THE BIG EASYE: 4 SALOONPAG 0543614 Xxx
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JULY 22, 2009 PAGE: 5 GOOD ART GOOD BEER C H PAGE: 9 E S CHEF Q&A T E PAGE: 12 R BLOBFEST 10 C O U N T Y C U IS IN E & N IG H T L IF E TURKS HEAD FESTIVAL PAGE: 7 THE BIG EASYE: 4 SALOONPAG 0543614 xxx xxx /PAGE 3 TABLE JULY 22, 2009 MAGA xxx ZINE CHESTER COUNTY CUISINE & NIGHTLIFE xx xxx OF STAFF: xx xxxCONTENTS Randall P. Notter Publisher Andrew M. Hachadorian Editor Justin McAneny Contributing Writer/Editorial Coordinator PAGE: 5 Good Beer Arlene McGranaghan and Good Art Advertising Director CC is a magazine of the Daily Local News, published ev- ery other Wednesday and distributed free through- out Chester County. Our offices are located at 250 North Bradford Avenue, West Chester PA. PAGE: 4 Copyright 2009, Daily Local News. Reproduction Concierge PAGE: 9 of CC, in part or in whole, is prohibited with- Chronicles: Chef Q&A out written permission. The Big Easy Saloon With John Giannantonio To advertise in CC, call Jim Steinbrecher at 610-430-1138. MARY’S MESSAGE: PAGE: 12 In this issue we give you lots to be excited about. Things Tenth Annual are heating up this summer in more ways then one. West Blobfest Chester is soon to be home of three new Thai restaurants, we give you the lowdown of where they are and what to expect. Also in this issue we give you the goods on hot specials at some of our favorite advertisers. We tell you which ads to take a closer look at to fi nd out how to save PAGE: 17 the most during the recession at some of your favorite Soundcheck: places. Lights Over Reno Don’t forget to check out our recipes, reviews and info about all the food and entertainment in Chester County. Until next time... PAGE: 21 Heating Up Cheers everyone! in West Chester Mary Bigham Contributing Editor www.wcdish.com UPCOMING: Concierge Chronicles, Random Rants, the Bar- tender, Sound Check and much more Send comments to: [email protected] PAGE: 23 [email protected] Buy Fresh Buy Local We’re on Facebook! search for CC Cuisine & Nightlife PUBLISHED BY: PAGE: 6 Jazz It up PAGE: 11 Mary’s Deals POWERED BY: PAGE: 14 Inebriated By Art PAGE: 15 Out & About PAGE: 16 Center Stage PAGE: 18 He Said She Said PAGE: 20 In the Studio xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx JULY 22, 2009 /PAGE 4 xxxx xxxxxx ON THE xxxxxx xx COVERxxxxxx xx xxxTHE xxxx xx xxx xx CONCIERGE xx xxxx CHRONICLES xx THE BIG EASY SALOON BY KEN ALAN WC DISH WRITER, CORPO- RATE CONCIERGE, AND FOOD WRITER 0537661 Old. Tried. Alright. I’ve always been New Dinner Menu dismayed that there are The Oyster Hours so few restaurants specializing in the Monday thru Wednesday 5-9 pm bayou-bold flavors indigenous to NOLA. $1 1/2 shells (6 varieties) My first visit to Louisiana’s “Big Easy” tiny lunch counter called Cajun whose passion about traditional New was a bachelor party celebration for Kate’s, which is tucked away in Orleans fare is most evident in his Live Music Wed. - Sat. my best buddy, Bill, along with seven Booths Corner, near the Delaware menu of tried and true classics. Many Featuring Reggae Wednesday other guys. While there, our chroni- state line. usual suspects are in play, including cally inebriated group made several big-flavored gumbos, spicy jamba- and Open Mike Thursday exciting discoveries: unbelievably Within the last year though, I’ve laya, and the zippy Etoufee, delicious Po’ Boys at a Garden Dis- been venturing to the aptly named trict institution called Mother’s; Big Easy Saloon, which sits very road The saloon’s interior translates nice- Wine Tasting learning that you can’t carry around house-like along Paoli Pike, just off ly from its previous incarnation, a 2nd Thursday of every month ~ 6-8 pm too many sets of colorful beads, and the Route 30 main drag. Since it long-running Italian joint called Lu- just as enlightening, we ended up opened 2+ years ago, the Big Easy has igi’s. Now, thanks to many prints of Live Acoustic Music solving the age-old question: How amassed a heat-seeking clientele be-bopping musicians and murals of many adults will fit into a moving who go for the authentic Cajun & Sachmo in action, plus an ongoing Complimentary hors d’oeuvres Peugeot 505? Creole fare, live ragtime ‘n blues mu- Zydeco soundtrack, The Big Easy re- $20 per person sic nightly, and a fun Bourbon Street- ally does resemble “The Big Easy.” Back home, I’ve always been dis- worthy experience. mayed that there are so few restau- Not since Paoli’s legendary restau- As does Dan Funk’s culinary rendi- 29-31 E. Gay Street rants specializing in the bayou-bold rant/nightclub, Orleans, which tions – Andouille Meatloaf is a heap- flavors indigenous to NOLA. closed its doors nearly two decades ing and saucy mountain of sausage- West Chester, PA ago, has this town had such a spirit- spiked ground beef & pork with (610) 738-8844 Sure, I’ve been to local notables like ed, pan-fried hot spot. bacon, topped with a smoky/sweet Crawdaddy’s (West Chester) and BBQ sauce; Cherry cola ribs are suc- www.spencecaferestaurant.com Chadds Ford’s own New Orleans The success of The Big Easy is due, in culent (more emblematic of St. Louis Café, plus, my favorite find of all - a large part, to its chef, Dan Funk, 0534419 CONTINUES ON PAGE 8 R xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx JULY 22, 2009 /PAGE 5 xxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx GOOD ART xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx AND xxxxxxx BY xxxxxxx JUSTIN MCANENY GOOD BEER? STAFF What else do you need? Maybe food. WRITER If that’s it, then Victory Brewing Co. had you covered at its third annual Victory Collaborative which was held on July 19. Christine Yorick, an artist herself, de- cided it would be a great way to showcase local artists in an establish- ment that is big on local art. Regulars, employees and other artists are able to participate and show their craft whether it’s visual art (paint- ings, sculptures, etc. ...), sing songs, read stories and poetry or any other type of art that they would wish to perform. “I like the idea that (Victory) is trying to bring in local art,” said bartender Megan John, who is also an artist herself. Although Yorick no longer works at Victory, she still organizes the event each year. “I want Victory to have in- volvement in the arts and promote local artists,” she said. And with being in the Great Beer Hall of the restaurant, Yorick is able to keep it family friendly. Justin Piccari, an artist who displayed his work at the collaborative was a Victory regular who met Yorick and then decided to display his word at the collaborative. “The collaborative is a time to get your name out there and talk about art,” Piccari said. New his With 10 artists that displayed their Many work, the collaborative is something including that Victory obviously supports and jamba- Yorick has no plans of stopping. “It’s a collaborative for local artists … nice- they can get together and show their incarnation, a work and we’re happy to help them,” Lu- said Diane Desiderio, a restaurant prints of manager for Victory. murals of ongoing Easy re- rendi- heap- sausage- with smoky/sweet suc- Louis R xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx JULY 22, 2009 / PAGE 6 BY xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx JESSICA Local musicians get to ‘jazz CORRY SPECIAL it up’ at the Kimmel Center TO CC Not many students have the oppor- over the tri-state area, with a mix of plays jazz for fun, said the audition agreed seeing their friends again tunity to perform at the Kimmel ages ranging from 14 to 18,” said was still intimidating. this summer was one of the best Center but participants in the Teen Marc Johnson, Kimmel Center parts about returning to camp for a Summer Jazz Camp are not the typi- teaching artist. “Music is thing keep- “I’m not going to lie, the audition second session. cal high-schoolers. ing them all together.” process it pretty difficult. [Marc be a hall for the people of the re- Acceptance into the camp is by au- Johnson] made us all really nervous “Music is my passion so I am a stick- gion,” explained Johnson. “It is im- The 50 students taking part the 7th dition and selected students receive because he has such high expecta- ler for doing it the right way, but I do portant to realize it is also not just annual camp all share one thing in a full-tuition scholarship to attend. tions,” explained Gou. “But the expe- understand that life comes first,” for adults. We need to involve kids common: a passion for music. Each day is structured into one-hour rience turned out extremely well. said Johnson. “The fact that these as well because they are the next Throughout an intense two-week segments, with students rotating be- My favorite part was working with musicians get to meet students they generation. The education depart- period, the talented young electric tween intensive coaching sessions, such knowledgeable teachers and never would have had the chance to ment was formulated to expose chil- bassists, pianists, drummers, guitar- small group instruction and big- meeting so many talented students meet is just great. They have oppor- dren of the region to music and ists, tuba, saxophone and trombone band style ensemble work, with the in the same place.” tunities to socialize and talk and it’s American culture.” players work with highly respected entire group playing together.