Savoring the Seasons

by Cait and Michael Allen

Whether you’re planning a virtual escape during the winter’s cold months via a culinary trip to a sunnier locale or looking for a romantic way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, you won’t have to leave the neighborhood. Newcomers and old favorites in Queen Village are always just a few blocks away amid our thriving food scene.

For the holidays, travel to the eternal spring of Guadalajara, Mexico at Las Bugambilias Inspired by the 1945 film starring Dolores Del Rio, Mexico’s first international movie star, Las Bugambilias evokes the rich culture and climate of Guadalajara.

Photo by Ted Themistocles, Felly Bistro

Start your dining experience with the curiously complex Jamaica (“hy-macuh”) margarita with its tea, citrus, and tannins. For a sunnier day, choose the blood orange margarita to escape the winter chill. Next, whisk down to the seashore with the ceviche—it perfectly mixes fish, crab, mango, shrimp, and other delectables. For your entree, the pollo molcajete is bold, savory, and stunning, while the poblano enchiladas feature a creamy verde sauce topped with toasted cheese. Finally, the tres leches dessert tastes like something Mom would make for her secret favorite child. Visit co-owner and chef Carlos Molinabefore the new year, as this 12-year veteran of Queen Village will be moving to a new location at Lombard and 13th streets!

For the new year, celebrate superstar bartending with a twist of Southwark tradition Southwark has long been an incubator of the craft cocktail movement, and now they add natural, sustainable wines to that history. The Red Tail Ridge Chardonnay, recommended by General Manager Jamie Rubin, finishes clean and flavorful, while the spirit-forward cocktail inspired by Interview with the Vampire falls and climbs with flavor like a drive through the hilly countryside. If you’ve been too afraid to try mussels, your bravery will be rewarded with the wonderfully marinated mussels escabeche served with garlic butter toast. The beet salad has farm-to-table earthiness topped with light but flavorful dressing, and the chicken is always to die for—brined, tender, and pan-crisped. Finally, indulge in the velvety, not-too-sweet chocolate cake topped with salted caramel ice cream. All of the ingredients are fresh, local, and seasonal, and the vintage plates further keep you rooted in sustainable, farm-to-table philosophy.

For Valentine’s Day, “Felly” in love at 5th and Passyunk Husband and wife Felipe and Kelly Marquez joined their names to create this homey space for Queen Village foodies. Everything about Felly Bistro on Pass is welcoming as it delivers a fusion cuisine with a Puerto Rican punch. The chorizo is made fresh onsite with aromatic clove and lemon, which pairs effortlessly with grilled shrimp for a delicious appetizer. The butternut squash soup blends fresh vegetable flavor with an ambrosial mix of spice that perked our posture. The lamb shank is the perennial star—tender and moist with a pan-dripped reduction. It is nestled on a bed of spaghetti squash anointed with truffle oil to give it a truly unique character. Desserts show the same attention to detail, such as a life-altering cheesecake, layering pumpkin with cream and candied pecans. Every recipe is a distinct Felipe creation made fully on-premises, including the paella that is prepared to individual order, not in batches. ■