You Ask We Answer

Culinary Mysteries Solved


	print	email	reply	rss feed

Published: Sep 12, 2007

Q: I love to eat mussels, but many of the well-known Belgian and seafood restaurants can get expensive. Where can I get a good order for under 10 bucks?

A: Eight dollars lets you get choosy at Fairmount's Aspen (747 N. 25th St., 215-232-7736) — there's the white, with braised fennel, leeks, shallots and bacon, or the red, with chorizo, garlic, onion and tomato in an herbed fumet. Liberties Walk tapas favorite Bar Ferdinand (1030 N. Second St., 215-923-1313) serves $7 sautéed mejillones with chorizo, tomato, fried capellini and good ol' beer. The $9 PEIs at Good Dog (224 S. 15th St., 215-985-9600) tend to run on the small side, but they make up for it with a heady potion of garlic, shallots, capers, herbs, chipotle peppers and Magic Hat #9. Old City's Eulogy (136 Chestnut St., 215-413-1918) offers up around a pound of mollusks for just $7.99 — our favorite treatment is the meaty Di Pietro, with Andouille sausage, Ardennes ham, parmesan and more in a beer and lobster stock. For a completely different take, spend $9.50 on the skewered mussels at Konak (228 Vine St., 215-592-1212) — they're pan-fried and served with a side of tarator (a chilled breadcrumb, garlic and olive oil soup/dip) and red pepper sauce. But regardless of where you go, remember that mussels, especially at a good price, are meant to be shared — don't be shellfish. So sorry.