Where to Eat This Weekend: Small Bites
Getting ready for Thanksgiving, one plate (and one drink) at a time.
Amada’s bar | Facebook
With Thanksgiving on the horizon, no one wants to go out and eat some huge, multi-course dinner. No, what you need for this weekend before the food marathon is small plates, little bites — and maybe a couple stiff drinks, too.
So that’s what we’re suggesting for this weekend. And a great place to start is…
Seriously, how long has it been since you’ve been to Amada? The bar is all toasty and warm. They’ve got a great happy hour list of $5 tapas (ham croquetas and patatas bravas, just for starters), and hanging out there for a few snacks while knocking back a couple glasses of cheap Spanish red just feels good.
Look, I will never stop telling people to go to Varga Bar. It’s just one of those places that’s like the definition of a bar and restaurant that’s just so much better than it needs to be. The actual crab fries are awesome (made with jumbo lump crab and a fontina bechamel rather than Old Bay and cheese goop), as are the chicken wings and the fried pickles. Plus, if you’re feeling it, the chili cheese dog is an excellent way to take the edge off while you’re drinking without filling yourself up completely.
Those first two choices? Little bit old school. But Puyero is something different. Not only is it rare enough to find a Venezuelan restaurant in Philly, but how about one doing a special themed menu based on Thanksgiving leftovers? Yeah, so if you’re looking for some sweet potato arepas or turkey-and-gravy cachapas, this is your place in the run-up to Turkey Day.
Really, dim sum is the perfect way to get through these days leading up to the holiday. You can eat lightly, stay casual, not get burned out on turkey and stuffing. Just kick back with a few plates of dumplings, some taro cake and scallion pancakes and coast right on through to Thursday. With the 15 spots for dim sum we have listed here, there should be plenty to keep you occupied right up through Wednesday night.
