Spamps turns 5 years old!!!

The Spampinato family took over the space formerly know as Viggiano’s in Conshohocken in August of 2006. Since then they have been known for hosting great parties and serving some of the area’s best sushi. (You can vote for them as BEST SUSHI restaurant right here.)

In the last few years they have added the GROTTO, a wonderful outdoor dining destination that offers a fun atmosphere and outside Televisions to enjoy your favorite sporting events. Over the course of the last 5 years, the Spampinato family has created exciting events and parties to promote customer loyalty and a sense of community.

On Thursday night, they will be celebrating their 5th anniversary with a BASH at their restaurant which includes a complimentary pig roast and amazing drink specials. Come out and join the fun at this fantastic luau party!

Spamps

16 East 1st Avenue

Conshohocken, PA 19428

610-825-4155

The OutBound Station Cafe

I was overjoyed to find this charming new coffee shop had opened in the historical Outbound Station, a former antique store. Wait, I’m sorry, new? Not exactly, as they opened last spring, but new to me, and apparently, according to several people I chatted with on twitter this week, new to them also!

Entrance to The Outbound Station

The location is obscure. Situated at the base of the Conshohocken bridge, and set down off of Elm Street,  it is hidden from view of the traffic that urgently rushes to make it across the bridge in under 20 minutes during rush hour. Yet, it is the perfect location for commuters, local business people and residents because it is in the thick of things, yet off of Fayette Street. The problem is that no one knows it is there, most likely because it was a store, not a restaurant for as long as I can remember; possibly 30 years?

In a town that has exploded with fantastic restaurants in the past few years, there has been nowhere to get a great breakfast or cup of coffee. (Excluding the coffee chain on “The Ridge” and a horrible diner, which, as you know, I will not name.) We live in a world of coffee shops in every one horse town, yet this trendy borough, with nearly 8500 residents of an average age of 35, and thousands of business people commuting here daily, had no real coffee shop? It seems ridiculous!

A perfect La Colombe Latte

The thing is that they are here now! Unfortunately for the owners Mary and Rick Shaffer, unless folks have heard about the wonderful cafe from someone, they either have no idea where it is, or think it is a train station or  an antique store. Being a historical building, as well as, existing in a borough of strict zoning laws, there are probably (I am assuming) few ways to ever become visible as a cafe to bridge traffic, and yet it is the perfect location! The food and coffee are also outstanding and that is why, although no one knows they are there, there is always a constant stream of people wandering in and out! Once you discover this cafe, you come back again, and again.

Pastry case and coffee bar

The site has been completely renovated and is larger than one would expect from the outside, yet still warm and comfortable inside. They serve La Colombe coffee, which is seriously my all time favorite coffee. (We buy 10 lb bags of the beans from South Philly for home.) The Philadelphia based coffee company roasts their beans here, in the city of brotherly love. Of course, my $100 Cuisinart coffee maker doesn’t do justice to the beans the way The Outbound Station’s La Spaziale coffee maker does!

La Spaziale espresso and cappuccino maker

The coffee is only part of the reason The Outbound Station is so special. Any good restaurant takes on the personality of its owner. In this case, Mary Shaffer had a vision for providing a healthy alternative to the greasy breakfast and lunch alternatives in the area. She offers a veggie juice and smoothie bar made to order with fresh, healthy ingredients. Her breakfast sandwiches are made to order on thick, artisan, multi grain breads which are filled with traditional eggs and breakfast meats, or, as Mary prefers, eggs, spinach, tomato and cheese.

Ridiculously inexpensive, this breakfast sammie is $3.45

The cafe is open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week. In addition to traditional pastries, they offer a line of gluten-free products which sell out to the piece daily. For lunch, although all of the sandwiches are made fresh to order if you wish, they also have a case of grab and go, so commuters are able to come for coffee and a bagel in the morning and take their lunch back to the office with them, to eat later.

Roast Beef and cheese w/ arugula and tomato

The outbound station is truly a commuters paradise. Located right on the train tracks and next to the majority of office buildings along the river, this coffee shop is an easy place to pick up coffee and breakfast for those coming or going across the bridge or hopping on or off the train. In the summertime, it is a bikers hang-out as it is also located just off of the bike trail that spans from Valley Forge to Center City.

And now, starting just this week, they deliver to locate office buildings.

If you are in the area, I highly recommend that you stop by!

The Outbound Station

2 Harry Street

Conshohocken, PA

484-351-8235

Since I went on about how “hidden” it is, I will add these directions:

If you are coming across the bridge into Conshohocken, make an immediate  right onto Elm and the 1st right onto Harry.

If you are driving through town toward the bridge, you make a left onto Elm (the last turn before crossing the bridge) and the 1st right onto Harry.

Meatball Sandwich from Pasta Via

Meatball Wars is heating up in Conshohocken, PA.

The Final event will be Monday, November 22nd at Spamps.

5:00PM -10PM

Meatball Wars started out as this….

Check out The NBC 10 video detailing how it all began and where it has escalated.

It’s been about a month since the “feud” over the best meatballs in Conshohocken began and more than $1000 has already been raised for charity. The participating restaurants are:

Trattoria Totaro

Spampinato’s

The Outbound Station

Pasta Via

Stella Blu

Pepperoncini

Donnie Mac’s Deli

Lenny’s

Each restaurant will donate $1, or more in some cases, to the $100for100 charity with the purchase of a meatball sandwich.

Spampinato’s is also donating $1 from their bottomless meatball dinners on Sunday night to the charity.

$100 for 100

Meatball sandwiches will be sold through the rest of the weekend and then….

Meatball Wars will come to a close at a final event on Monday, November 22nd to support $100 for 100 charity. Meatballs from all participating restaurants will be judged and the winner of Meatball Wars will be announced.

A $10 donation to the charity will be requested and you will be given a bracelet for drink specials. There will be $6 glasses of wine, $2 Miller Lites, $5 margaritas, a half price bar menu, and half price meatball sandwiches with your donation. There will also be raffles for gift cards and other prizes. Also on hand will be Lavenders Body Clinic offering chair massage to help you relax while tasting those tasty meatballs!

$100 for 100 gives 100 local children in need a $100 shopping spree at Dick’s Sporting Goods. To learn more about the charity or make a donation online, please go HERE.

Come out Monday and support a great cause and sample food from 8 great local restaurants!

To RSVP for the event visit More than The Curve’s Event Page.

I will be one of the judges that evening, so I want to see you all there!

Banner at the Elkins Park location

If you live in the Chestnut Hill area, chances are, by now you have heard of Yo Dogs in Wyndmoor. If you have visited, surely, you have fallen in love! If you do not live in the Wyndmoor area, have no fear! As fate would have it, Yo Dogs will be opening their second location within the next few weeks in Elkins Park on Montgomery Avenue.

Yo Dogs Spa Dog

If you have already tried their “dogs,” you know there will be lots of toppings and fixin’s for any type of taste buds.  One of the more popular items is the Double Dog Dare…yup, you guessed it…two hot dogs on a bun with mustard or ketchup (or both), onions, and your choice of cheese.  Hard to say no to this one!

We thought we would give you a little peek inside to see what is going on as the construction and other preparations are taking place.  The space, both inside and outside,  is much larger than the Wyndmoor location, with approximately 50 seats, so it will be perfect for birthday parties, teen nights and private events.

Counter in new location

As you can see already, the space has lots of light and feels very cheery and comfortable.  Even the restroom offers a bit of whimsy!

Dining room in new location

Bathroom in Elkins Park store

So, stay tuned and we will keep you posted on their progress!!

Spamps  introduces The Autumn Roll – spicy tuna w/ sweet potato fries, pureed edamame, sliced salmon and toasted pumpkin seeds. Spamps – buy 1 get 1 free sushi night!

John P. Durante Funeral Procession

You may or may not know that we lost an extraordinary man last week; my father. It was sudden and his public service made his passing all the more difficult because so many people loved him. People say all the time that they think highly of someone, or they really like someone and it is often something people just say. When people spoke of loving my dad, they REALLY meant it. I never actually appreciated it until he was gone and everyone, and I mean everyone wanted to tell us just how much.

This was amazing and yet overwhelming as we are all left still completely exhausted, but needing to return to life. We have not written anything since the day before my dad died and since my mind is completely blank, I figured I would just explain where we’ve been. Food has remained a passion, although on the back burner, as my father’s friends and closest companions are some of the best cooks around. They will be my inspiration in the coming weeks and I am hoping to continue honoring my father by focusing on the people and foods he loved the most. I’ll let everyone else continue the tribute to his service, and they will.

That’s all I’ve got in me for now, but stay tuned……

Tributes to my Father:

Remember Sheriff John P. Durante Forever

Times Herald

NBC 10

Philly.com

Obituary

Stan Huskey’s Tribute

Montella, Italy

Funeral Procession

We have a lot going on!!

We have a lot happening this week as we close out the first month of 2010, already! This is what’s going on at The Best Of Food:

• We are working on finalizing our new website. The new site will move faster. Searches will return better results. We are adding a picture box so that we  can showcase restaurants  with many additional pictures allowing users to get a better perspective of the restaurant. We will be adding new pages and so much more! Stay tuned!
• We have lots of new recipes coming at you this week.
• A Valentine’s Day restaurant list is on it’s way featuring the area’s most romantic venues. Reserve early! Before it is complete you can always search on your own here.
• Super Bowl XLIV is all set to go on Sunday, February 7th. We will compile great Super Bowl parties around the area.
• And of course The Weekly Rant. We think this week’s rant will create quite a dialog.

Stay with us this week for all of this and more!

A Tasting of Duck – Tuesday, January 12
(menus are subject to change)

First Course:

Duck liver, polenta, 63 degrees duck egg
 

  Second Course:   

“Vol au Vent”, ris de veau, cockscomb
 

Third Course:  

“Confit Breast”, savoy cabbage, Hobb’s bacon, chestnuts
 
 

Fourth Course:
Opera Cake, foie gras buttercream

$45 pp

+ Tax and gratuity

BYO

Reserve

Just the idea of Christmas conjures up certain scents in my mind; cinnamon and cloves, cookies baking and pine trees. The pine scent never seems to last as long as I would like and unfortunately with our busy schedules, it seems we get that tree up later and later each year. There are always cookies baked in the house and yet it seems that time after time one pesky crumb falls onto the bottom of the oven giving off that hell’s burning over scent that ruins the terrific aroma that once permeated the air.

So instead of waiting for the magical scent of Christmas to find me, I create it in my own home and keep it throughout the season. Candles you suggest, surely you jest! That is fake scent. I speak of real, authentic aroma that brings the comfort of the season through a home like nothing else ~ homemade potpourri simmering on the stove top.

Homemade Potpourri

It may not be pretty, but it smells wonderful! Take a medium sauce pan and cut up 2 apples (I usually use red apples because they do look prettier), and 2 oranges. Add cinnamon sticks and some whole cloves. I really don’t measure, but be careful not to overdo it with the cloves on the first batch. Cover with water and turn the pot on low and let it simmer on the stove. Continue to refill with water as it cooks off.

I continue to add to the pot with apple and orange peels. Once a week I add some extra cloves or cinnamon. If it gets really nasty looking I might even dump it and start over, but quite honestly, it sits on a back burner so no one really sees it but me.

****Warning: do not forget about the pot on the stove or the bottom of the pot will burn to ruins ~ i speak from experience****

My favorite whisk!

No idea why this is a great cooking utensil? Well, let me tell you. This whisk is flat. If you have ever made gravy, you know what a pain it can be trying to use a spoon or even a rubber spatula. Nothing seems to “whisk” and scrape up the bits of cooked on deliciousness left over from the meat. Voila!

Problem solved with this whisk. It whisks and scrapes at the same time. It is also great when you are making sauces in a saute pan. Do not under estimate the versatility of the flat whisk! I found this one at William Sonoma. I paid $10. It also appears they are available at Sur La Table for $19 – $20. I don’t know why they would be twice as much, but I like to give a few options.

This is a great stocking stuffer!

Please feel free to make other suggestions for foodie gifts. We would love to pass them on!