💘Love these Valentine’s ideas | Let’s Eat

Love and footballs are in the air. In the Valentine’s spirit, we offer first-date spots and other date destinations. On the Super Bowl beat, top spots for hoagie trays, a visit to Jalen Hurts’ favorite restaurant, and a look at the intrigue surrounding a bar that celebrates the Kansas City Chiefs(?!).

Also: Did we really find the best sandwich in the city?

⬇️ Read on for a quiz and restaurant news.

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— Mike Klein

Going on a first date? Whether it’s brunch or drinks — such as the Mexican stylings of LMNO, shown above — colleague Hira Qureshi offers 14 restaurants in Philly.

How about some date ideas? Hira has 11 for you, including dumpling-making. 🔑

And for those in a relationship, Maddy Sweitzer-Lamme asked chefs for romantic cooking ideas for your next night-in.

Fans of the Kansas City Chiefs typically hang at Big Charlie’s Saloon in South Philadelphia. After the expected uproar in the heart of Eagles country, management announced that its ticketed Super Bowl watch party had been canceled. As regular Michael Puggi told my (skeptical) colleague Jenn Ladd: “We never really wanted it.”

Philly runs on hoagies, and Hira sliced and diced a list of top spots for Super Bowl hoagie trays.

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts has done his part to put one suburban Philadelphia restaurant on the national map. He’s even worked the grill there.

Eagles fever might pack the sports bars, but not every uptempo restaurant is feeling it. Richboro’s 59 Almshouse announced that because it had few reservations for Sunday, it would close at 4 p.m. to allow staff to watch the game with friends and family.

At Saad’s Halal Restaurant in West Philly, Saad Alrayes packs juicy, skewer-grilled chicken into a hoagie roll, adds grilled onions, sliced tomatoes, and spears of tart pickle, then tops it off with parsley and garlic sauce before hitting it with a panini press. It’s the Chicken Maroosh, and contributor Alexandra Jones — who’s been eating it for 15 years — is convinced that it’s the Best Sandwich in Philly.

Is it now? Make an argument for your favorite/”best” sandwich in Philly and the suburbs. We are gathering your thoughts for future articles. Hop into our web form and state your case.

Alex, though, makes a strong bid for that Chicken Maroosh, and even ate one while writing this article.

“How do you like our glow-up?” one server at the new location of the Thai destination restaurant Kalaya asked critic Craig LaBan during a recent visit. His answer (in so many words): The partnership of chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon and operators Defined Hospitality has resulted in one of Philly’s most impactful new restaurants in years. 🔑

Tacconelli’s New Jersey branch opened a pizzeria in Haddon Township last week. Same formula as the one in Maple Shade: thin-crust pizzas, a few pastas, a few salads, house-made gelato and other desserts, and espresso. It’s dine in/takeout, and cash-only.

Also in Jersey: Chicken Or the Egg’s Marlton branch opened Monday in Renaissance Square. Feathers will really fly come spring, when the massive outdoor setup is cracked open.

Briefly noted

Philly’s food community is opening hearts and wallets to rescue efforts from the earthquake. Among the first responders is Kanella, whose Turkish-born chef-owner, Tayfun Abuska, and partners will donate 100% of all sales Wednesday to Turkish Philanthropy Funds. This weekend, Turkish-born Bonnie Sarana Noll at Vanilya Bakery will bake certain items whose proceeds will go to AKUT. Hira Qureshi describes the local efforts.

Curiosity Doughnuts will open its shop near Doylestown (800 Edison-Furlong Rd.,Furlong) at 8 a.m. Thursday.

Beef sizzled Sunday at the finale of Philly’s Burger Bowl, the annual burger competition and fundraiser for Philly after-school programs making its post-pandemic return. New format: It was dubbed the Burger Crawl, for which the public bought “passports” for the month of January to try burgers at 32 restaurants. At Feb. 5′s in-person event at Xfinity Live, judges picked a winner and the people’s choice was announced. Wilson’s Secret Sauce in Upper Darby with its brisket burger (shown above at top, with American cheese, candied bacon, smoked brisket, house cheese sauce, and red onion on a toasted potato bun).

The burger verde from South Bowl (below, with a Black Angus beef burger pattied with fresh herbs and shallots, and topped with chorizo, green chili cheese sauce, red onion, cilantro, and chili aioli on a seeded brioche roll) bowled over the judges. Both burgers are on their menus. Ardmore’s Ripplewood won the cocktail competition.

The Borscht Belt, which brought NYC-style Jewish deli to country-cute Stockton, N.J., in mid-2021, is on the move, headed to Bucks County next month. Owners Mike Dalewitz and chef Nick Liberato will get double the space at Village at Newtown South, near the Newtown Farmers Market. The Borscht Belt will remain open in Stockton only through the end of February.

Have a question about a restaurant opening? Email me at mklein@inquirer.com.

Speaking of deli: Russ Cowan at Famous 4th Street is in a pickle. The price of a key ingredient is sky-high, so he’s stockpiling it as a hedge. Do you know what it is?

A) mayo

B) gefilte fish

C) mustard

D) halvah

Find out if you know the answer.

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