Although there are many reasons to visit Philly, undoubtedly one of the best reasons is to sample the fantastic range of food they have on offer in this city. Food is an important part of everyone’s day, eating is a social and cultural experience, even more so on holiday than at home. Meals are often a great chance to spend some quality time as a couple, to communicate as a family, or to catch up with friends, so they should be planned out and enjoyed as such.

Romantic Meals For Couples

Couples looking for the true Philadelphia food experience should sample some of the most well known Philly dishes on their trip. Undoubtedly one of the most famous foods developed in Philadelphia is the cheesesteak, a sandwich very native to the area, where thinly sliced steak is topped with cheese and usually served in a baguette. This particular sandwich was developed by Italian immigrants to Philadelphia in the early 20th century, and there are several restaurants in the area which specialize in this one food. Although it admittedly does not sound like a particularly romantic meal, it is surprising how many couples will share one of these massive sandwiches as a main meal, as they often come in super-size proportions!

For couples looking for a more up-market culinary experience, M Restaurant, which is part of Morris House, is a classy restaurant with a great local reputation. Their main menu is set up to let tourists sample all different kinds of Philadelphia’s food at a good price. A four course Chef’s Tasting Menu generally consists of a vegetable course, a fish course, a meat course and then a desert course to finish, although there is a different set up during Happy Hour, and other courses are also available. This means the meal is perfect for an all round Philadelphia food experience for any tourist, as well as being the perfect opportunity for a couple to have some romantic time together away from the stresses of everyday life. Not to mention, during the summer months, live Jazz is played outside in the beer garden, perfect for creating that special romantic moment for any couple.

Eating Out As a Family

If you are on holiday with your family and you are looking for a place in the city which can cater to everyone’s different taste preferences, then M Restaurant also has a particularly diverse menu which should be able to please even the fussiest member of the family. Also, they are now open on Sundays from 4-9pm, the perfect time for the family to all get together, regardless of age, and tuck in to a good meal. Sunday meals are also discounted, to make them more accessible to families who would maybe usually eat at home. Having meals together as a family is invaluable, and although you can always cook one at home, it is important to get out of your usual environment if you want to really open up to each other and have fun together. It is amazing the difference that such a small change can make to the dynamics of a group, and it doesn’t hurt that you don’t have to do the dishes afterwards either!

The environment in the restaurant is also perfect for eating out as a family, with both indoor and outdoor seating, to suit people who are often cold or often too warm and just to create a social ambiance. Although there are up-market areas, there are also dressed-down bar areas for family or social groups, a brilliant setting to suit everyone’s personal needs.

Sometimes the Company is Well Worth the Money

When traveling to Philly from anywhere outside of the United States it is important to obtain spending money for your holiday. Most vendors of US dollars offer different exchange rates depending on where you go, and to get the most out of your money is is always important to try to find the best exchange rate before purchasing your travel money. This travel money can come in a range of forms, from cash itself to pre-paid Visa and MasterCards, or if you prefer something a bit more old-fashioned but still reliable, most places will still offer deals on travelers checks. Getting the best exchange rate for your money will give you that little bit extra cash, perhaps just enough for the reduced price Happy Hour Menu at M Restaurant, definitely worth making the saving for!

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There’s no escaping vegetables here, that’s for sure. All dishes on the main menu – and the majority on the Easter a la carte menu – come with either salad or cooked vegetables, helping to provide you with a good helping of vitamins, minerals and fiber for the day. While elsewhere vegetables might just be added as an afterthought, at M Restaurant they are integral and selected to complement whatever the main item might be. If you’re particularly hungry you can always ask for some extra salad or a fruit platter to accompany your main. You’ll also see that sweet potato features in a lot of dishes; this isn’t just because this orange fleshed root vegetable tastes delicious, but is richer in nutrients than standard potatoes, so you get a bigger dose of beta-carotene, vitamins C and E. If you just want a light bite opt for the edammame or split pea soup, as these pulse dishes are packed with soluble fibre that helps with everything from weight control to heart health and diabetes control.

Don’t forget the meat

Although meat might get bad press, the issue is eating large portions of processed meat each day, which is high in fat, salt and preservatives. Bacon is still fine to eat occasionally and if you choose lean beef, pork or lamb, you’ll be getting one of the best sources of iron in the diet needed to keep your red blood cells healthy; eggs are also good for iron, so tuck into these from the brunch menu, though poached or scrambled are better if you’re watching your fat intake.

Health benefits of locally sourced produce

Not only is it reassuring to know where your food has come from, but it can also be better for your health too. At M Restaurant using locally sourced produce, it isn’t just the food miles that has been cut, but fruit and vegetables obtained locally can have a higher content of vitamins. Within a day or so of picking they can be on your plate, rather than waiting a week or more when they’ve traveled across the country, so levels of vitamin C and folate – important for both general and heart health – are kept high, providing your body with a greater intake.

Whatever you opt for this Easter when you eat at M Restaurant we can guarantee you’ll enjoy it and it’s good to know when dining here there are many nutritious items on the menu.

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Few restaurants will let you in their kitchen, and even fewer will tell you where they source their food. Located in Philadelphia, Pa. M Restaurant strives to make delicious dishes using farm to table food, and in some cases “seed to table”.  This is because the owners have a farm in Frenchtown NJ and grow many of the summer vegetables and manage the farm themselves, redefining what “fresh” truly is! The quality of the ingredients we use is our top priority so that you can focus on enjoying your meal, whether you choose the turbot with seaweed, the roasted quail or the exotic mushroom sauté. Here are the top 5 things to know about organic ingredients:

1. Tough Standards

Quality Assurance International (QAI) uses a special “Certified Organic” label to let the public know whether something is organic or not. During the growing process, organic ingredients are inspected to make sure no additional chemicals or preservatives are added. This means when you eat our delicious arugula salad you’re only getting the salad, not any additional chemicals.

2. It’s Healthier

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) believes that 90% of herbicides have the potential to cause cancer.  No matter how well your food is washed, there may still be traces of herbicides and pesticides on all produce.   Because organic ingredients are not allowed to be treated with herbicides, organic means every bite of food on your plate will be pure.

3. Taste

Which would you rather have: a generic tomato from the grocery store imported from Chile, or a juicy heirloom one grown on a vine from the owner’s farm?   Because organic food contains no additives or preservatives, you get to experience the natural taste of your vegetables – ones grown with TLC of just water and sun!

4. Help Wildlife

Toxic chemicals used in traditional farming methods can have a deadly effect on birds and other small animals. As organically grown ingredients aren’t allowed to use these chemicals, farms have only a tiny impact on the resident wildlife population.

5 The Environment

Organic farming requires less water and other resources than traditional farming operations. When it comes to animals such as livestock, organic meat is handled in a much more humane manner, with cattle raised to enjoy open spaces instead of being confined to metal cages. Animals are not pumped full of growth hormones, which means you can rest assured that your succulent flat iron steak has no hidden chemicals.

M Restaurant

For these reasons and more, M Restaurant is proud to provide a menu designed solely using locally sourced ingredients- many of them directly from The Lefevre farm in Frenchtown!  To view our new spring menu that was recently launched, click here.

We look forward to having you as our guest at M Restaurant soon- whether it is to enjoy our $3 for $13 all-night bar special, to have a romantic dinner in our lovely dining room, or to soon dine outside in our spectacular azalea garden.  We have the perfect setting for a unique evening this spring for you and your friends!

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A memorable wedding can never be achieved without an excellent wedding venue. Philadelphia is a unique city and therefore a unique wedding location. There are plenty options for whatever your wedding dreams are.

While you may be thinking “It’s Philadelphia- it’s a typical city” you are mistaken. Whether your dream includes a church wedding and reception or a beautiful picturesque location with the reception right there, Philadelphia has it all! Another benefit of Philadelphia being a unique wedding venue is that there are plenty of locations for guests to stay as well as things for guests to do leading up to or after the ceremony.

With all of the cities amenities its no wonder that so many people love to get married here. While your families are checking out The Art Museum or visiting The Italian Market you can be preparing all of the last minute details of your wedding! When you are ready to jet off for your romantic honeymoon Philadelphia International Airport is just outside the city and flies both nationally and internationally.

Couples who are planning on getting married in Philadelphia, PA, should not worry, as there are plenty of options in the area. On top of the list is Morris House Hotel and M Restaurant.

Morris House Hotel and M Restaurant offer one of the best wedding venues to couples looking to get married in Philadelphia, PA. We offer a complete package of services that will certainly make a remarkable wedding. From the ambiance to the food, M Restaurant has it all. Our friendly staff goes above and beyond to make everything perfect so there are no surprises on your special day. Soon to be married couples in the area trust Morris House Hotel and M Restaurant to hold the most special day of their lives and are repeatedly blown away by just how well we deliver. Our wedding venue is enhanced as a romantic setting with delectable cuisine that is hailed to be some of the best quality food in Philadelphia. Morris House Hotel and M Restaurant are your ideal unique wedding venue in Philadelphia, PA.

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Josh Can’t Cook Awards: 2012 Results

Posted on January 8, 2013 by joshcantcook

The Josh Can’t Cook readers have spoken, and below are the results of our awards.

Best Date Restaurant: M Restaurant

Best Restaurant of the Year: TRIA

Philly Chef of the Year: Michael Solomonov

Guilty Pleasure of the Year: Federal Donuts

Best New Restaurant: Vernick

Best Brunch: Varga Bar

Best Gastropub: Pub & Kitchen

Coffee Shop of the Year: OCF Coffee House

Best Gay Bar: Woody’s

Best Happy Hour: Tashan

Best BYO: Mercato

Restaurant that Closed in 2012 that we’ll Miss Most: Carman’s Country Kitchen

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it is pretty cool that M Restaurant won the Best Date Restaurant Award from Josh’s survey!  Everyone knows that the protocol for this special day is usually a bouquet of red roses or a nice selection of chocolates, but how about thinking outside the box and showing up with some other cool gifts for your loved one?

Knowing that 99% of the world recognizing this special day will do the exact same thing, if you are a guy, I would suggest giving your girl a gift certificate for a massage (something that is usually overlooked but is a great stress release), a manicure (with perhaps a ring to go with it?????) or for either sex, a promise to go away –maybe to have quality time together by skiing in the Poconos, or you could visit Bucks or Lancaster County to rediscover their many romantic getaways.  Or how about planning a surprise breakfast in bed on the 14^th or a dinner at home with just a pure night of enjoying each other’s company alone, without other friends or kids in the picture (send them to your mom’s for the night), with just a whisper of “ I love you”.   Another great idea is to compile a collection of your favorite love songs – 10 old time favorites and 10 new release ones- and give it to your honey for a great original Valentine!

Rediscover each other and promise yourselves that Valentine’s Day will be just for the two of you, and come to M Restaurant where you will be pampered by our caring staff and treated to an amazing meal!

No matter what your plans, M offers not only a Valentine Day dinner, but every day and every hour is Happy Hour with our 2013 “3 for $13” special – and we host Live Jazz every Wednesday and Friday from 5:30-7:30.

Let us help you shine by bringing your loved one to M Restaurant- and we will make it one of the best date night’s ever-

Any night of the week!!  Tell us your favorite Valentine story to share some other original ideas!

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Happy New Year! With the start of 2013 come many new challenges and rewards in life.  New Years Resolutions are just one of those challenges, and sometimes it’s hard to stick to them.  Not only have we all at M Restaurant made our own resolutions, but we also will help you stick to yours in 2013.  Many of us chose to:

*  Spend more quality time together with those we love

*  Stick to a diet

*   Have more fun in life

*   Give gifs of time as presents instead of material things

If your new year resolution is to spend more quality time with your loved ones, M is a great place to do just that! You can set a standing date night with your friends once a week to meet up for drinks and Happy Hour after work.  Or you can stop by M Restaurant for a delicious dinner with your boyfriend (we were voted the most romantic restaurant in town by Open Table), and share some quality time alone.  A mini escape to the city overnight is the answer if you live in the suburbs or reside in town, with our “Suite and Eat” package that will transform you to another world with dinner for two, a bottle of wine and an overnight stay in one of our beautiful colonial rooms (complete with a fireplace!).

If your resolution is to stick to your diet, you may be thinking that you can’t possibly have fun and do that too.  Going to the gym every day and eating only the tasteless meals of steamed vegetables and pale chicken is usually the answer.  But it isn’t!  We have so many menu options that are both delicious and diet friendly at M Restaurant!  We use all locally grown seasonal produce along with meat, fish and poultry dishes that are all heart healthy recipes that are chock full of amazing flavors.  Our chef Kyle creates innovative, low calorie options to big fat steaks and fries, none of which are ever on our menu to tempt you- and all of our portions are medium plates.  Nothing is more than $20, and we encourage our guests to have as many or as few as they like in order to try the many sumptuous options on our menu.  This style of eating avoids the temptation to order large entrees and overeat, and it allows for a dining experience that is full of variety and delicious flavors….very European!

We have such a great atmosphere here at M Restaurant all year ‘round and have something special to offer for every season. Our cozy bar (that is actually from France), hosts Live Jazz on both Wednesday and Friday nights from 5:30-7:30, as well as the best Happy Hour specials for food and drink for 2013. We also hosted special winter events already, like our recent tree lighting ceremony that drew a full garden of guests who indulged in free hot chocolate and ginger cookies, as well as our ice-sculpting event that will be repeated in February for Valentine’s Day.  Once spring comes along and the flowers are in full bloom, we move outdoors and let our guests dine under the stars with the only true outdoor garden in center city that can seat up to 100. So if your new years resolution is to have fun we are here to help you get out and have fun all year long, so come and check us out- something fun is waiting for you at M Restaurant every day of the year!

Lastly, with such a fast paced material world full of e mails, text messages and the internet, it might be a good idea to consider a new years resolution of giving gifts of time to each other instead of material things.   A true gift that allows you to actually go to a movie together, take a trip, or dine together instead of acquiring another “thing” will create so many more quality memories in life, and coming to M Restaurant can be that gift of time for someone special.

We would love to hear what you have chosen as a New Years resolution for 2013 and hope that you can commit and stick to yours throughout the year. If there is a way for us to help you with that by keeping you in contact with friends, giving you a place for a romantic dinner, or just a place to have fun and indulge in a delicious meal, we will be there for you.  Happy New Year from everyone at M Restaurant and The Morris House Hotel and here’s to a wonderful year ahead for us all!

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I love the Food section that the Philadelphia Inquirer prints every Thursday.    It is the first section I open and scan for good recipes as well as checking out the latest restaurant buzz in town.  I came across an article by Craig LaBan last week on how to cure your own pig using a recipe by Terrence Feury.   He declared it was a simple process so my husband Gene and I said “We can do this!!  Let’s give it a try!!”.  So off we went to Canulli’s the famous House of Pork in the Italian Market to claim our special pig for our holiday feast for 15 guests.  20 pounds of flawless flesh later, we brought our darling specimen of perfection home and began the curing process using the special dry rub mixture Terence remembered his mom used on her pig when he was a child.

Our Delicious Pig

How do you cure your own pig when he is not sick???  Well, it takes handfuls of dried rosemary, cloves, thyme, cracked pepper and kosher salt (and some pink salt if you can get your hands on it) to make a dry rub that will eventually, over a three day period, pull out excess moisture and evenly distribute the flavors.  So spread it Gene did, caressing that pig with all these wonderful herbs every few hours and filling our kitchen with amazing smells that spread to every room of our long train-like farmhouse.

We kept peeking into our refrigerator (the contents had to be emptied into a cooler on our deck outside to accommodate our new buddy) to make sure it was OK.  What exactly we thought we would find besides a 20 pound chunk of meat that was dominating 90% of our space was news to us, but we kept checking nonetheless.  Every time we peeked we were in awe of the amazing smells that emanated from the frig, as well as the anticipated wonderful flavors we would enjoy on Christmas night.

At one point we thought we would be really adventurous and use our huge outdoor grill to smoke the pig, so I called Kyle, our executive chef at M Restaurant for his tips on how to do it.  His advice: “Just cook it in the oven for 4 hours and let it sit for 30 minutes to let all the juices even out. Forget about smoking it unless you have done it before because it is not an easy process”- so with 15 hungry guests anticipating a feast at 6:00 pm, we decided not to risk it, and into the oven it went.

We lined the pan with turnips, four heads of garlic cloves, carrots, and a ton of sweet cippolini onions, and let it slow roast at 350 degrees.  Four hours later we had a crispy, aromatic, perfectly golden brown ham that was actually white in color inside…it is the pink salts that the ham absorbs that turns the meat that pink color, so with the absence of a lot of pink salt, our little piggy was a light color, which was unusual.  But the flavor was TO DIE FOR!!!  It was by far, THE BEST ham we had ever had.  It was sweet, juicy, tender, and so incredibly flavorful that we now have decided that it will be our new Christmas tradition from now on.

We had 15 guests in ecstasy, oohing and ahhing as they ate every bite of this delicious meal.  My husband did an incredible job from beginning to end to deliver the best Christmas meal we have ever had, and we hope others will be brave enough to try it for themselves as well; it truly is an award-winning recipe for a phenomenal festive meal for any occasion!

Give it a try; you can do it too!

For more information, here is a link to Craig’s article: Philly.com Pure Pig Recipe

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The Big Apple

I recently took a trip to New York with one main purpose, to see the cheese shop that has nursed my interest into a full blown passion.  By the end of the day, I managed to hit three more and even found the perfect cheese to summarize my experience.  Little Big Apple is an adorable petite triple cream that hails from Vermont, but is finished in the city.  It gets wrapped in New York apple leaves soaked with apple brandy and is allowed to age in the fabulous caves of Murray’s Cheese shop.  The result is a sweet, smooth paste with spark.  The cheese holds its own in a case of big hitters and has a great story behind it.

Little Big Apple Cheese

Now why in the world does this cool brandy soaked cheese summarize my trip ?  Hmm I will let you draw any obvious metaphorical conclusions =)  Here is the simple story.

The Little Big Apple

The last time I went to New York it seemed, well bigger.  I remember getting off the bus and feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume.  I looked up to the sky and the tunnel effect of the skyscrapers made me dizzy.  So something changed and I’m guessing it wasn’t Manhattan.  On this past trip, somewhere between the A from the Village to midtown and eventually the red line to Chelsea I realized New York suddenly felt right-sized.

What Changed

You see, I am also from a teeny tiny town in the middle of nowhere.  It’s sweet and quiet and even has apple trees.   What’s the difference in my life?  It’s Philadelphia.  Six years of living in Center City has apparently prepared me to take on the world, one bite at a time.  Alright Philly, your artisan cheese shop repertoire is slightly lacking, but that’s OK!  So is mine.  I know how to take the subway now so let’s get bigger together.

-Dani

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As the Holidays are upon us it is often difficult to know what wine to serve at your own dinner party, what to bring when you are a guest, or what to order when you come to M Restaurant for dinner.  We all know that the different grapes used, along with the various techniques of making wine, drastically change the taste of each bottle produced. For your holiday season we have created a simple and helpful guide to picking the right wine to pair with your dinner at M Restaurant, or when you are a guest at someone’s house!

Red vs. White Wine

Popular White Wines

• Sauvignon Blanc
• Chardonnay
• Riesling

White wines are often described as fresh and vibrant and bursting with flavor.  Many white wines are influenced by the kind of cask they are stored in, so keep that in mind when choosing wines.  The wines chosen should always complement the courses you are enjoying.  Pinot Grigio is a great starter cocktail sipping wine that is crisp and clean to jump-start your night.  Moving to a first course that is usually a vegetable or fish option, an “oaky” Chardonnay is a great choice that is usually drier than a Sauvignon Blanc, although both work well pairing with simple flavors and uncomplicated poultry dishes.  A wine that is not as well known but offers a dry, crisp complement for shellfish- especially oysters during this holiday season- and light first courses is a Muscadet, produced in the Loire Valley in France.  Not to be confused with Muscat, which is a sweet white wine, Muscadet is anything but.  We recommend that you give it a try; we think you will find it to be a true winner on your new list of wines you love!  Rieslings in general are sweeter if you are looking for something that is not dry at all- although new varietals are coming out that are almost as dry as Sauvignon Blanc, so it may take some experimenting to decide on which one to choose.  Rieslings can be a great match to pork and stronger flavors such as sausage, lamb and veal.  Asking for a small taste of wine when you are in a restaurant is the answer to help you make an educated decision on which wine to choose for you and your guests.

Popular Red Wines

• Pinot Noir
• Syrah or Shiraz
• Merlot
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Zinfandel

Red wines are usually more hearty and earthy, and deliver a more intense flavor than white wines do as soon as they touch your lips.  Tanin, which determines the acidity of red wines, is found in the skin of the grapes and is a big contributor to the overall taste of each wine.  In general reds are better paired with richer entrees. Pinot Noir is a well-rounded wine- perfect for lamb, filet mignon, or even garlic roasted chicken.  Syrah are powerful wines, great for a strong oily fishes such as salmon or bluefish, or bolder, spicier dishes.  Merlot is a well rounded red wine and is a good pairing with meats. Cabernet Sauvignon is a more mellow wine, best paired with more delicate dishes that have a bit more finesse in their preparations. Zinfandels are very rich red wines that pair well with pork, beef or blackened fish. Dishes that need a wine with “oomph” to match them pair well with Zinfandels.

Wine & Dine

Remember that each guest will still have his or her own preference for red or white wine.  Here at M Restaurant we are always willing to help you pair our delicious menu items with the perfect wine, and Danielle, our wine specialist, is here to help every step of the way.  Happy Holidays and we look forward to seeing you soon!

M Restaurant at Morris House Hotel is located at

225 South 8th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19106.

For reservations call (215) 922-2446

or e-mail info@morrishousehotel.com.

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Theo, M Restaurant's Bartender

Theo is M Restaurant’s current bartender and has been at M Restaurant for six months. Theo has six years of bartending experience and was happy to share about his time here at M.

What are you excited about this season at M Restaurant?

“More than anything I am looking forward to connecting with people. I really like people.”

What is your favorite thing about M Restaurant?

“The staff is my favorite thing. We are this weird hodge podge of brothers and sisters. We never argue- we just bicker and pick on each other. I also really like the kitchen if I have a new drink idea they give me free reign to raid the fridge to see what is available and chef really lets me have some creative freedom. Debbie [Hotel Owner] is also a really great person to work for too.”

What has been your most memorable experience at M Restaurant?

“Actually it was last night. [11/28/2012] Bethany, one of our servers who studies theater, music, and dance at UArts was asked by a customer at the bar what she was studying. After telling them what she did, they politely asked her to sing a song for them. She began to sing the song “My Favorite Things” from the musical The Sound of Music, which is one of my favorite songs as well.  Following that song she sang two more for all our guests in the restaurant. It was a really special moment for us all.

Debbie was also in the restaurant last night and sat at the bar for 5 hours talking with all the bar customers.  She owns a magnetic reversible eye glass case that she bought in MOMA that is like a Rubik’s cube in that it is a total mystery how it works.  It truly was designed by a genius because it is a real puzzle how it opens and closes.  After she pulled it out and showed it to everyone, we talked about her case for like twenty minutes and no one at the bar could figure out how it worked.  She doesn’t even know how it works; it is a really cool design. Once all this was over I had to take a step back and ask myself if I was at work or in somebody’s living room.  M just has a great small family neighborhood feel to it- and that is what makes it different from all other restaurants in the city.”

What is your favorite drink to make?

“My favorite drink to make is a Gin Martini.”

2 1/2 oz gin

1/2 oz dry vermouth

1 green olive or lemon twist for garnish

Orange or Angostura bitters (optional)

What are some of your drink specials?

“At M Restaurant we have happy hour every day that we are open from 4pm to 7pm. Our happy hour specials:

House Liquor $5.00

Pearl Cocktail $7.00

Beer $3

Wine $6 “

We invite you to come join us this holiday season and meet our bartender Theo for yourself, and maybe if you are lucky a singing waitress as well!.

Happy Holidays from our family at M Restaurant!

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