The Week In Eats

Get Out!

by Monica Weymouth

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Published: May 16, 2007

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May flowers are nice, but May eats are way better. GiGi chef Luis Melendez has created a breezy, Mediterranean-inspired menu to pair with some refreshing wines. Champagne-battered smelts with an Australian chardonnay and escargot served up with pinot noir will totally make up for slushy March. Still not satisfied? Spoon into your chocolate pot de creme and stop whining. GiGi, 319 Market St., 215-574-8880.

Although this weekend includes an amateur contest, over 30 national, professional cooking teams will put on the real show in a competition sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. As per regulation, each team will submit chicken, pork ribs, pulled pork and beef brisket, all of which will be judged on appearance, taste and texture by a team of lucky judges. "[Barbecue team] Ribs Within will definitely be back to defend their title," says organizer Tom Christine, who also happens to own Bensalem's Smoke'n Dudes BBQ Company. Shady Brook Farm, 931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley, 215-968-1670.

With all the boutiques and shoe stores, it's easy to forget the 100 or so dining options on South Street. (No offense, Maoz � espadrilles are distracting.) This weeklong festival brings the attention back to the food with $15 and $30 prix fixe menus. Old faves The Artful Dodger and Bridget Foy's are playing, as are the newbies on the block: Check out Belgian sugar waffles and Jamaican mussels at Zot, the salmon and tilapia roll-ups at The Table or tostadas de ceviche at Xochitl. South Street Headhouse District, www.southstreet.com.

Think twice before you grab your favorite bottle on a sticky August night. Considering the skyrocketing temperatures and the seasonal availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, it's best to reach for an acidic wine with a low alcohol content. "Wines that work for summer are a very small subset," says Keith Wallace, founder of the Wine School of Philadelphia. This tasting event will break down the dry rosettes, sauvignon blancs, sparklings and even dreaded zinfandels that are both beach and barbecue-friendly. Wine School of Philadelphia, 2006 Fairmount Ave., 800-817-7351.

You've scarfed down the trendy little suckers � now make your own tapas with the help of Amada chef de cuisine Chad Williams. Learn the earthy secrets behind the melon con jamon (Serrano ham with melon), habas a la Catalana (fava and lima bean salad) and paella Valenciana. They're keeping the recipe for the insanely popular piquillos rellenos (crab-stuffed peppers) under wraps, so you'll still need to visit the restaurant. Kitchen Kapers, 1341 Nixon Drive, Moorestown, N.J., 856-778-7705.

Market Resurge
Oh, My Darlin'
Jolly Good Yello
Feeding Frenzy
Small Bites
French Toast
Leroy's Showcase Lounge
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