Southern and Jewish soul foods co-exist under one roof to mixed effect
[media-credit name="Faryn Pearl" align="alignright" width="300"][/media-credit]
Honey’s Sit ’n Eat on South had a lot to live up to. Its original location in Northern Liberties is lauded as one of the best brunch places in Philly, and both the Southern and Jewish cultures it derives its cooking from adamantly claim to have the best food in the world. Now located on a corner at the very top of South Street, the second Honey’s plays with this culinary tension to mixed results.
The decor takes inspiration from its Southern ancestry, a wide–open wood floor that, emptied of all its general store–chic knick–knacks and charmingly obsolete furniture pieces, could easily house a hoedown. However, the interior signals a big problem with Honey’s menu in both locations: the food never seems to combine its Jewish and Southern roots. It’s a struggle to find a unique mix of the two on its fairly expansive menu. In addition, Honey’s seems to equate Southern cooking with eggs; it’s in the egg–based dishes that you’ll find the most interesting cross sections of cooking. Whether combining styles was the objective or not, it’s a lost opportunity to stand out in a city already teeming with excellent brunch hotspots.
[media-credit name="Faryn Pearl" align="alignleft" width="300"][/media-credit]
That being said, Honey’s knows its flavor. The garlic pesto goat cheese burger ($12) was a delicious, if flawed, collision of thick, perfectly cooked beef and warm, melting goat cheese. The latter completely overwhelmed the burger’s many other ingredients—the pesto spread, panko bread crumbs and a whole egg were completely lost in the battle—but the combination of meat and cheese was enough on its own. The potato latkes ($2.50) were also a standout, the unorthodox ribboncut potatoes so robust and smooth that one bite seemed to fill every crevice of your mouth. Finally, the deep–fried chocolate chip cookie ($5), topped with vanilla ice cream, was just as good as it sounds. Real good.
Unfortunately, the rest of the food was plagued by textural inconsistencies. The pumpkin pancakes, which had just the right mix of pumpkin, brightened by the occasional apple slice, were either softened by moisture or undercooked—either way, an execution mistake that added an unwanted density to the meal. Additionally, the fried green tomatoes ($6.25), breaded with enough kick to make its side of ranch a necessity, lacked the satisfying crunch that a crisp outer layer should provide. This sort of problem went all the way down to the apple sauce that came with the latke, its strange heaviness detracting from otherwise pitch perfect taste.
Honey's Sit 'n Eat
2101 South St.
@HoneysSitNeat
(215) 732–5130
Don't Miss: Latkes
Skip: Fried green tomatoes
$
