sly fox brewery celebrates 15 years

On Friday, December 10, Sly Fox Brewery & Restaurant’s celebrated its Fifteenth Anniversary, kicking off a full day of beer-infused celebrations with their first-ever Brewmaster’s Breakfast. The breakfast, held at Sly Fox in Phoenixville, was flooded with a show-stopping menu created by guest chef Andrew Deery, chef/owner of Phoenixville’s acclaimed Majolica. 

 

The Friday morning food-and-beer pairing marked the release date of two brand-new beers in the Sly Fox portfolio: The brand-new beers for Sly Fox portfolio, including the Majolica Coffee Porter, brewed with a special coffee blend from Kimberton Coffee Roasters, and Succubus, a sour beer interpretation of their Belgian-style Incubus Tripel.

Since celebrating 15 years of success, the Brewmaster's Brunch encouraged local beer enthusiasts to spend their weekday at as early as 10 am, slugging all the pours that allowed the nearby brewery to rise notably in the state and national beer scene. Pairing five innovative courses perfectly with five Sly Fox brews, the four-hour long match-ups proved that the momentous occasion had been something not to be missed.

iron hill brewery's oktoberfest

Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant recently celebrated their first-ever Oktoberfest celebration at their Phoenixville location, on Friday, October 1, fully equipped German beers aplenty, plates popping with bratwursts and Wiener Schnitzel, and even, German polka music and dancing!

Sure to be a great night out on Bridge Street, the Dish team (myself, included) decided an evening where local gents get donned in lederhosens was a "must-attend" in our books,  and we rolled out our red carpet to capture all the glamored Germanesque guests in their night's finest. (Scope out if we nabbed your mug, too, by clicking here.)

 Iron Hill's President & CEO Kevin Finn & I

On the same day of the festival, Iron Hill tapped the seasonal pumpkin ale, and we couldn't help but snap some video of us raising our pints to experience such a seasonal concoction. Although we are rather silly in the video, Head Brewer Tim Stumpf's concoction was a crowd-pleaser. As a light, but nicely spiced blend, the Pumpkin Ale is ideal for a fall session beer.

Brick Oven Bread and Cheese Shoppe, located in the same structure as Iron Hill, was also celebrating the German season, preparing gorgeous soft pretzels baked in their hand-constructed brick oven. They couldn't help but also encourage diners to devour their homemade pizza, and nothing is as perfect as a toasty round out of our town's famous oven!

More information about Phoenixville's Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant, click here. More info on Brick Oven Bread and Cheese Shoppe, click here.

downtown phoenixville's fenix martini bar

 all photos by Laura Taylor

There's always that one place (or more than) in your town or local dining stomping ground, where it peaks the top of your must-visit list, but for whatever reason, you hadn't been able to slip a visit in your schedule. The Fenix Martini Bar in downtown Phoenixville has forever reigned on my list of "must-go-to-asap" places, and I am embarrassed to say that it took me up until a few weeks back to pop by for the first time ever.

It wasn't as if I hadn't heard good things, actually I have caught wind of extremely great things, which caused me to be completely antsy on being a late bloomer at such a notoriously hip locale. BUT, as you can see above, my first drink-and-eats experience was sure to please, and I will recommend the suave lounge to any females out there looking for an ideal spot for a girls' night and a perfect mix of cocktails to get cozy with your gals.


Also, as you can see above, I adore their pastry chef Amanda Boutcher, and if you haven't tried her incredibly rich and decadent desserts, speed on over and give your sweet teeth quite a treat!

To read my full recap, click here!

french quarter bistro's bbq throwdown

All photos by Laura Taylor of Phoenixville Dish

If you haven't gathered this already, the way to my gushy heart is through a perfectly prepared platter of something incredibly delicious and decadent. So, last Saturday, when asked to act as a judge in a local barbecue throwdown at French Quarter Bistro, how could I deny such a request!?

Local chefs, Mark Van Horn of FQB and Mike Tavenner of LePan Catering, battled out once, earlier this year, over the best crafted concoction of jambalaya. This time around, the meat smoking kings tested three courses of classic picnic staples, vying to be crowned the local king of the best barbecue.

To read the full report, speed over to Phoenixville Dish where I detail all six dishes that easily made this competition a success.

brick oven bread and cheese shoppe opens

Back in April, I blabbed over the excitement of a brick-oven bread company opening on Bridge Street in Phoenixville. After being extremely impatient for a few short months, opening day has finally arrived!

I swung by the fresh, just-opened space early this afternoon, eyeing up the gorgeous in-house constructed brick bread oven and gazing upon the crave-worthy loaves flooded throughout the bakery.

Located next door to Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant, the bright yellow interior also trots an assortment of artisan breads from Sweet Water Baking Co. of Camphill Village of Kimberton Hills, as well as their deliciously-crafted granola blends.

Of course, as the name assumes, cheese will be aplenty soon in the locale's counter, although the stock is still being compiled as we speak. However, Shellbark Hollow Farm's, of West Chester, goat cheeses are already proudly plopped within the soon-to-be-booming case.

Brick Oven Bread & Cheese Shoppe, 138 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-3003

paba's wine & dine at marly's byo

As part of their popular progressive dinners structured around different establishments around the local area, Phoenixville Area Business Association premiered their recent Wine & Dine Event, hosted at Marly's of Bridge Street.

The evening began with Corey Krejcik of Chaddsford Winery (and also of Rolling Barrel Events) introducing attendees to various blends from the Brandywine Valley-based winery. My close friend accompanied me of the evening's edible adventure, and we both decided that Chaddsford's seasonal and sweet Spring Wine was our most favorite in the sipping bunch.

Although the initial plan for the nighttime affair was established to begin at the soon-to-open Brick Oven Bread & Cheese Shoppe, also on Bridge Street, PABA's updated agenda was restructured to host all of the evening's events now at Marly's—which, we happened to not mind, one bit.

After an appetizing array of whole grain bread and pleasure-some cheeses, we skipped onto our first courses of, as seen above, tomato basil bruschetta with grilled hanger steak, caramelized onions, drizzle of a balsamic reduction and micro greens, and as seen below, crab and English Pea risotto with shaved Parmesan and white truffle oil.

Almost already full to the brims, we enjoyed a light and fresh second course of two samples of Marly's superb seafood, including, as seen above, the pan-seared Diver scallops with a shaved fennel, red onion and asparagus salad, paired with a mango vinaigrette, and as seen below, porcini-dusted salmon served over a green apple risotto and baby bok choy, sided with a pomegranate reduction.

As if our dinner date could not become more delicious, we concluded our feast with two shared desserts (hello, what are friends for!), which included, as seen above, the warm peanut butter chocolate chip bread pudding, plopped with vanilla bean ice cream, and as seen below, fresh pineapple sorbet served in a delightful pineapple shell.