Michael's Cafe

Here's a review I found that I wrote last summer about Michael's Cafe in South Philadelphia, where my friend Bennett who's a chef worked.

"Michael's Cafe, the recent edition to the growing restaurant scene on Passyunk Ave in South Philly, is fast becoming a neighborhood favorite. With the charm of a French bistro, Michael's quaint wood-paneled interior and al fresco seating in front of the adorably decorated façade adorned with floral window boxes evokes a Provençal-inspired theme. Not to mention it's BYOB, and prime for people watching - what more could one expect from a Parisian cafe? Yet the wait staff is friendly and helpful, hardly stereotypical French. Michael's is garnering a loyal following of regulars, who return every week for the cafe's signature breakfast, served until 3 p.m. (This is where the people watching comes in, as the colorful locals include a diverse array of the LGBT crowd, and that includes the "T.") I overheard a woman say, "I'll have my usual French toast," - it's its own Michael's family here. To make the most of the experience, sit back with an espresso at a table out front and watch Philadelphia go by. No rush.

Though Michael's is known for the omelettes, it's the daily specials where the food truly shines, as it is here that Chef Bennett gets to experiment and show his creativity. "I call it crossword cooking," he explains. "I look at the ingredients that I have and then fill in the missing blanks to create a new dish. That's how I've come up with some of my best ideas." His experimental ventures have proven to be successful, leading to such dishes as the orange ricotta pancakes that were such a crowd favorite that they are now on the regular menu.

My favorites of his specials are the spinach salad topped with a warm fried goat cheese croquette and the grilled pineapple dishes. The spinach salad was really incredible, as the soft, warm goat cheese broke through the light golden brown herb crust to emulsify with the fresh baby spinach leaves with dried cranberries and walnuts drizzled in a tasty strawberry vinaigrette, resulting in a fusion of fruity and savory flavors. Despite being a salad it was incredibly rich and filling, and even with the half-sized dish I requested the portion was still huge. Great value for an $8 entree.

The grilled pineapple special was another blend of the sweet and savory, with a thick slab of grilled pineapple topped with chunks of salty pancetta, corn and tomato salsa. (Too much cilantro for my taste, but that's a matter of preference.) The only complaint I had was the puddle of juice that formed on the plate with each bite, soaking the meat as I ate. Yet the culinary experiment of the day was still delectably mouth-watering, and the leftovers kept considerably well, allowing the salty and fruit flavors to marinate over night and satisfy the next day. "Crossword cooking" method succeeds.