Foodsday Tuesday: Falling for Fall

Photo by Flickr user yuan2003

Aside from generally awesome weather, the arrival of autumn has one big perk: fall food. Heavier and more flavorful than a summer menu, but neither as comforting nor as fattening as winter meals (if you don't count Thanksgiving, that is), fall brings with its gorgeous color palate a collection of foods you can't get fresh any other time of year. (And really, who wants pumpkin in July?) A plethora of new produce appears in supermarkets (does anyone know what to do with a five-pound bag of assorted gourds, by the way?), and restaurants roll out new menus and seasonal events. Among them, Old City's Fork Restaurant, which will (among other events in the coming weeks) hold a special fisherman's dinner on October 10—featuring fish that the guests catch themselves in a fishing excursion earlier that day.

Rum Bar wants to get your harvest-time drinking off to a good start. New this season will be martinis of both the bananas foster and pumpkin pie persuasions. And speaking of pumpkins, Phillyist suburban fave Alison two turns one in October and will feature a Pumpkin Prix Fixe menu for both lunch and dinner October 26-29.

Celebrating another fall facet, football, Conshy's Gypsy Saloon will feature Saturday specials for college ball and Sunday specials for NFL games. Want to watch the Monday night game? How about an order of all-you-can-eat mussels?

And that, folks, is just a selection of your fall dining options. Leave us a comment and let us know what we're missing!

Quick Nosh:

• Speaking of fall foods, a selection of notable area chefs have posted some yummy-looking autumnal recipes on the Center City District website.
• Don't forget the Unbreaded Sandwich Smash, held this Sunday (10/4) at the Bellevue.
• SJ HOT Chefs' restaurant week, held twice a year (sound familiar?) will be held October 18-23 this year.
• 333 Belrose in Radnor celebrates its 10th anniversary this October with a $33.30 prix fixe menu with such items as slow braised short ribs and chipoltle black bean soup. ::Drool::
• Also in the 'burbs, Savona will be celebrating everyone's favorite German drinking holiday tomorrow with a $55 beer dinner and weekly beer classes throughout October.
• Chef Jose Garces must have at least made it through the first elimination on The Next Iron Chef—otherwise, why would he invite fans of the show (and his food!) to hang with him for the show's season premiere this weekend? Party starts at Distrito at 8 p.m. this Sunday (October 4). Admission is $35 and "covers plentiful passed hors d’oeuvres, house and frozen margaritas, and cans of Tecate from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m." according to the media alert we received.