Public-Health

City Aims To Take the Salt Out of Chinese To-Go Spots

Posted by Foobooz on June 3rd, 2013

kikkoman2large

The city of Philadelphia is working with Chinese take0ut restaurants to reduce the amount of salt added to dishes. The city is providing cooking lessons, tips and suppliers that sell low-sodium ingredients.

A recent series of tests found a 20% reduction of sodium used at takeout restaurants.

Philly helps Chinese takeouts take out some of the salt [NewsWorks]

Free Flu Shots for Restaurant Workers

Posted by Foobooz on January 21st, 2013

The Restaurant Opportunities Center is joining up with Thomas Jefferson University to provide free flu shots to restaurant workers. The vaccinations will take place on Tuesday, January 22nd from noon to 4 p.m. at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Center for Urban Health. 211 South 9th St, Suite 313.

To sign up for a flu shot, fill out this online form, call 215-867-9747 or email sheila@rocunited.org.

This season’s flu season is being called the worst in a decade and Philadelphia has been particularly hard hit.

I’ll Have An Egg and Cheese and Mouse Turd Sandwich, Please

Posted by Victor Fiorillo on April 4th, 2012

Well, I was planning to scarf down a $2.50 egg-and-cheese sandwich (ketchup and pepper) from a street vendor near Foobooz World Headquarters. But once I spied these clear-as-day rodent droppings sitting atop a long roll on the counter inside the cart, I decided to skip breakfast altogether. (See, I knew I should have gone with the English muffin.) Read the rest of this entry »

Can Marc Vetri Save School Lunch?

Posted by Foobooz on February 27th, 2012

Goodbye, rubbery nuggets, plastic trays and long cafeteria lines. The city’s top chef and his team want to turn the midday meal on its head. Marc Vetri, Jeff Benjamin and Jeff Michaud aim to remake school lunch. And not just the food but the social setting as well.

The Vetri team plans to revolutionize America’s school cafeterias »

UPDATE: Today was Vetri’s first day providing lunch at People for People Charter School and he tweeted the work. Vetri’s Eatiquette program provided roast turkey, mushroom risotto, Swiss chard and a fresh pear for $1.82 per child. [Twitter]

Retro-Raunt: Pub Tiki

Posted by Foobooz on July 23rd, 2010

Photo via Arkiva Tropika

Drawing for Food visited the Pub in Pennsauken a bit back, a retro experience in and of itself but they also did some research on the history of the Pub that we found fascinating.

There were once 5 Pub locations
- Pennsauken (Still open)
- Little Pub at 1421 Sansom Street (Now Chris’ Jazz Cafe)
- 1522 Chestnut Street
- Hunting Park and Allegheny Avenue
- Pub Tiki at 1718 Walnut Street (Now Knit Wit, Cosi, TD Bank)
Founded by Morris “Duffy”J. Shoyer (1914-1995)

Here are some fun facts we found about Pub Tiki:

Opened in the mid-1950s
Closed in 1977
Interior featured a glowing map of the South Pacific and a waterfall
The Missionary’s Downfall was the most expensive cocktail at $1.20

A Hawaiian hukilau of special rums and fresh exotic juices served in a whole fresh pineapple

All drinks had a minimum of 1 1/2 ounces alcohol
3 Tiki mugs from Pub Tiki recently went for $188.49 on eBay.
GQ food writer Alan Richman took a date to Pub Tiki in 1965, his senior year at the University of Pennsylvania and also mentioned the restaurant in his book, Fork it Over: the intrepid adventures of a professional eater .
Phyllis Stein-Novack reminisced that the “Polynesian” food served there “was sort of Chinese, the addition of cherries and pineapples.”
Dinner Menu from Pub Tiki [Arkiva Tropika]
Cocktail Menu from Pub Tiki [Arkiva Tropika]

Are we ready for a Tiki renaissance?

The Pub [Drawing for Food]

Patel is LHAO

Posted by Foobooz on April 14th, 2010

ekta

We were tipped off to this web site by a reader yesterday. It focuses on some Philadelphia Department of Health/Office of Food Protection violations that Ekta has received.

The site is owned by someone identified as Patel who extols Ekta owner and chef Raju Bhattara to wash his hands. It’s an odd site as Patel seems genuinely freaked by the sanitary conditions but also praises the “unity of spices” at Ekta.

Ironically we received this email as we were polishing off some Ekta leftovers. We’re happy to report that we’re feeling fine and Ekta was as tasty as ever.

Ekta Indian Cuisine – Raju Bhattarai Wash Your Damn Hands [Certainly not the Official Site]
Ekta Restaurant [Official Site]

News for People Who Like Bad News: Mice & Fights

Posted by Foobooz on February 22nd, 2010

Fresh Grocer at 40th and Walnut was closed Wednesday afternoon until Thursday due to a court order following multiple failed health inspections. The violations found included mouse infestation and improper storage.Â [Daily Pennsylvanian]

The Philadelphia Inquirer looks at Old City at 2am when drinkers become fighters. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

From Today’s Headlines

Posted by Foobooz on February 1st, 2010

Is this some sort of Flying Fish promotion? Late last month the Cherry Hill brewer announces that its Exit 4 American Trippel will be available year-round in 12-ounce bottles and today a traffic plane lands on the New Jersey Turnpike near Exit 4. Hmmmmm. [Myfoxphilly.com]

Today the city will begin enforcing its menu labeling law where restaurants with more than 15 locations will be required to post calorie information on the menu. Chains that fail to comply will be fined $150 per day. That Five Guys cheeseburger, 840 calories. [NBC Philadelphia]

Early this morning a SEPTA bus crashed into the corner wall of Del Frisco’s steakhouse. [Myfoxphilly.com]

Changes To Inspection Process

Posted by Foobooz on August 7th, 2009

Philadelphia is changing its process when it comes to restaurant inspections. Although it stops short of the “scarlet letter” approaches of Los Angeles and Toronto, it does promise more inspections and a more scientific approach.

Joining a national movement for food safety, restaurant inspectors in Philadelphia have abandoned the “floors, walls, ceilings” focus that experts say catches chipped paint but often misses real public health threats such as undercooked food and chefs’ unwashed hands.

Instead, the city is phasing in a more scientific, “risk-based” approach that emphasizes food workers’ knowledge and behavior – do they know how contamination is spread and how to prevent it? – and calls for more frequent inspections of eateries that pose greater risks.

Turning up the heat on Phila. food-safety inspection [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Smoking Back For Eight

Posted by Foobooz on January 24th, 2007

Philebrity reports eight bars have received their exemptions from the smoking ban. Frankly we’re surprised Delilah’s received theirs so quickly. We expected that Delilah’s would require more field studies by city health department employees.

The rest of the list.

32 Degrees Luxe Lounge, 16 S. 2nd St
BJ Lounge, 4027 Lancaster Ave
Bottoms Up Bar, 4659-4661 N. 5th St
Delialah’s Den, 100 Spring Garden St
Fire Fighters Home Assn, 415-427 N. 5th St
Friendly Bar, 1039 S. 8th St.
Philadelphia Club, 1301 Walnut St
Tonic on Main, 4421 Main St

Readers Write: 32 Degrees Ushers In The Age Of Exemption [Philebrity]

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