• Maria Valetta


    Fine Wine Representative for International Wine Brokers Inc., Certified Specialist of Wine, Wine Educator, Freelance Writer, and Former Host of The Philly Dish. Connoisseur of Food and Wine With a Passion for Travel and Culture!

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A Caribbean Staycation

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Maria Valetta

Weekly Press • Wed, Jul 27, 2011 By Maria Valetta Food and Wine Connoisseur Thwap, thud, whoosh! The sound of a rowdy crowd whistling and cheering follows. I’m searching for a place to cool off. It’s 103 degrees as I ride my bike down South Street in need of a cold glass of water and [...]

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Powerful Little Tool Takes the Grind Out of Kitchen Work

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Maria Valetta

This Spice and Nut Grinder is a really great find if you like kitchen gadgets. It’s super easy to operate and to clean. The top part is diswasher safe if placed in the top rack which saves time and is always a plus. I also love the fact that you can even use the grinding [...]

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Over the Trendy Steakhouse movement? Go back to Sophisticated Simplicity

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Maria Valetta

The Prime Rib, lately overshadowed by the new, trendier steakhouses that have recently pummeled the Philly food scene, still hits the high mark when it comes to perfectly executed steaks and attentive service. A wine list that satisfies those on a budget (20 wines under $40) as well as those with a corporate spending account [...]

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Fish and Bricks

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Maria Valetta

I’m a true city girl- I love the busyness, the chaos, the vibrancy, and energy and yes, even the noise. The best part of living smack dab in the middle of everything is that I can get to just about anywhere I need to go without depending on a gas-guzzling vehicle. The suburban life just [...]

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Brunch con La Famiglia

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Maria Valetta

Heads-up Rittenhouse Square brunchers, there’s now more to choose from than the usual Rouge and Parc French fare. Le Castagne, THE Italian favorite in the Rittenhouse area is serving a full spread of savory and sweet eats every Sunday for their family-friendly buffet brunch from 10am-2pm. Sure there’s a few arrays of buffets around town, [...]

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Bistrot Bargain

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Maria Valetta

    Fear not Little Fish fins…er…I mean fans. You can still get a neighborhood Sunday supper steal. For those of you who miserably miss the Bon Appetit-featured 5 courses for $28 deal at Little Fish (the darling minnow-sized fish-focused byob that closed due to building structure issues) there is a new Sunday spot to [...]

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Chef Secrets

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Maria Valetta

Ever wonder how your favorite restaurant makes their signature dish? Is there a perfect soup or vinaigrette or entree you just absolutely love and wish you could replicate it at home? Well there are a few Chefs in the area willing to let you in on their secrets. Whether it be sauces, soups, seafood or [...]

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M is not for Magnifique

Posted on October 8, 2010 by Maria Valetta

    M Restaurant I was truly excited to try newly installed Chef Michael Caspi’s menu, whose impressive resume includes Thomas Keller’s Per Se in NYC, and is now planted in the garden-set restaurant in the Morris House Hotel. Perhaps my expectations were set too high as I never expected disappointment from start to finish. [...]

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Vendemmia Italian Wine Festival 2010

Posted on October 5, 2010 by Maria Valetta

For those of you who missed out on the 14th annual (almost) all-Italian festival known in South Philly as The Vendemmia on Sunday Sept 26th from 2-6pm, here is a recap of the highly attended event. The weather seemed a little shaky at first. 9am was the start time given to the 30 of us [...]

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I’m More Than Fond of Fond Byob

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Maria Valetta

This restaurant is Philly’s special gem. There is no other restaurant which has captured the attention of my senses more than Fond. Everything will exceed your expectations of this quaint, romantically candle-lit Byob. The service is on par with our city’s most expensive white-tablecloth dining rooms (thanks to front of the house expert Tory Keomanivong, [...]

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