I didn't expect a great Filipino Fine Dining in my backyard. I usually expect this type of…read moreexperience in Manhattan. The staff, host and chef were very friendly. They made sure that all our needs were met and that we had a great night. The decor was classy and very homey. One of the long benches they had reminded me of my uncle's back in his home in Laguna, Philippines. The food was exceptional. Everything was cooked perfectly. They didn't lessen the flavors to cater to the "American" palette. We were really full by the end of the night. This spot is really worth visiting. Go check them out if you're in the neighborhood.

I had a eureka moment when I discovered Maricel's Kitchen. I immediately declared, "This is where…read morewe're celebrating our anniversary!" Cozy and unpretentious, it's a small business and a true hidden gem. The moment we set foot in the door, we were warmly greeted by Paul, the extraordinary host and husband of the chef, Maricel. Upon seeing our reservation via OpenTable, he noticed we were celebrating our wedding anniversary. He gave us the most romantic table in the house. Megan quickly came out to take our order. We were deciding, and she mentioned they have Benguet coffee. As it was freezing outside, it was perfect as we looked through the menu. The Benguet coffee came out in a French Press. Benguet coffee is a single-origin coffee that grows in the Northern part of the Philippines. We tasted notes of chocolate, berries, and nuts. Intoxicating!! Pandesal, Filipino bread with accompanying butter, came out with the coffee. These are truly melt-in-your-mouth, as when you first break it, the crispy outer layer gives way to a soft and fluffy center. Heavenly!! We decided upon their Kamayan Tower, which is a 4-tier is like a Filipino celebration of food, all brought together and giving you a tasting banquet at your table. The top tier was the appetizers, where crispy Lumpia and Siomai (Filipino version of Shumai) lay. The second tier consisted of Pork Sisig, Chicken Inasal, and Pancit Bihon. The Pork Sisig was my absolute favorite as it was a symphony of rich and savory flavors. My husband loved the Chicken Inasal, as the flavor profile is smoky, tangy, and savory-sweet. The following tier held many delights, but what stood out from that tier were Chicken Adobo, the perfect ratio of soy and vinegar marinade, and the crispy Whole Fried Tilapia. Excellent combination of crispy skin and moist and flaky inside. Last but not least, the final tier had many stars, but what stood out for us was Beef Kaldereta and Inihaw Na Liempo. The primer is a stew with vegetables, potatoes, and tender beef. Slow-braised in tomato-based sauce, giving us hearty and comfy feelings. The latter is grilled pork belly, where the smoky and sweet flavors come together. Just when we were finished, Megan brought out a plate of desserts, and Paul gave us two flutes of champagne to celebrate. The food was all phenomenal, as was the service. Chef Maricel herself came out to greet us, and we talked about how these dishes were prepared. She has a full staff prepping for the dishes and truly tries to replicate the flavors of her grandmother's cooking from Manila. Both she and Paul were in the cooking school where they first met, and we laughed at how we first met our spouses. The place is a hidden gem, and Chef Maricel wisely chose her signage to be huge black lettering on a white, lit-up background so that passing cars can see her restaurant as they drive by. Plenty of parking as they share a parking lot in the strip mall. If you are looking for great Filipino cuisine where they treat you like family, this is the place. The place is not huge, so I strongly recommend people make their reservation via OpenTable. Chef Maricel also mentioned they offer cooking lessons during the weekdays, except for Friday evening, and they also serve Classic Filipino brunch towers on weekends. Sign. Me. Up!!

Gabby, owner/chef at Autumn Olive Food Works is the most warm and wonderful human we have met in a…read morelong, long time. She is inspirational, creative, flexible, accommodating, and very, very cool under pressure. Gabby hosted a private affair at our home recently. She curated the most incredible menu that took into consideration all kinds of dietary components (vegetarian, hard core carnivores, those with celiac, and picky little eaters). It was seamless, delicious, and enjoyed by all. AND, she managed to pull off this exquisite multi part meal with no power - yes no power. We had a large storm come through the evening of our event and Gabby was limited to the grill and candle light. She was so relaxed and easy going and managed to produce a magnificent, sumptuous meal with everything, bar one of the desserts that needed the oven to bake off. I would highly recommend Gabby for your next event, whether it be a formal occasion, garden party, or intimate family gathering. I certainly can not wait to use her again.

I wish I could give 10 stars to Autumn Olive Food Works. My band conducted a a very long music…read morevideo and Gabby prepared literally BEAUTIFUL and healthy good for us all day. Apart from the fact that it was absolutely delicious and grown from the land, we truly needed healthy and filling food to have energy for the shoot. Pizza and other junk food wouldn't have given us the energy to perform at the highest level. And if that wasn't enough Gabby is truly one of the Kindest and most accommodating people I've ever met. She's a true artist, and it was beautiful to have her a part of our creative process. The video came out great and kickstarted a lot of our career, and We have her to thank! truly the food and service from Gabby is one of the most special memories I have of that time. The artists and crew were treated like royalty. If you ever have an event, book her!!!

My wife took me here on my birthday and what a find this was! They typically do cooking classes,…read morebut if you come for a meal, you're in for a treat. We sat at the chef's table and had a limited 4 course selection to choose from. It began with a wonderful tuna crudo that was light and almost summery with the strawberries and cucumbers that surprisingly complimented the incredibly flavorful tuna. The spinach gnudi was a small salad that also had a number of components I would have never dreamed to combine, but they all paired nicely with each other. The main course was a lamb that was perfectly cooked, and though I didn't care for the accompaniment of figs, the rest of the dish more than made up for it. To finish off, we ended with asian pear crisp. You don't often see Asian pears incorporated into cooking. However, Asian pears actually being one of my favorite fruits this was welcome surprise and fantastic way to end the evening. Or so it would be, had they not brought out an additional crem bruele for my birthday, which was also excellent. I very very much enjoyed my meal here and wouldn't hesitate in recommending it to anyone. Sitting at the chef's table is also a special treat as I thoroughly enjoyed watching that process that is traditionally kept behind closed doors. I will definitely be making a return trip whether it's for new menu offerings or to try one of their cooking classes.

I had been to Heirloom Kitchen years ago, but apparently had not written a review. Regardless, I…read moreremembered absolutely adoring that meal, which had driven me to their sister restaurant, Judy's, earlier this year for another phenomenal experience. So, when I was looking for a place to take my brother for his birthday, a second visit to Heirloom seemed like a fantastic option. I examined the current menus to discover that their Sunday evening menu-of-the-month was "Friendsgiving" themed, meaning it was full of holiday cheer and the Fall flavors both my brother and I adored. I was completely sold on the idea and went to secure a reservation. Unfortunately, seats at the Chef's counter had been booked, but they did offer a second row "back counter", which was a bit higher to enable guests to see over the front row and into the kitchen action. I figured those seats would be more exciting than the regular dining room, so I set us up in that area. I also noted in the reservation that we would be celebrating a birthday during our visit. When we arrived, we were taken to our seats where a "Happy Birthday" postcard and message were waiting for us, which was such a gracious sentiment! We were also quickly greeted by Mike, who watched over our meal in conjunction with Kristin, and they were both beyond lovely and engaging. In addition to our delightful interactions with them, we adored that members of the kitchen staff took turns introducing each course to us; this allowed us to feel like we were truly welcome, breaking the invisible barrier between the back and front of the house. From a beverage perspective, the restaurant offered several bottles of local Alba Vineyards wine and four crafted mocktails. Since I had a decent drive home, I decided to stick with the non-alcoholic selections, trying both of the Palapas, which were their interpretations of sangria. The white version used chamomile tea, peach, spice, and citrus. It was light and fruity with surprising notes of pineapple. The red version utilized mint tea, apple, spice, and citrus. The peppermint went surprisingly well with the apple and spice. Both drinks were delicious and just sweet enough, though I found the white variety more refreshing. I also took a sip of my brother's La Morenita, which contained tamarind, winter spices, and pineapple. I did not love the particular spices used in that mocktail, but found the base otherwise enjoyable. Neither of us tried the remaining spiced cranberry beverage, since it seemed to be the least complex. The Friendsgiving six-course tasting menu blew us away with its creativity and bold flavors. We left full, satisfied, and simply in awe. Our meal included the following items (had to shorten my comments to fit): AMUSE: Apple fritter topped with Comte cheese and shaved truffles --Resembled a cider donut. Super soft and fluffy on the inside with perfect slight crunch on the outside. Aromatic toppings added a complexity that paired well with the sweet bite. FIRST: Roasted Carrot Tartare served on toasted sourdough and topped with pickled grapes, herb aioli, and shaved cured egg yolk--Delicious, but the aioli overpowered the thin layer of carrots. SECOND: Pave (like a less heavy potato gratin that was flash-fried) over butternut squash puree, paired with a smoked turkey rillette and covered with a horseradish foam.--Rich and delicious. Turkey rillette was like a mind game, because it tasted like you were eating real sliced turkey, rather than a thick pate of the meat. THIRD: Cannelloni wrapped around sweet fennel sausage with a creamy pot pie sauce, topped with crispy sage, and drizzled with brown butter.--The dish I thought that I would like the least, as I was not a sausage fan, but it was actually one of my favorites. FOURTH: Cornbread stuffing with cranberry butter--Another unique and heavenly creation. Slices of the bread contained bits of cornbread, carrot cake, and stuffing in the perfect ratios. The smooth, creamy cranberry butter was topped with dried cranberry crumbles for texture and was delicious enough to enjoy on its own. FIFTH: Short Rib with chanterelle duxelle over a parsnip and sunchoke puree, jus, and crispy sunchoke chips--Meat was tender and had notes of cumin. The seasonal Fall vegetables added layers of flavor and texture. It was hearty and comforting. SIXTH: Nutella Mousse pie--WOW! Base of the "pie" was more like a soft chocolate cake topped with a thick layer of decadent Nutella mousse and pieces of coffee-dusted meringue. Served with a creme fraiche ice cream and hazelnut brittle. BONUSES: Pear jelly candies and an insanely good Caramel Apple dessert from the kitchen that included a small cake, burnt cinnamon ice cream, caramelized puff pastry crumble, and miso butterscotch caramel. On top of these tidbits, the staff took a Polaroid of us, which they gave us on the way out, along with a signed copy of the special menu. It was one of the best experiences we had had in a while!

Our team of 8 had a great team building experience with Kichen Table. Dawn was great to work with…read moreas our request was on short notice. Chef Andrew was knowledgeable, funny and personable. The meal in the end was great! We will be back!

From the owner: Kitchen Table gathers the ingredients of community, with a mission to teach people how to share and…read morecare for one another while creating something everyone enjoys: good food. The term “culinary arts” sounds intimidating, but it really isn’t—it’s like any other art or craft and is something we can all do together with the right encouragement. Because hey, you gotta eat. Let’s make it fun!

My friend and I got to experience the amazingness of Chef Brian. We had him for a girls night. He…read morewas super friendly , explained all the dishes and what went in them. He served us and cleaned up after so we didn't have to lift a finger. The food was so delicious every bite of everything was amazing. Try recommend giving him a try

I was given Brian's contact information when looking for a private chef for a birthday event of 7…read more He was great with communicating and made sure to answer all questions and requests. His menu options range from all foods and flavors making it hard to choose. I requested a specific fish and dessert and Brian delivered and nailed every dish! By the end of our 4 courses not only were our stomachs full and in bliss, it was a group consensus that we couldn't have asked for a better experience! This was the first time I've ever hired a private chef, but I promise you'll be booking with L&S for all your events as will I!

The cooking school in the Willow Grove Giant is one of my family's favorite places to go. They…read moreprovide classes for kids and adults. We've done the kids classes and most recently had my boys' birthday party there. Chef Dan who runs the school is excellent! I cannot say enough about him. He is great with the kids and makes the class entertaining and delicious! My children love going there! I highly recommend a birthday party with Chef Dan. He took care of everything and there was no stress! I even had to throw in a few last minute guests on him and he handled it like a pro. He made the boys birthday party a special one to remember!

What an amazing experience! Alex; the instructor curator and natural genius shares his knowledge,…read moretechniques and passion to create delicious meals. This is the place you don't want to miss if you are interested in learning or just love cooking.

I can't even express how amazing our class was here! My wife and I attended the "local perspective…read moreIsraeli" course and loved it. We thought the local twist on Israeli cuisine was so cool and love the use of local ingredients. Alex was a fantastic teacher. He clearly has great culinary skill and has such an approachable teaching style. If you're into cooking and are looking for a fun and entertaining night out, don't miss this! I can't wait to go back for another culinary experience.

This was a first time experience for me. Its a cute little studio with lovely paintings covering…read moreevery inch of visual real estate. "Shitel" was our instructor and also happens to be the owner. She is kind, soft spoken and has the patience of a saint. My friend and I even went 1 hour overtime and she did not rush us out. She continued to help me finish without any pressure at all to leave. if you would like to be able to create your very own "custom" work of art, this is the place for you. Its BYOB, so bring a couple friends and a lovely bottle of wine, let loose and have fun! I highly recommend this studio! P.S The place was a bit difficult to find as it is located behind a firehouse at this address.

The Arts & Crafts Studio was the best! I threw a baby shower for my friend and I planned from out…read moreof State. Shital was super responsive about all the details and helped me to make sure everything was perfect. We did a whole set of Alphabet paintings and not only did they draw the letters and designs for us, she also helped finish the sides when we ran out of time. Can not recommend the Arts and Crafts Studio enough!