A Kosher Place to Watch the Fightin' Phils

Today is our 30th wedding anniversary. My husband has been having dreams about the steak at Le Marais ever since our New York adventure, and we talked about making a return appearance. We also considered Max and David's, Philadelphia's only fine dining kosher restaurant. But the Phillies are in the playoffs and could clinch the National League title tonight, so we plan to have a late meal at the Expresso Cafe and Sushi Bar (7814 Castor Ave.) and enjoy a dairy meal while we cheer for our team in front of a wide-screen TV that beats what we have at home.

Although baseball isn't owner Sharon Abergel's sport, we're betting that even the Israelis who frequent this clean, well-managed hangout will be watching the Phils tonight. Before the Expresso Cafe opened in 2004, if you were hungry and kept kosher, there was no place to go after 9 p.m. Now, you can get anything from a rich dessert to an omelet until midnight. My only wish is that Sharon would open earlier Sunday morning (he opens at 10 - too late when my girlfriends and I want to gather for breakfast).

Everything at the Expresso Cafe is always fresh. The salads are tasty - no wilted lettuce or over-ripe veggies. My favorite main dishes are the Carpaccio - eggplant and feta cheese in filo pastry - and the Portobello Mushrooms with Mozzarella. My kids love the vegetable soup and the stuffed potatoes. My husband likes the sushi. I wish the coffee were stronger, but that is my problem with every restaurant that isn't Starbucks. The Expresso Cafe is clean and even the plates are attractive. I am comfortable taking my non-Jewish friends here, and all the women love Sharon. Some people don't like the sports on the big TV, but for me, this is a draw.

If the Phils make the series, we are thinking about paying a visit to JJ Elephant, a new kosher sports cafe in Chester Spring - not exactly the epi-center of the Jewish community. I haven't heard of anyone who has been there. They have coffee, teas and hot chocolate, baked good and soup - not a well-rounded menu. But the TV is bigger than Sharon's, so we may take the hour drive for a series game. Stay tuned.