Cheers! Some good news about booze | Let’s Eat
Also: Restaurant recommendations and a look ahead to the James Beard Foundation award nominations.
All kinds of systems are broken these days, as you know. Let this be noted as the week that Pennsylvania’s liquor system began coming to grips with the coronavirus. Also, my colleagues and I help out with restaurant recommendations, and we’re all looking ahead to Monday’s announcement of the James Beard Award nominees.
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How to work with — and without — the PLCB
This may be a great week, in the grand scheme of things. Pennsylvania is expected to allow restaurants and bars to sell cocktails to go — basically sanctioning a practice that’s been operating under the radar.
Also, the state’s Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores are open for orders, which you can pick up curbside after a phone transaction. If your order is over $100, the state is offering to ship your wine and spirits to your home.
We asked Philly bartenders which six bottles — the daily order limit — they’d pick from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board catalog and how they’d enjoy them. Their answers include Espolon Blanco tequila, Old Grand-Dad Bonded Bourbon, and Beefeater gin.
And let’s say you don’t want to work with the PLCB, Marnie Old offers her favorite online wine merchants.
Craig LaBan’s tops in takeout food
There are all kinds of takeout options available. Inquirer critic Craig LaBan serves a list of seven to his quarantine favorites, including a Mexican restaurant in South Philly that he says serves the best al pastor tacos in town.
Look who’s open for takeout
As the weeks drag on, with no certain date for a return to full-service dining, restaurateurs are starting to reopen with smaller staffs, on abbreviated schedules, and with limited menus. A bunch of big-timers, including Osteria and Barclay Prime, went online just this week.
The Beard Foundation to announce nominees
The James Beard Foundation should be convening in Chicago on Monday to hand out its annual restaurant awards considered the highest honor of the food world. (Think Oscars.)Alas, the coronavirus dashed those plans. It also forced a delay in the nominations. At 4 p.m. Monday, the foundation will use a Twitter livestream to announce the nominees. The rescheduled awards’ date, time, location, and format have not yet been announced. The region has nine semifinalists, including Kalaya for best new restaurant; Tova du Plessis for outstanding baker; Marc Vetri for outstanding chef; Le Caveau for outstanding wine program; Jean Broillet IV of Tired Hands Brewing Co. for outstanding wine, beer, or spirits professional; Jesse Ito for rising star chef of the year; and Nicholas Elmi, Richard Landau, and Cristina Martinez are up for best chef Mid-Atlantic.
What you need to know
Our list of restaurants offering takeout and delivery keeps growing.
Food distributors are offering restaurant-quality merchandise to consumers.
Collingswood’s farmers’ market returns this Saturday. Also see our rundown of the local markets.
Craig LaBan’s Q&A does not appear this week.