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Seared Filet / Ron Knerr
Agua Bistro (Eagleville)
We noticed Agua Bistro had taken over the space formerly occupied by Mango Tree Bistro on Ridge Pike in Eagleville but hadn’t had the impetus to visit until we discovered how many of our friends and acquaintances had become fans. We received many ”word of mouth” recommendations by quite a few people in conversations over the course of a few months. This in turn spurred us to visit this BYOB with friends on a recent Friday night.
As stated on the Agua Bistro website about owner Abde Darouch, “Chef Abde Dahrouch, former Owner of Pond and Bistro Cassis in Radnor, Pa, grew up in the South of France. During his years at Pond Restaurant, he won many accolades, including 3 Bells by Craig LaBan and “Best of the Main Line” four years in a row. Chef Dahrouch likes to work with the finest and freshest ingredients.
Read the rest of Ron's column below ...
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Levante Brewing opens pop-up in KOP Mall
Come one, come all! As you are getting that last minute shopping done, stop by Levante Brewing's new pop-up location in the food court at the King of Prussia Mall. What better way to unwind from a hectic chaos-filled holiday shopping experience than being able to unwind with one of Levante's brews?! The pop-up location is scheduled to be open throughout the holiday season, and will remain in the food court until the end of February 2022. Read more about it here at the article by Breweries in Pennsylvania.
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Pop-up at KOP Mall / Levante Brewing Co.
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Sushi and comedy come together
Ronin Sushi and Ramen is teaming up with Soul Joel's Comedy Club to bring you dinner and a show. We call it a Ram-Com. Get it? It's like a romantic comedy only its ramen and comedy... Ram-Com. OK, we're definitely keeping the day job. So here's the deal. If you already have your ticket to any of the shows this weekend just show it to your waiter or waitress at Ronin Sushi & Ramen, which is at the corner of Main St. and Schuylkill Ave, just a few blocks from Westover Golf Club, home of Soul Joel's, and you'll receive an incredible 15 percent off your entire check. If you don't have your ticket go online using the link above and use promo code: sushi for $5 off and you'll receive $5 off of your ticket to the show. We're talking serious savings here!
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Norristown's vonC up for "Best New Brewery" in PA
If you like your beer as much as we do, chances are you have been to the new vonC Brewery on Stanbridge Street in Norristown, which opened its doors earlier in 2021... With their expansive location, quizzo, food trucks, an abundance of special events, and some REALLY AWESOME brews for any beer fans palette, it's no surprise they are up for "Best New Brewery" by Breweries in PA.
If you love vonC Brewing as much as we do, support them in the race to earn "Best New Brewery", and cast your vote here at this link!
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Your Guide to Great Food & Great Fun is proud to present out newest feature, an ongoing calendar of fun events in our area. If you have an event you would like to have included just send an email to the A Moveable Feast Guy and he'll take care of the rest!
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Elmwood Park Zoo's Wild Lights
Check out Wild Lights at the Elmwood Park Zoo running November 19th thru December 30th, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Each night of Wild Lights features live entertainment, unique animal encounters, performances, holiday music, and a chance to see Santa himself. Get your tickets here.
Christmas Village: Philadelphia
Set to return in 2021 with shopping, food, drinks, and ferris wheel! One of the top open-air authentic Christmas markets in the country is back from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. Running from November 25th to December 24th, there is something for everyone at the Christmas Village located in LOVE Park at North 15th & Arch Streets. Find more information here!
Tinseltown Holiday Spectacular
Immerse yourself in over a million lightbulbs at Tinseltown in Oaks! There are ticketed timeslots, so be sure to order yours ahead if you are interested in experiencing all of the magic! Tinseltown Holiday Spectacular runs through Sunday, January 2nd... Find out more information and purchase your tickets here!
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25 Amazing Christmas Food and Décor hacks
Christmas is fast approaching, and with everything else surrounding that time of year why not make your food and décor the easy part? Here's a great article and list of hacks by finedininglovers.com, to help with everything from quick and festive appetizer plates, to making folding those dining table napkins easy!
If you have any holiday hacks to make life simple and eliminate the stress, feel free to share them with us at amoveablefeastmontco@gmail.com.
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Christmas Sandwich Wreath / Pinterest
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There's something about the holidays and going to the movies that just goes together. Sign up to be a member of the A Moveable Feast Members Club, post a foodie photo on Instagram with #amfeastagram, or just send an email to the A Moveable Feast Guy and you'll be entered to win two tickets to a Regal Cinemas near you!
Join our Members Club below and you're automatically entered to win every month. Remember, 10 percent of your 99 cent membership each month goes to the Montco Anti-Hunger Network!
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New swag offer
Put your John Hancock here! Send a link to this newsletter to just 3 of your friends, and if they sign on to receive our free newsletter, or even if they don't, you'll receive this incredibly cool, ultra luxurious A Moveable Feast pen! All you have to do is email us at amoveablefeastmontco to let us know you did indeed send the link to three friends and we'll send you a pen! Oh, and just to make it as easy as possible, here's the link!
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... the rest of Ron's column
Choosing to source locally ensures his Mediterranean inspired dishes are loved and enjoyed by all.” Dahrouch’s resume also includes Vida and Comida (Ambler), Taquet (Wayne), Bistro Evviva (Narberth), Lula Brazil (Rehoboth), La Terazza and Brasserie La Coze (both Miami), and Jean Pierre, La Brasserie and Jean Louie in Washington, D.C. We have never been to the chef’s former establishments, but I’ll take a Craig Laban recommendation as a clear stamp of approval.
Opening Agua Bistro in early 2020, Chef Dahrouch has brought his skills to the Montgomery County suburbs. Seating is limited with two small dining rooms that seat about thirty diners indoor with a small supplemental outdoor dining space that operates in warmer weather. Food preparation and presentation is refined, service is professional, and BYOB keeps the dining cost reasonable.
The menu at Agua Bistro is French Mediterranean, similar to the cuisine offered at Dahrouch’s former restaurants, and some of the dishes (or their adaptations) have been carried from those menus. A fixed menu has range of appetizers, entrées, and desserts and is supplemented by specials that change daily to provide choices suitable for many dining palates. Standard starters include choices of Burrata, Fennel and Arugula, Caesar, and Roasted Beet Salads and hot appetizers Crispy Fried Calamari, Burgundy Escargot and Soup du Jour. The fixed entrée list covers a variety of proteins: Mediterranean Roasted Chicken, Fresh Norwegian Salmon, Roasted Rack of Lamb, Seared Filet Mignon, Prime Pork Chop, and the Agua Signature Burger for those more selective diners. Pasta dishes available are fresh Pappardelle Lamb Bolognese, Linguine alle Vongole(clams), Fettuccine Shrimp alle Vodka, Chicken Parmigiana with Linguini and vegan options Spinach Ricotta Ravioli and Linguine Aglio e Olio. Though the standard menu may appear a bit limited, the daily specials provide interesting choices, and on this night, appetizers of Codfish Fritters or a Charcuterie Board were paired with entrée specials Coq au Vin, Pan Seared Branzino and Braised Rabbit over Pappardelle pasta. (The Agua Bistro Facebook page lists the current and past daily specials.)
On this night our group chose to start with Calamari and Burgundy Escargot, both on the regular menu. The Calamari was good though the rings were a little thicker than we normally find and there was an issue with adherence of the batter crust. My previous experience with escargot was preparation in garlic and butter served in an escargot plate, but these were served outside of the shell sautéed in a parslied garlic butter sauce. As an escargot novice, subsequent research taught me that the Burgundy descriptor refers to the region in France where these mollusks are harvested., not the preparation. (Btw, France leads the world in escargot consumption.)
Numerous different dishes were selected as entrée courses. Chicken Parmigiana was prepared as a thick breaded chicken cutlet, tender to the bite and covered with Marinara sauce and cheese, served with Linguini, cooked past the al dente stage. Salmon was well prepared in a saffron cream sauce and served with roasted vegetables and substituted whipped potatoes. I selected the entrée special Coq au Vin, which was served with seasonal vegetables and whipped potatoes in a Burgundy wine sauce. The chicken was fall-off-the-bone tender, and the sauce was fantastic. The other selections were the two dishes which were highly recommended by previous Agua Bistro diners. Two diners selected the seared Filet Mignon, both cooked perfectly and served with Shitake Mushrooms, Syrah sauce, and Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes. The other recommended dish ordered was the Prime Pork Chop, a thick pork chop browned on the outside and cooked perfectly to remain moist and tender throughout and served with caramelized mashed potatoes, Dijon mustard sauce and sautéed green beans. I was satisfied by the Coq au Vin chicken, chosen because it is a lesser found menu offering, but the Filet Mignon and Pork Chop are great choices for diners seeking land-based protein dishes.
So, we found ourselves in the same position that we experienced at some other great restaurants that offered up a great appetizer and entrée dining experience -we had to sample the desserts. We bypassed the French Ice Cream, Cannoli, and Apple Blossom and chose the Coconut Crème Brulé, Chocolate Filled Churros and the Flourless Chocolate Cake. Portions were shared among all the diners, we agreed they were all great selections.
Great food, professional service, and a reasonable cost in a BYOB makes Agua Bistro a spot eagerly recommended for an evening dinner. Reservations by phone. Adequate private parking on the property.
Rating 4.25 / 5
Agua Bistro
3120 West Ridge Pike
Eagleville, PA 19403
Ph: 610.550.3358
HOURS
Sunday - Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday- Thursday: 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Friday - Saturday: 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
https://www.aguabistro.com
https://www.facebook.com/aguabistro/
Ron Knerr is a 30+ year cooking hobbyist who has been a “foodie” before the term was popular. His home arsenal includes a smoker, a sous vide immersion heater, a sausage stuffer, and several crockpots.
Send comments and suggestions to: RonKnerrFeast@gmail.com
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