's be honest, I love me some burgers. And I like any joint where I can stop in quickly, order, and make a quick escape. 500 Degrees is soon to be this new spot, I am almost assured of it.

Yesterday was not a quick stop, unfortunately. Lots of people had gotten wind of the awesome deals they were running (first 100 burgers for free and buy-one-get-one-free after that)... And they wanted in on the burger madness. So did we. So for the sake of good blogging and the sake of our perma-hungry bellies, we waited a little over an hour to snake our way around the corner and into the doors of 500 degrees.

Was it worth it? Maybe not on a normal day. But is it worth a manageable line and the money on any day where they'll have a pretty regular amount of business? Absolutely.

I heard a lot of comparisons to Five Guys while we were waiting. This is not Five Guys. And I love that place. This is just different, so stop comparing apples to oranges, my friends.

First of all, the burger is made with that delicious secret blend that they use over at Rouge and I'm pretty sure they're never going to tell us what it is. But I can tell you that it's delicious. Due to the ten billion people that were crowding the door, my burger was closer to medium well than medium rare. But damn, they were cranking out a lot of food, so this is permissible. And you know what? It was still delicious and juicy and tender and topped with swiss cheese that made my little fat girl heart sing with joy! (Can you believe that this fat kid has actually pursued vegetarianism as a viable dietary option in the past? She repents and bows at the knees of the burger gods now.)

I got a milkshake with my meal that brought my total purchase to just about $14. A little more money than you're going to pay at the typical fast-food burger joint. But as I stated, this is not the typical fast-food burger joint.

The milkshakes are made with local Bassett's ice cream and they are rich and creamy and compliment the burger in a beautiful balance of savory and sweet. Pretty much the Laverne and Shirley of burgers and shakes.

And the truffle fries? Maybe I should have ventured out and gone for plain or spicy, but you throw out the word "truffle" and I'm gonna run. Mostly because I like to see that truffle is done right. Sometimes I feel like food establishments go heavy on the truffle and make a meal overwhelming. Not so at 500 Degrees. As Krystina noted, there was an expert mix of salt and truffle and the fries were delectable, especially with the aioli that accompanied them.

In fact, this morning I stuck my left-over fries in our oven and re-heated them. Not many fries can stand up to that torture, but they made a delicious Elevensies snack (yeah, I eat the meal between breakfast and lunch, and I say that everybody should).

Things I really loved about 500 Degrees: The quality is definitely worth the price. It is quick (I'm assuming, on a normal day) and cooked to order. Less expensive and less indulgent than a meal at Rouge, it still stands up to their level of deliciousness.

Things I didn't love: Uhhh, just the fact that apparently everybody in Philly was onto their awesome opening day deals and beat us to the punch when it came to getting in that ridiculous line!

Fat kid Moira approves and that means that we have an official thumbs up for 500 degrees. Ohhh sweet burger heaven, we're coming back for seconds!

Someone approves of the fat girls....

While at 500 Degrees yesterday the fat girls got a quick interview with Mr.H. Dillion from Philly Chit Chat, he did not ask about our blog but somehow we have been discovered....
And we have been discovered using this god-awful photo....
......seriously.......
MTP we may need to take some fat girl glamor shots. Currently I am envisioning being covered in sprinkles and icing. Or wrapped in bacon.
We need to make this happen...
***I would also like to clear up the mistake printed in this Philly Chit Chat post, there are 2 fat kids, I am not the sole writer of this blog....MTP is fat also***
xo
KMK

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The Fat Girls wait in line for Burgers...... or our review of 500 Degrees


Krystina here, As a former Rouge-ette when I found out last year that the owners of Rouge, Rob and Maggie Wasserman were opening a low key Burger Joint on Sansom street I was thrilled.
I could wax poetics about the Rouge Burger, it is a Philly icon after all. But lets be honest here, fat kid says 12oz is a LOT of meat, and $16 bones is a lot of bones (don't get me wrong its worth EVERY penny) so the potential to be able to enjoy the quality of a Rouge Burger on a more manageable price range and helping manage my waistline thrilled me to no end ! A few weeks ago I got the heads up that 500 Degrees would be having its grand opening on Tuesday March 23rd, my fellow fat kid and I set a date. We joked about camping out for burgers, in hindsight, we should have....
We woke up this am and headed into CC, 500 degrees was opening as we walked down sansom st. The line was already around the corner. Needless to say when there is an offer of free burgers(to the first 100 guests) in Illadelphia things will get a little colorful. We waited in line for over an hour, listening to people talk about how they were artists and starving (BRAIN),complain about the wait, complain about not making the free burger cut, complain about how this better be the best damn burger every, yada yada yada. Finally as the rain was starting we made it into the building. Walking in the smell of grilling meat and fries hits you, and was a smell of happiness for this hungry fatty. The decor is simple, white washed walls, open kitchen and about 20-30 seats, here its not about the restaurant, the burger should speak for itself. The menu is simple and I had known what I wanted for weeks now, Combo 3, Classic Burger cooked med rare, with cheddar cheese, truffle fries and a diet coke. The every lovely Chef Matt Zagorski handed me my paper bag and we grabbed a seat. I was so excited to unwrap my little brown paperwrapped package of meatlove, the first look at my burger made me smile. It was like someone had taken a shrink ray gun to my beloved Rouge Burger. Before taking my first bite of the burger I had to try my fries, they were perfect, just the right amount of truffle oil, rich salty and delighful.
Now on to the burger, juicy seasoned and absolutely perfect a tad overcooked but I will not judge that.... The produce was fresh and the perfect compliment to the burger, this will be the best $5.50 you will ever spend on a burger. I tried to eat slow and not devour it all in one bite, it was just the right size to enjoy the burger, fries and drink and not feel like you were about to explode.
I swear I am not being biased, this really was a killer burger. 500 degrees has my vote, and my patronage. Congrats Rob and Maggie !
Fat Kid KMK out !

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Fatty on the loose in CC!

Did anybody notice what a beautiful day it was in Philadelphia yesterday? I did. Obviously the only thing to do on such a gorgeous afternoon was to leave my house. So I went gallivanting around Center City. On the way into town I was really craving a cupcake. Did you know that Brown Betty Petite has a $10 credit card minimum? This means I had to purchase three cupcakes and a Fiji water. I got one red velvet (my favorite!), one strawberry letter, and one carrot cake. Unfortunately, cupcakes these days are just too big for me! Not the cake itself, but the frosting. Why so much frosting? I always have to pick off at least 1/2 of the frosting when I get cupcakes from one of those lovely fancy boutiques.

Anyway, frosting aside. I ate half of the strawberry letter and it was delicious. I brought the rest into work where they did NOT all get eaten! What is wrong with those people?

After dessert I really wanted some food. I always stroll into DiBruno Bros after their cafe is closed. Yesterday, I got there right in the middle of service. It was paaaaacked. But I was hungry. So I ordered myself a goat cheese pressed sandwich with fig jam, prosciutto, and some spinach. It was banging! The portion size was pretty huge, so the $11 that you spend on a sandwich could definitely be cut in half by sharing with a friend. Not only that but DiBruno Bros serves all of their sandwiches with a salad and chips, so you don't have to choose. Fountain drink is also included.

I'm not a potato chip person so I only had a few, but the salad was actually pretty great. Aside from the standard deli-style salad with tomato and cucumber, this baby had olives. I'm just a sucker for olives. I can't even tell you why that stood out to me so much, but it did. And it was delicious.

So DiBruno for lunch? Fat kid approves!
Brown Betty for dessert? Fat kid also approves, but have a napkin handy for all the extra sugar on top. Also, bring cash like a smart person.


And on the subject of cupcakes...

Thanks to KMK for my cupcake from Magnolia Bakery in NYC! I had to devour it in secret in my room because the cats were swiping and jumping at it when I sat in the living room. But it was delicious! Too much frosting, of course. But aside from that, I ate the whoooooole thing! And it was amazing.


Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Fat Kid LOAFS Asian food....

I can't help it, I love love love asian food (this will later tie into my joint post with MTP about our meal to Sampan). I love all the flavors and spices, and the noodles (oh how I love the noodles). Also lets face it, when it comes to chinese food, even bad chinese is good chinese (well most of the time).
Last week a friend encouraged me to go and try Erawan on 23rd
and sansom, he gave me the advice that the thai curry was the kind you could be happy having to eat it for the rest of your life. He did not lie, it was delish.
SJ and I headed to this small BYO with a bottle of red in tow. As appetizers we started with fried tofu with a sweet and sour sauce and I had a Chicken Tom Kah soup, my soup was amazing, just the right balance of coconut, lemongrass and kaffir, I will order it every time I go (which may be tomorrow). As far as the tofu, SJ and I both agreed it left something to be desired, the tofu itself was bland, there was no seasoning whatsoever, it was served with a tasty sauce and tasted nice soaked in my soup broth. We both went thai curry for our entrees, SJ went with red curry and I chose Penang. Both were perfect, just the right amount of heat, allowing your palate open enough to taste all the amazing herbs. Feeling a bit full we passed on dessert, however next time I will be skipping the tofu and getting the green tea ice cream.
Since I ate this dish I have been thinking of nothing but it, today I
ate my leftovers and they were still as perfect as I remembered.
I think I have a new addiction, and its Erawan's Penang Curry
fat kid kmk out
I spent today with my mom in NYC and just an FYI Magnolia Bakery still makes my fave cupcakes in the world

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

If you're fat and you know it, write a blog!

Ooooh, baby I love a good interview! And, friend, you're just like Barbara Walters with your probing questions. Let's be honest, your answers were so good that I should probably spend a good hour or two devising crafty and witty answers for the ones you posed to me. But, dammit, I'm so excited about this food blog that I'm braving a late night (you know my bedtime is usually 11) and my wonky-ass keyboard to validate myself as a bona fide fat kid.


Now BFF I have some questions for you.....

When did you first know you were a fat kid ? Have you been like this forever ?
Believe it or not, I have not always been a fat kid. As a young child, I would "accidentally" spill milk on my dinner as a way not to eat it. I would like to thank my mother for instilling fat kid logic in me, however. She used to insist that "guys love a girl who cleans her plate" and I always figured that it worked for her. As yet, it has distinctly not worked for me. Thanks, ma.

If you could only eat one thing and drink one thing for the rest of your life what would it be ?
I would eat ham and swiss sandwiches melted on white bread with dijon mustard and mayonnaise. It's not cute or distinguished, but it's good. And I'd drink room-temperature Diet Coke out of a can. Am I officially white trash now?

What is one food you HATE and why ?
Weird canned fruits. Mandarin oranges, maraschino cherries, Dole fruit cocktail with those terrible mealy pears. Ugh, who even thinks that is good? Revolting.

How do you maintain friendships with non fatties ?
It's been a long and difficult road. Mostly, I drown my sorrows in food and drink and pretend like they are the ones with problems. It's a vicious cycle, the fatty circle of life. Also, I invent vices worse than being a fatty so they forget about my food addiction: my penchant for Miley Cyrus music being a prime example.

What is your favorite dish you have ever ordered at a restaurant and why ? (I know you are going with Rue)
Well, you should know that I am so damn stubborn that I will not choose Rue de Jean's moules en pistou just because you already called me out on it. But I'll set aside my pride and vanity because they're just that frickin' good. (I also have a ridiculous soft spot in my heart for Fast & French's fondue nights.)


Just look at me ready to stab some cheese and bread onto that long fork!

How do you not know how to make popcorn ?
This is a sore subject, can we just leave it alone? I make delicious apple butter!

If you could have Gaga's body, BUT you had to give up being a fat kid, would you do it ?
This is a moot point. Part of having GaGa's body is doing those awesome "Bad Romance" dance moves on the Precor machine at the gym. And the gym is a necessary evil of any fat kid who hasn't entirely given up on life. I think my logic here might be faulty, so I just won't choose between the two.

Favorite restaurant ever (other than AWS)
This is a hard one! And let's be honest, they're mostly Charleston establishments. This will sound weird, but I'm going to say 3 Little Birds because I have such fond memories of their amazing brunch and lunch menus and stopping there on the way to the beach. Plus, they have little creamers that resemble cows!

What is your fave meal we have ever dinned on together and why ?
Does the Oyster Roast count as a meal? Because it was amazing! Oysters and beer and my $20 stainless steel shucker that I subsequently lost. I could live off of oysters and beer...


The infamous stainless steel shucking machine.

Worst meal ever and why ?
Quiche. I hate quiche. Sometimes, at home, my family pairs quiche with canned fruit cocktail and a part of me dies inside. I mean, I love my family, but I hate quiche. (Except for Anna's, she is a brilliant cook who can make delightful quiche!)

How exactly does one build a city on rock and roll ?
With magic... Or drugs. I don't know, but however they did it, I think the fine people of Starship deserve a reward because that was like my favorite song as a child.

Thank you for asking such probing questions, friend! Let's talk more about Sampan next time and less about us. I can't wait to describe those edamame dumplings!

This fat kid totally approves

Hello MTP (and www),
I honestly can not believe that our guttural chants of "Fat Kids Approve" to mock the "Kade Out" has stuck, we need one of those flip video cameras for the full effect. And when the hell can you drink again so we can have Scorpion Bowls ? So I have been dealt these questions and I come prepared to answer them...
Okay, no really, it's interview time. Here goes:

First of all, does SJ know you're a fat kid? Is this a secret you have to hide from your boyfriend?
Duh-skies, he is a chef. Food is what brought us together, SJ is MORE than aware of my fat kid ness. I am pretty sure he would not have it any other way....right babe?.?.?...

What's your favorite food to eat? What's your favorite food to cook, for that matter?
Eat is a hard one, as a fat kid I like to eat everything, but as far as a dining experience I am going with shellfish. Crabs, crab legs, shrimps, clams, oysters, lobsters, mussels etc. These things are usually best eaten dock side with bottomless pitchers of cold brews, or in fine dinning establishments with a glass of wine (vodka) and corn fritters (ahh Pearlz how I miss thee happy hour).Pearlz Happy Hour, fritter in 1 drink in the other

As far as cooking, I am going to have to say Mexican food is my fave to cook, I can be really creative and find that the ability to cook this food comes easily to me......plus I still have all the recipes from when I worked at El Vez (can't not wait for summer dinner parties !)

Is there any restaurant in the world that you just CANNOT say no to?
In the Chuck, McCrady's hands down, not even a question in my mind. Best meals I have ever eaten

What qualifications can you bring to our fat kid blog? What MAKES you a Fatty McNotSlim?
I live breathe and work in food, I will try ANYTHING once and the chances are I will like it. There is not a stinky enough cheese or a smoky enough red. I think in food and have a really great ability to know what things should taste like and how to fix them. Not to be obnoxious but if there is one thing this chica knows, its food.

Are there any food trends that just don't do it for you?
To be honest, small plates. Its just expensive, and fatty is hungry... One should NEVER leave a dinner that costs over $100 bones and want to buy a pizza. Sorry, its just true.

If you had your own food t.v. show, what would the theme be?
How to clean your plate and try new foods with Krystina May

Can skinny cooks be trusted?
Have you met my boyfriend ? Have you eaten his food ?

What's your favorite part of any good meal?
The beginning when you first get your menu and get so excited over planing your meal !

What are your hobbies aside from being a fat kid?
You have other hobbies ? You mean there is more to life than being a fat kid ?

This last one is just something I've been wondering about... Where have all the cowboys gone?
Taco Bell.....

---------------------------------------------------------


Now BFF I have some questions for you.....

When did you first know you were a fat kid ? Have you been like this forever ?

If you could only eat one thing and drink one thing for the rest of your life what would it be ?

What is one food you HATE and why ?

How do you maintain friendships with non fatties ?

What is your favorite dish you have ever ordered at a restaurant and why ? (I know you are going with Rue)

How do you not know how to make popcorn ?

If you could have Gaga's body, BUT you had to give up being a fat kid, would you do it ?

Favorite restaurant ever (other than AWS)

What is your fave meal we have ever dinned on together and why ?

Worst meal ever and why ?

How exactly does one build a city on rock and roll ?

I will look forward MTP to your well thought out and witty responses

xoxo

Meet TaTa

Hello, blogging world. And hellllllllllo, KK. I've got some questions for you. You know you can't just come out in the world and declare that you're a fat kid without establishing yourself. So, I'm going to run you through a series of questions that'll show the world that you really what you say you are. Otherwise, who would believe you? Also, thanks for entertaining me today after my run. Aren't you proud that I didn't go to Brown Betty and get a cupcake? Can we do a blog about Brown Betty?

Okay, no really, it's interview time. Here goes:

First of all, does SJ know you're a fat kid? Is this a secret you have to hide from your boyfriend?

What's your favorite food to eat? What's your favorite food to cook, for that matter?

Is there any restaurant in the world that you just CANNOT say no to?

What qualifications can you bring to our fat kid blog? What MAKES you a Fatty McNotSlim?

Are there any food trends that just don't do it for you?

If you had your own food t.v. show, what would the theme be?

Can skinny cooks be trusted?

What's your favorite part of any good meal?

What are your hobbies aside from being a fat kid?

This last one is just something I've been wondering about... Where have all the cowboys gone?

Can't wait for your answers!


Fat Kid Moira approves of Chef Krystina's cooking!

Welcome to the Fat Parade

There are a lot of people in this world that consider themselves "foodies". We are not them. We are simply self-proclaimed fat kids who love food. There is no yuppie self-gratification to our love of food, it just is. While a foodie may go into an establishment and think they know better than the chef, manager, waitstaff, etc... we go into restaurants and eat. And, if the restaurant is good, we enjoy.

We are not chefs. Let's get this out of the way quickly. While my lovely counterpart can at least cook, I cannot. At all. Did you know that it's possible to burn popcorn on the stovetop to the point where your whole house will fill with smoke and your roommate (and fellow fat kid) is left gasping for air in between laughing at you? I know this from brutal experience.

Krystina and I have been enjoying food together for about four years now. We started in Charleston, SC where we devoured our way through oyster bars, dive bars, and restaurants that weren't bars at all! First, she left town. Later, I followed suit. And now, we're here in Philly together.

Philadelphia has lots of good food. The restaurants that we approve on this website are hardly a comprehensive list, and to be honest, we probably needed to start this ages ago to include all the places in town that really kind of rock. Buuuuut, better late than never, so we'll start now.

Want to know what we thought of Sampan? Come back tomorrow. We've got lots to say.