Monday, May 25, 2020

Jimmy's Milan - closed, but a good story!

Now I want salad for dinner. 


Youse guys are gonna get two recipes in this post instead of just one! All that is left of Jimmy's Milan is fond memories... and salad dressing. From their site: 

The original Milan restaurant opened its doors in 1951 at 19th & Chestnut in Philadelphia. They offered many Italian favorites but became famous for their signature Milan Salad. A simple dish with such a devoted following that locals continue to ask for it by name.

From the Inquirer

The salad found its groove and its name in the 1950s at Jimmy’s Milan, the erstwhile supper club at 39 S. 19th St., where Smiths is now.

Nearly a quarter-century after Jimmy’s Milan closed, the salad lives on. You can find it, with some modifications and under different names, at random restaurants: both locations of Cotoletta, in Bala Cynwyd and Fitler Square; Bridget’s Steakhouse in Ambler; Teca in West Chester and Newtown Square; Villa di Roma in South Philadelphia; and D’Angelo’s in Rittenhouse Square, where Jimmy’s Milan chef Tony D’Angelo still makes it.

The Milan is unapologetically retro. Think of it as a deconstructed BLT with shrimp.


The Original Milan Salad
  • Iceberg lettuce
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Chopped bacon
  • Hard-boiled egg
  • Fresh, chilled shrimp
  • Jimmy's Milan salad dressing
Toss lettuce and tomatoes in salad dressing, then plate. Garnish with egg and bacon. Circle plate with chilled shrimp. Apparently, doing things in this order is extremely important. 

What drink would go best with a summery salad such as this? How about...

Sunbeam
  • 1 1/2 oz. Galliano
  • 3/4 oz. sweet vermouth
Pour Galliano over crushed ice in an old-fashioned glass. Float vermouth on the drink. 

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