8th Annual Flavors of Philadelphia, The Sena Family Honored, Union Trust Makes some noise

The Loews Hotel hosted the 8th
Annual Flavors of Philadelphia fund-raiser for the American Liver
Foundation, Mid-Atlantic Division on Tuesday, April 3, 2012. Guests enjoyed a first class dining experience.  The night began with a cocktail reception with exquisite hors
d’oeuvres prepared by Sole Food restaurant. A sit down three course
dinner prepared table side for twelve will follow with paired wine
uniquely designed by each chef to dazzle the palate of the attendees.  The evening concludes with a delectable dessert reception. 

This year the Liver Foundation celebrated forty years of excellence
in the culinary world by the The Sena Family .

 The Sena Family owns Ristorante Panorama, Le
Castagne, Revolution House and La Famiglia, which stands as one of the
finest Italian restaurant in Philadelphia and a major landmark on the
city’s vibrant dining scene. La Famiglia has earned an international
reputation as one of the premier examples of gourmet Italian cuisine
outside of Italy. Luca Sena, Jr (Revolution House), Luca Sena, Sr (Panorama & Penn’s View), Chef Rosario Romano  of Panorama, and Carlo A Sena (Pennsview Hotel)

 Although on a much smaller scale then say the PAWS Dinner in June or Alex’s Lemonade Great Chef’s Event, this event is much more intimate and laid back than the others. The dining stations are all designed by the restaurants themselves too.  Anthony Masapollo of Le Castagne

 Flower arrangements, plating and tablecloths are brought in. William Eccleston, general manager and wine director of the Panorama Ristorante, April Martin and Carlo Sena, Le Castange

At Panorama they served the $500 bottle of Gaja for their guests, which was included in the $250 dinner price.

Bill and Shaiyn Wisemark were my table mates at La Familia. 

Kristina Coiro and Jennifer Chapokas enjoyed dinner at Ristorante Panorama where they had pan seared shrimp over with truffled celery root and onions as an appetizer.

Sean Gibbons and Jennifer Deuel were at LeCastagne
near Rittenhouse Square  
  

Union Trust – Meet the new crew.  These three have been with the steakhouse for over a year and just recently got promoted.  Last week you may recall I wrote about the opening of Revel, what I didn’t tell you and will tell you know is that a lot of Union Trust’s main honcho’s headed down there.  The executive Chef Quincy Logan and Jeremy Ball, former general Manager at Union Trust Steakhouse both went to American Cut at the new casino. Cliff the bar manager is also left to work at the 47 story glass tower.  Above is the new crew: Sarah Christiansen, General Manager at Union Trust Steakhouse, Nick Lauria, Executive Chef and Fredi Vento, Executive Sous Che. The restaurant is going through another growth and metamorphosis and I think you’re going to like it. Coming up in a few weeks is their Buck A Shuck special, plus the bar menu will be half price during happy hour, and soon they’ll have an Oyster Dinner Pairing.CHARITY EVENT FOR KEVIN NEARY.

Union Trust Event

We’re very excited for the May 6th event at Union Trust
Steakhouse. Kevin was working at Union Trust before the shooting, and we
are really grateful for Union Trust offering to host this event. It
will be the first event in the city that Kevin will be able to attend,
and Kevin’s friends Melissa and Erin have been working hard with Union
Trust to make it great.

Tickets are available at the Neary house or by contacting Sarah at
Union Trust (sarah@uniontruststeakhouse.com or 215-325-6000) or Melissa
Magness (melissamagness@gmail.com).

 Chef Eric Paraskevas, terra restaurant

 Co-chairs again this year were Anthony Masapollo of Le Castagne and Sophia Stogiannis of Water Works Restaurant and Lounge. Looking on is NBC10’s Monique Braxton. 

 I love me some Revolution House, 2nd and Market Street, Lasagna Cupcakes. You have to try them.

 I ate at La Famiglia. I had never been there before. This is fried artichoke, which sat in the center of the plate wrapped by Branzino (fish). It was delicious.

 There was an auction.  This is one of the auctions where you hire an auctioneer to bring his stuff in for sale, sometimes they have a store.  I know that the Philly Sports Cave will do this.

Usually you get one of a kind items, as well as collectibles like a Jimmy Rollins signed helmet, $750. The auctioneer lists the item at a certain price and that money is returned to them, then the charity adds an additional price and then the money above and beyond the auctioneers set price goes to the charity. The best part is the charity organizer doesn’t have to kill themselves looking for auction items.