Eat This, Do This, Read This: Philly Weekend Planner, November 29-December 2

Now that you’ve had a chance to recover from your huge holiday meal, it’s time to eat again! Check out some tasty bites and happenings to keep you going as you shop (it’s hard work) and read about some Philly restaurant folk trying to make it in NYC, including how Jennifer Carroll ended up leaving our city.

Eat This

Pancetta-Wrapped Mission Figs at Rittenhouse Tavern
It’s enough that Nicolas Elmi’s Italian-bacon-wrapped figs are an amazing combo of sweet and salty that you could nibble on endlessly. Then there’s the drizzle of caramelized honey and extra pop of a creamy blue cheese sauce. But on top of all that, the plate of half a dozen of these bites is just $5 at Friday happy hour (4-6 PM). Go ahead, get two or three orders - we certainly did (215-732-2412).

Chicken Noodle Soup at Rotisseur
The Rittenhouse rotisserie stop just announced Saturday hours (along with a store and logo redesign), so you don’t have to wait for a weekday to try a bowl of Aaron Matzkin’s chicken noodle soup. With a business based around a steady supply of farm-raised fowl, you know this version’s going to be hearty and tasty, perfect for fueling up on your day off (215-496-9494).

Do This

Holiday Food Truck Roundup at The Piazza
Take a break from browsing Northern Liberties’ many boutiques and shops this Saturday and hit up The Piazza for a bite to eat. A total of 10 different food trucks will be setting up shop, and each will represent a different holiday. For example, Joe Spuds will go for a Fourth of July theme, Street Food Philly will rep the Chinese New Year, Christmas itself will be taken care of by Sweet Box and Lil Dan's Gourmet, and the Sunflower Truck Stop will bring its best Halloween game.

Tree Lighting at M Restaurant
Head back to Center City to start Saturday evening right with the lighting of the tree at fully-decked out M Restaurant at the Morris House Hotel. Enjoy complimentary hot cocoa and holiday cookies as you listen to carolers and watch ice sculptures come to life (215-625-6666).

Read This

Jen Carroll Dishes on Her New York Restaurant
Philadelphia Magazine gets the dirt on what happened to local Top Chef alum Jennifer Carroll, who left 10 Arts last year with plans of opening her own Philly restaurant - only to end up 90 miles to the north instead. Find out where she was originally planning to launch Concrete Blonde, why she didn’t, and what she has to do to make her NYC debut work.

Tavern on the Green's New Team Speaks Out
In other Philly to NYC news, the partners who own Bella Vista’s Beau Monde and L’Etage speak out about accusations that they used nepotism to score the lease to reopen and run Central Park’s iconic Tavern on the Green. The sister of one of the pair is married to Bloomberg’s former deputy mayor, but the restaurateurs are adamant they never broached the subject, recognizing the conflict of interest. Whether the restaurant will actually be a success is yet to be seen, as there are union contracts and other details still pending.