TJ's Burger

New feature at Main Line Dine, where we take a highly-regarded food experience in Philadelphia and compare it to a similar offering out here in the burbs. Will it be worth the trip to the city, or are you better off staying close to home?

Starting out we have Village Whiskey, Jose Garces’ happening burger joint and whiskey bar, selected recently by Philadelphia Magazine as one of the best burgers in the city, versus TJ’s of Paoli, who won Main Line Today’s “Best Burger” award in 2009.

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I know this site is supposed to be about gourmet food, and supporting unique, independent businesses, but I don’t care. I freaking love Genuardi’s cornbread.

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Philly Beer Week is back June 4th- June 13th, and the suburbs are taking full part. Here’s our best shot at putting together an event list for the Main Line extended area… for more events in Philadelphia and other suburbs like Kennett, Downingtown and Phoenixville, visit http://www.phillybeerweek.org.

Pay as you go unless otherwise noted.

Saturday June 5th

12% Imports and their Brewers and Pig Roast
Teresa’s Next Door, Wayne
Noon – 3:00 PM

Monday June 7th

Suburban Kickoff
Brewers & reps from Stillwater, Cigar City, St. Somewhere, Voodoo, Boulder, Dark Horse, Ballast Point and 12% imports.
TJ’s Everyday, Paoli
4:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Tuesday June 8th:

Meet the Brewer of Bavik and Petrus
Oak Aged Pale Ale on Draught Here!
Teresa’s Next Door, Wayne
6:30 PM – 8:3o PM

Local Casks for Local Firefghters
Six local firkins with proceeds benefiting Paoli Fire Co.
TJ’s Everyday, Paoli
6:00 PM-9:00 PM

Home Brewers IPA Night
Local Home Brewers competition for the coveted Oakmont Cup. Brewers brew a special IPA for this Beer Week event. Beer-friendly Menu, patrons participate.
Oakmont National Pub, Havertown
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

Weds June 9

Bear Republic Pint Night
Pint Night with Bear Republic: Crazy Ivan, Cask Conditioned Racer 5, Hop Rod Rye, Red Rocket Ale, Racer 5.
The Drafting Room Taproom and Grille, Exton
6:00 PM – 12:00 PM

Thursday June 10th

Sierra Nevada Tasty Thursday
We will be featuring the first half of the one-off brew made at Sierra Nevada by the Philly Beer Week Beer Campers. This top secret conglomeration from Philly publicans, craft distributors and some of our favorite beer writers will be sure to surprise you. We will have more details when we are allowed to talk about it! Get Excited!
Teresa’s Next Door, Wayne
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Great Lakes Meet & Greet
Meet and greet with Great Lakes owner Pat Conway.
TJ’s Everyday, Paoli
6:00 PM-8:00 PM

Friday June 11th

3rd Annual Visit from Bobo of Chimay
He will be here Friday evening to talk and tell stories about Belgium, monasteries and of course the Trappist Ales of the Scourmont Abbey. How could you possibly want to miss having a beer with this man? Especially you ladies…
Teresa’s Next Door, Wayne
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Saturday June 12th

Main Line Food and Jazz Fest 2010
Teresa’s will be featuring an indoor, air conditioned Troegs Beer Garden during the Main Line Food & Jazz Festival. At least two firkins and four taps!
N. Wayne Ave, Wayne
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Stone/Brewdog Collaboration
Stone & Brewdog owners, brewers and reps take over TJ’s taps for the night.
TJ’s Everyday, Paoli
4:00 PM-7:00 PM

Spaten/Franziskaner
Spaten/Franziskaner Beer Party with Fran.
TJ’s Everyday, Paoli
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Sunday June 13th

Victory Fists of Feury Beer Release Party
Hors d’oeuvres and beer dinner celebrating the release of “Fists of Feury” a collaborative effort between Victory and chefs Terence and Patrick Feury
Nectar, Berwyn
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Price: $55.00

Yards Beer Dinner with Franklin Winslow the Brewer
Yards sampling and meet the brewer (Franklin Winslow) night. Beer friendly menu. Beer education offered by Peter Cherpack from Beerappreciation.com. Yards-infused menu.
Oakmont National Pub, Havertown
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

Did we miss any events? Post ‘em in the comments section!

B.T. Baking is a small company right here in Haverford, PA producing some of the richest, gooiest, most decadently awesome organic brownies that you’ll ever try.

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Recently, PA State Senator John Rafferty has become the latest to challenge Pennsylvania’s strange and arcane beer sales laws in attempt to allow six-pack sales at beer distributors, grocery and convenience stores (read more about that here). In addition, it’s been just about a year since Wegman’s made a splash in the PA scene when it was announced they would be selling beer. Beer in the supermarket? In Pennsylvania? Amazing! The catch, of course, is that they got a “pizza place” license to sell up to 12 beers (or the equivalent) for takeout. Sales are only allowed in the food court area, not the main checkout aisle. Still, the fact that you can grab a sixer on a trip to the grocery store is certainly a big plus for PA residents (and a Wegman’s should open in Malvern in 2010).

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For many years, our family has celebrated Christmas Eve with the traditional Southern Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes (Festa Dei Sette Pesci), also known as The Vigil (La Vigilia). The origins of this celebration are Roman Catholic — on Christmas Eve in particular, it is a commemoration of the wait for the midnight birth of the baby Jesus (Vigilia di Natale), and stems from the Catholic tradition of abstinence, in this case, refraining from the consumption of meat or milk products, on Fridays and specific holy days — but, as with many Americanized traditions, it is now celebrated by people of all backgrounds and faiths.

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Sometimes cultural epicenters sprout up in unlikely places. Take Wooster Street in New Haven, Connecticut, for example — absent any previous knowledge, one wouldn’t expect to find arguably the best pizza in the world here, but one does. Similarly, Newtown Square, PA happens to have a mile-long stretch of Rt 3 in that houses three of the best Italian-style roast pork sandwiches anywhere. Because Philadelphia is famous for these sandwiches (much like NYC is famous for pizza), it is not all that surprising to find a good pork sandwich in the suburbs — but 3 great ones in one mile? It’s odd for sure, but we aren’t complaining.

All three are slightly different, but excellent in their own way, and we haven’t been disappointed with any of them. Here’s a little more info on each:

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Whole Wheat Baguette

South Philly Italian bakery Carangi Baking Company has recently opened at 1556 Lancaster Ave. in Paoli, bringing a wide variety of freshly-made breads, pizzas, stromboli and other Italian specialties to the ‘burbs.

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