Fathom Seafood House // Fishtown Just Got Fishier

Well we YoCoPros finally had the chance to check out Fishtown's newest hot spot: Fathom Seafood House. It has been open for about 3 weeks now, and every time we've gone by during those 3 weeks the place has looked packed! Where is this place? Well you can find it across the street from Johnny Brenda's on the corner of Shackamaxon Street and Girard Ave. Just a short two block walk from the Girard El stop folks, easy peasy. We lived on Shack for a year, and we've seen this space transform a few times, a small gallery space Fishtown Airways, then a short lived consignment shop that was gone with a blink of an eye. Then the space sat vacant and we really wished that something great and more stable would move in. Well our wish has been granted: Fathom Seafood House has moved in and we think is here to stay!

We went to check it out on a Saturday night at about 9pm; hopeful that the wait wouldn't be too long... when we walked in we were told it was about an hour wait and that they could take our cell number and call us when our table was ready. We decided to wait it out at the bar (which was also packed, but we lucked out and got to sit down in about 10 minutes.) The cell phone call back concerns us a bit, for us local Fishtownians we know were to go to wait, but the crowd that seemed to be a Fathom that night (Society Hill/ Main Liners) probably would not.



Mike Stollenwerk of Fish and Little Fish, has done it again. As their slogan states on the front page of their website: "Damn Good Seafood." Not only is there a great menu available that consist of locally sourced dishes and sustainable seafood. There is also a Raw Bar, that has lobster, oysters, clams and shrimp. The menu has some great items, some common and some new alternatives: (This list is just a few items that are available.)

Cod Pierogies
bacon, onion, brown butter

Blue Bay Mussels
coconut, panang curry, lemongrass

Fathom Fries
spiced crab gravy, cheese curd

Lobster Grilled Cheese
sourdough, fontina

Smoked Marlin Tacos
crispy shallot, pickled jalapeño

Salmon Burger
maple-mustard, arugula, potato roll

Swordfish Schnitzel
red bliss potato salad

Lets start off by saying that we love mussels and as soon as we saw them on the menu we went for them: Blue Bay Mussels ($9.00), along with that we ordered a side of Old Bay Fries ($3, and a staple of Philly cuisine) and finally we couldn't resist that nights special of Dungess Crab ($8.00). To follow up the food we drank pints of PBC's Walt Wit and Kenzinger, respectably at $4 and $3 a pop. The mussels were fresh, and while they didn't come with a lot of broth like we like, the flavor packed a punch. The dungess crab special, although very messy, was absolutely delicious. So much so that we had to get a second order to indulge ourselves. The fries were a great complement to the meal, but nothing special. We loved not only the food, but the prices. Food was reasonably priced especially when you realize how fresh everything is. The beer menu was vast and affordable, and the day PBR reaches over three dollars in Fishtown is the day we know to move out of the neighborhood.


We have to say there were only two things that disappointed us. First the restaurant is very small, which means there will ALWAYS be a wait if it continues to stay this popular, and secondly the crowd. So lets touch upon the first; upon entering Fathom you will find a long and narrow dining area with laid back modern decor. Seating to your left, consists of simple tables and chairs with every inch maximized for seating. To your right you will find three massive marble topped tables and chairs that are equally as large. These tables seem almost out of place and we saw chairs bumping into each other and waitresses dodging patrons and furniture. Onto the bar, well what can we say other than besides the food the best part of the entire establishment. The bar spans almost the entire length of the restaurant and seats 24 comfortably, we were even impressed by the under counter hooks for coats and purses. Of course the large selection of spirits and the 10 beers on tap did not hurt either.

Our second issue didn't so much disappoint us as it did surprise us. We were first a little confused by the unusual traffic going on outside of the restaurant. At one point we saw several double parked cars, people stopping short in traffic and a Mercedes backing down a full block on Girard. (Good thing there wasn't a Trolly coming.) Upon entering the restaurant we noticed an overwhelming amount of older individuals and couples that clearly were not from the area. We know Mike Stollenwerk most likely has a following and we realize that the first few weeks of business would generate a buzz, especially since the food is great. Once we sat down to eat and enjoy the great food we saw a large man (Eagles offensive line large) posted outside the door wearing all black. After a few minutes, we realized he was the door security which we found to be not only strange, but very much out of place. It had us wondering why he was there? And why would he be dressed as if we were entering a club in Old City? Maybe it was to make the people we mentioned above feel safe in Fishtown, but if that was the case we think it could have been done in a more professional manner. We don't think a security guard outside Fathom would be inviting for anyone, regardless of where your live or where you are from.


As a whole the restaurant was great, good variety, fresh food, decent prices and of course a great location. The bad, the overall size we realize there isn't a whole lot you can do other than make some table changes. The clientele; doesn't bother us unless it creates unnecessary issues or awkwardness as in the case with the crazy traffic and menacing 6'4 350lb security guard.

Fishtown Just Got Fishier

So the word on the street is that Fathom Seafood Bar is opening this Monday 2/21/2011!!! The spot? The corner of Girard Ave. and Shackamaxon Street. - right across the street from Johnny Brenda's. This little joint is the mastermind of Chef-owner Mike Stollenwerk (You might know him from Center City's Fish and Little Fish located in Queen's Village.) We are super stoked to check this place out Monday and report back to all our YoCoPro fans with a review, and pictures!!

Neighborhood Review : Fishtown

So we thought we would start the New Year off right by not only reviewing local businesses, but to feature a different neighborhood each month of 2011. First stop? FISHTOWN. We just recently got the chance to check out Brindle Cafe, which is located on at 221 E. Girard Ave. It had just snowed the day before, and it was a blustery day - we thought we'd drop in, talk to the owner and get a cup o'joe, boy were we pleasantly surprised when we found their awesome menu of sandwiches and salads!

It's taken six months, but Brindle Cafe is up and running. The Cafe has a laid back, fresh and modern atmosphere. There is a lot of great light from the two huge windows, (it's a corner lot.) Chocolate brown counters span the length of the windows and small tables with inviting succulents planted in small charcoal colored pots adorn each table and make you feel at home. There is a large chalkboard on one wall that states the day’s specials. And the food case under the register is filled with locally baked desserts enticing you to try them all.


Owner: Scott Forman was behind the counter making everything himself, and we got the opportunity to chat it up a bit about what he loves about local businesses, and what he foresees in the future for Brindle. He too like the YoCos appreciates the time and effort local businesses take to provide food that is obtained locally and is organic, unique - and tastes good! He knows that even if the menu isn't huge, just having a few fantastic items makes the public come back again and again. What was the inspiration for the name? That's easy - Scott and his wife own two brindle colored dogs: Kayla and Gracie. Scott is from Philly, and has had the opportunity to live in South Philly, Old City and NoLibs before settling down and buying a house in Fishtown.



We tried the Grilled Cheese and the Hummus & Roasted Pepper sandwiches, and we cannot wait to go back! The Grilled Cheese was oozing with cheddar and mozzarella and came with a pickle to enhance the sandwiches gooey deliciousness. How was the Hummus & Roasted Pepper sandwich? Well we are big fans of hummus and have only found a few places that make it to our standards, so we had to try it. Upon receiving the sandwich are usual first impulse is to eat the pickle, I don't know why, but it was a good pickle. Then after examining the sandwich, it was time to go all in. The first bite was the crunch of the fresh French bread followed by the sweetness of the red pepper and the smooth creaminess of the hummus. A good first start, but it wasn't until the third or fourth bite where our senses got the full effect of the sandwich. The combination of hummus, red peppers and onion we are accustomed to seamlessly melt with the harissa/goat cheese and prosciutto. These last two ingredients were the perfect accompaniment. It was a great combination of textures, and flavors of salty, sweet, smooth and crunchy. It’s hard for us to think of a better mix of flavors in a sandwich.




Right now Scott is a one-man show, what does he see for the future of Brindle? He hopes there is a Brindle in every neighborhood of Philly, and that each individual Cafe has it's own menu which would reflect what is available locally throughout the seasons in that area - making each a destination for the locals and non-locals alike. His passion for the neighborhood and local businesses shine through his heart and soul that has been put into the Cafe we all gathered at that afternoon.



We wrapped up our visit with a piece of Orange Ricotta Cheesecake, that contained just the right amount of orange flavor that makes us want to eat it all day everyday!! That paired with a cup of Nor-easter Blend Coffee, a dark roast with spice and dark cocoa was quite nice, to warm us up from the cold afternoon. $2.50 one size cup fits all, and a $2.00 iced tea is not too shabby for the penny pinchers pocket book.



We definitely recommend Brindle Cafe as a place to check out! And we look forward to menu items and events to come at this great neighborhood establishment!!

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Finally, Milkcrate Cafe

The long awaited coffee shop on 400 E Girard Ave has finally arrived. We mentioned this back in July but the time has come. The former location of canvas coffee, is now home to a much needed coffee/record shop; Milkcrate Cafe. Check it out here and read more. A review to come soon1

Bad slice of Piazza

Well as we predicted we feel the downfall has started.
Yes we predicted it but did we really want it to happen? No.

The Piazza is not only a great social and gathering place but has allowed many small independently owned Fishtown and Kensington businesses to thrive and get lots of attention. For example; Bambi Gallery, Fresh Melt Water, and Fabric Horse have received great exposure and large increases in business. On the negative side The Piazza still has yet to fill the empty commercial spots and still has some duplicate stores from Liberties Walk, like the Delicious Boutique.

We feel that the first step in the downward spiral was canceling the wildly popular Sundae on Sundays at the Piazza. The Lee Jones dj/music event has been free and packed with people since the Piazza was finished being constructed. Sundae could actually get credit for exposing The Piazza to a large amount of people that would not normally venture out to it's 2nd and Germantown Ave location. Sundae has brought hundreds of people to The Piazza every Sunday for weeks now, all for free. This has spurred more artists renting tables in the courtyard, huge sales of food and drinks at Vino (formerly the official Sundae after party spot) and has increased awareness for all of the shops there. So what’s the problem?

A few weeks ago the official partnership between Vino and Sundae ended.

The business that Sundae brought to Vino’s after party helped keep the venue free and fun. Unfortunately that has ended, either from complaints from the other bars/restaurants losing Sunday business to Vino or just cause Sundae had done it's job of bringing the people into the Piazza and management now felt it was time to dump them. Whether it was for those reasons or for some unknown ones we feel it's a greedy mentality that has forced Sundae to the new club/restaurant on Delaware Ave. known as Octo. The vast open bar with a tropical feel is a great place for Sundae to switch to, it's not as easily convenient to get to, and is considerably smaller than the Piazza courtyard, but it's fun non the less and always crowded on Sunday.
So we feel as we did before; The Piazza management is only concerned with making money. Canceling Sundae before the agreement they had along with it's questionable half occupied commercial spaces can only lead us to believe that the Piazza will be a barren desert when cold weather arrives. This is much like Liberties Walk is and has been for years now. Liberties Walk started off the same way, and due to extremely high rent and lack of foot traffic in cold weather and daytime hours, 6 independent businesses closed up shop within a year in and half. We feel many of the small shops will do the same once their free monthly rent deals expire (especially since the Piazza and Liberties walk are run by the same people).

Only time will tell, but the recent addition of Tony Danza living at the Piazza apartments just seems like another gimmick to draw attention and will soon end much like Sundae. We really hope all the negative points we brought up don't occur, but if managed correctly, the Piazza and Liberties Walk can boost the neighborhood appearance, and business, along with bringing the much needed cleanup of Girard between 2nd and Front. Rumor has it that high-rise condos, a dog park, and a Wholefoods Market will soon appear on that corner of 2nd but we can only cross our fingers...

Piece of duh Piazza

So were had some time to venture out this weekend and visit all the festivities going on in the NoLibs and Port Fishington spots. But we are going to concentrate on one thing.

The Piazza Revue:

We have seen these Piazza being worked on for months now finally we get to see it up-close and personal. The best way to describe it is: if you force-fed Liberties Walk those funny little pills that baseball players take and BAM its the Piazza! Anyway we couldn't believe all of the stores: 13 Galleries, 22 Retail shops and more, including and humungo courtyard with a big screen. Daily events are planned and bands play almost every night, and Phillies games on the big screen. The Piazza can hopefully bring a lot more fun to the area and hopefully it can maintain the traffic flow that Liberties walk was hurting for during the cold month or weekday work hours. A major goal to sustain traffic has to be creating awareness of the Piazza to people outside of our general area.

Weekends have been great at the Piazza, Sundae Philadelphia has been playing there religiously for the past few Sundays. Its a ton a fun and alot of people come out, they spin some awesome jams and guest DJ's stop by like Questlove and King Britt.

The Swift Half, a new venture from the people at the Good Dog has great food and a good selection of Tap and Bottled beer, with outdoor seating near the stage. Vino has some great specials on Sundays/Sundaes, which are 5 dollar flatbread pizzas (which are bangin) and great Sangria specials. Don't look for beer here though, none on tap and a very limited bottle selection.

We also wonder with so many galleries and boutiques why they would all group them together, at some point they will be competing and can all of these boutiques and galleries stay in business? We do think a lot of the places will do very well including the bars, Fabric Horse, and Bambi Gallery. We are also excited that this huge addition to the neighborhood can hopefully propel more businesses to venture further down East Girard into Fishtown. But will the business currently there go the way of the small business in Liberties Walk and close due to high rents and lack of traffic during the cold months? So far the Piazza has been a success but can it maintain its allure when the mercury drops and the DJ's go away and the people stay home? Deep down we want it to succeed and flourish, but in the back of our heads we always have the reality of the economy and how many T-Shirts or Handmade Prints do you have to sell to maintain the rent in the thousands when no one is around. Time will tell, for now Viva La Piazza!

Jaeatyet?

The battle is over, Paesano's 152 W. Girard in Fishtown/Nolibs, has one the honor of "Best Italian Hoagie in the Philadelphia Area."

New "six-stool, mostly takeout eatery" that just opened after Thanksgiving. "Delectable mix of mortadella, prosciutto and ham ... perfect amount of sharp provolone ... a dark green lettuce ... on a crispy seeded roll," Macnow writes. "Folks, we have ourselves a winner."

I do have to agree, Paesano's has been open for almost a year now and has amazing Italian food and sandwhiches. Paesano's was opened by Peter McAndrews owner and Chef of Modo Mio, (located right across the street from Paesano's.) Everything on the menu is amazing, upon entering you are always greeted with a friendly face, but you may have a hard time finding a stool, they have limited seating but I would sit anywhere to get a Paesano's sandwhich. They have daily specials up on the board and always find a minute to strike up a conversation with you while they are cooking in front of you and running around with orders. Most items on the menu are under $9, but dont forget to bring your wallet cause they are cash only. Paesano's is a must eat for anyone!

Duh Weekend

Another week has gone by and hopefully the weather will stay nice again (we found the most ridiculous graphic above), lets start off with:

Art for the Cash Poor: Sat and Sunday at the Crane Arts building in Fishtown. 1-6pm at 1400 North American Street. Cheap Art, Free Music, and good food and drink. It was fun last year and hopefully even more fun this year.

Art + Soul Food June 13th! Art Plus Soul Food is a celebration of Food and Art taking place this Saturday between 6-9pm in the Brewerytown section of Philadelphia. This all takes place between the 2600-2900 block of West Girard and is a quick bike ride or Green Line trolley ride down Girard.

The Piazza, a follow up to last weeks amazingness with Questlove of the Roots and a huge free concert that took place, Sundae is bringing it back this weekend! Sunday 12pm-2am Tons of fun and to much to describe, just get your ass their.

Trustafarians?

Ever wonder how your hipster or artsy friend can work a minimum wage job for 4 hours a week but still be able to go out and party and buy that new Iphone or Mac? The answer is mommy and daddy. As areas in major metropolitan cities like New York (Willamsburg), and Philadelphia (Fishtown), have see huge gentrification efforts over the past 10 years, many of the Gen Y hipsters are finding financial troubles in the current market situation. Parents are no longer able to float their kids the money they need to sustain a seemingly carefree life. This great NYT article goes into detail about the issues these up and coming areas are facing along with what is happening to the 20 something YoCoPros that reside their.

Running, Beer, Friends and Fun in Fishtown

The YoCo's good friend and colleague Annette Monnier, fellow artist and Outreach Coodinator at The Clay Studio is a member of The Fishtown Beer Runners!! And we think this is an amazing concept....why didn't we think of it?!

The Concept
The Fishtown Beer Runners combine responsible running with responsible drinking in the interest of science. They gather once a week to run three to five miles, and conclude each run at a pub for a beer or two.

Their Goals are as follows:

1) To encourage people to exercise by running (or walking)

2) To provide friendly camaraderie for all who hate to exercise

3) To promote the responsible enjoyment of QUALITY beer

4) To support local tavern owners and breweries

5) To promote a ban on spandex


Runs are Thursdays @ 7:00 PM sharp and Saturdays @ 11:30 AM sharp. Start location is 2346 E. Susquehanna Avenue in beautiful Fishtown.

First Frizzy

This Friday, which happens to be First Friday, the YoCoPros will be venturing out to Old City for the usual festivities and art, followed by a trip back to Fishtown to stop by V Groove Studios. Groove is located at 306 W Girard Ave, and this first friday they are hosting with a variety of art by local artists which include Carly Herman, Victor Perez, Nina Capellono, Aaron Klingensith and our good friend Kim Arata! Check it out and then head over to Frankford Ave for the later version of First Friday.

New Happenings Portfishington

Lots of stuff going on in the neighborhood, and here we go:

Canvas Coffee shop found at the corner of Girard and Colombia has been closed for almost a year now. The former owners moved on to create the greatest burgers around in a little place called Sketch. If you couldn't tell, we love it. Great burgers, anything from your basic American beef to Kobe and Veggie. They have awesome fresh cut fries and shakes too, and they have recently expanded the menu with salads and other sandwiches. Anyway my point was the location of the former Canvas Coffee will soon open up as a Coffee/Record shop. I think this will be a great addition to the area and we kind of miss a coffee shop on this side of the El (besides RocketCat).

We have also heard word of a possible ice cream/soda shop opening on the same side of the street, the outside is painted in green and pink pastels. If this opens up and the rumors are true it has huge potential to be a hit. Not only does it attract the YoCoPros of the Fishtown area but will hopefully bring people in from NoLibs and other areas as well. We can only hope for the span of Girard from the El to Girard Gas to one day look like Second Street in NoLibs.

Third on our list is the construction going on on Front Street, under the El near the Berks stop. Apparently this is going to be home to the new Kensington High School, and their are plans to connect Berks Street with Front. The construction is great and will hopefully help cleanup this strip under the El and allow people to safely walk to and from the El via Berks.