Old Reviews

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LaBan Is the Latest to Fall Under the Hop Sing Spell

Craig LaBan sings  the praises of Hop Sing Laundromat’s Nevermore cocktail. LaBan calls it a “deliciously one-of-a-kind cocktail.” A one-of-a-kind drink from Hop Sing Laundromat […]

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Craig LaBan Lands Four Bells

Philadelphia Inquirer critic Craig LaBan won the Association of Food Journalists’ prize for best newspaper restaurant criticism. Jason Wilson, who did write for the Philadelphia […]

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Frohman’s Wursthaus Is Off the Table

Jose Garces confirmed to Craig LaBan that the Iron Chef’s brats and beer concept, Frohmans Wursthaus is kaput. The long delayed project was to take over […]

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Results from Craig LaBan’s Third Annual Brew-vitational

For the third year in a row Craig LaBan hosted a blind tasting of local beers. 48 beers from 27 breweries competed in two categories, […]

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La Calaca Feliz Lands Three Bells

Craig LaBan declares that chef Tim Spinner is owning it, making a statement of his own when it comes to his Mexican food at La […]

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LaBan Reviews Heirloom in Chestnut Hill

Craig LaBan lets chef Al Paris off the hook for serving a tomato-mozzarella salad in April at Heirloom, because so much else is right at […]

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Craig LaBan Reviews Paramour in Wayne

Craig LaBan gets to reviewing Paramour in the Wayne Hotel and finds the Main Line restaurant mainly missing the mark. The savory kitchen, though, just […]

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LaBan Review Finds Flaws at Birra

Craig LaBan likes the concept of East Passyunk pizzeria and beer bar Birra, but his review highlights problems with poor execution and flawed recipes. The […]

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Two Bells for Pickled Heron on Frankford Avenue

Craig LaBan finds enough to like from do-it-yourselfers Daniela D’Ambrosio and Todd Braley  in his review of Pickled Heron on Frankford Avenue. Both trained at […]

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Sky Cafe Gets A Two Bell Review

Craig Laban dives in for stinky beans and fish rice at the two-year-old Sky Cafe in South Philly, and comes up with a rollicking two […]

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Stateside Receives Enthusiastic Two Bell Review

George Sabatino and Stateside on East Passyunk get a praise-filled two bell review from Craig LaBan. Whether Sabatino can more than double his kitchen’s already labor-intensive […]

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Route 6 Gets One Bell Review

Craig LaBan reviews Route 6, Stephen Starr’s East Coast seafood restaurant and  takes it to task for not being enough of a Philadelphia fish house […]

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Three Bell Review for Vegan Vedge

Craig LaBan reviews Vedge and puts us all on notice, chef Rich Landau’s vegan cooking will be garnering national attention as he is one of […]

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Vivid Italian at Ulivo

Craig LaBan visits Ulivo, the Queen Village BYOB that Joseph Scarpone has opened after closing Sovalo in 2008. But if ever there was a bright […]

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Craig LaBan Adds More Favorites

As if Craig LaBan’s Four Bell mania wasn’t enough, today he highlights a number of his favorite restaurants in different categories. New American (Full Service) […]