Aversa PR & Events

Client News: Barista Battle Over the Bean During Brew Down Competition

Ready, set, brew!  Baristas looking for their claim to fame are invited to the first Barista Brew Down Competition (BBC) on Wednesday, March 6, 2013, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at Chhaya Café (1823 East Passyunk Avenue).   Chhaya, One Village and Philly Fair Trade Roasters seek the 2013 Barista Champion that best brings out the flavor, notes and body of the bean.  The competition is open to a maximum of 12 baristas from the Philadelphia region.  A completed registration form and five dollar entry fee is due to Chhaya by Monday, March 4, 2013. The public is invited to root on their favorite contestant. Victory Brewing Company will provide samples of coffee-infused brown ale to compliment hot coffee samples.  For more information and an entry form, visit Chhaya at 1823 East Passyunk Avenue, call (215) 465-1000 or visit www.chhayacafe.com.

Barista Brew Down Competition will pit barista against barista as they showcase their skills in three preliminary rounds of competition using one of the below brewing methods:

• Immersion -  Yields a dark, thick consistency with full-bodied flavor; made with an AeroPress or a French press)
• Pour-over - Produces a light-bodied coffee with a higher clarity; made with a chemex and kova cone)
• Siphon - Elevated version of the pour-over with the highest clarity and has the most pronounced flavor). 

Each contestant will have a collective 10 minutes of prep-time during each round that shall include coffee grinding, scale set-up, collecting water, etc., followed by five minutes to brew a 16 ounce serving.  Judges will then each sample and score a 4 ounces of the freshly made coffee.  Scores will be read after each cup has been tasted.  The winner from brewing method will move on to the final and fourth round, “Brewer’s Choice.”

One Village and Philly Fair Trade Roasters will supply fair trade organic, single-origin beans for the competition. Tentative selections include Barundi (light roast) Colombia, Papua New Guinea and a secret final-round coffee.   One Village Coffee will also spill the beans about the coffee including region and altitude as a preparatory base for competitors.

The first place winner will receive a home brewing system (which can include a french press, siphon or chemex,along with a digital scale and 12 ounce bag of coffee beans), the title of BBC 2013 champion and bragging rights. The second place winner will receive a vintage barista action figurine and a 12 ounce bag of coffee. The third place winner receives a gift card to Chhaya.

Coffee-lovers are welcomed to cheer on their favorite barista. Admission for spectators is free.  Victory Brewing Company will provide samples of coffee-infused brown ale, or guests may bring their favorite BYOB drinks.  Chhaya will have a limited coffee-only menu (no food or espresso drinks). 

Registration forms are available on Chhaya’s Facebook page or at the counter. The completed form and $5.00 registration fee is due no later than Monday, March 4, 2013.  For more information and an entry form, visit Chhaya at 1823 East Passyunk Avenue, call (215) 465-1000 or visit www.chhayacafe.com.

About Chhaya Café

Chhaya means a shelter, a place of shady tranquility, teahouse, life, a tree, a river.  Come relax and share our passion for delicious coffee and simple flavorful food. Chhaya Café is located at 1823 East Passyunk Avenue, in the middle of Philadelphia’s new restaurant row.   During the week, Chhaya focuses on coffee, breakfast and lunch. On Saturdays and Sundays, Chhaya boasts one of the best brunches in South Philadelphia with unique waffle preparations, rotating entrees and seasonal offerings.  Chhaya’s food and drink menu is simple but carefully crafted with a focus on quality ingredients and heartfelt preparation.   Chhaya pours organic, fair trade coffee that is locally hand-roasted in small batches and delivered to the café daily.   Coffee is ground and brewed to order and never held for more than 30 minutes.   

Client News: East Passyunk Avenue Debuts Taxi Stand During Restaurant Week

Walk, run, subway, bus, drive and now taxi to East Passyunk Restaurant Week (EPRW). Dining and shopping along East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District (EPABID) has never been easier with the debut of a new taxi stand at East Passyunk between Tasker and Morris streets. The taxi stand will be open every night during East Passyunk Restaurant Week, from February 24, 2013 to March 2, 2013 after 7:00pm. After March 2, 2013, the taxi stand will be open on Fridays and Saturday nights only. Two valet stands will also extend service to include weekdays during EPRW after 5:00pm, at East Passyunk between Broad and Mifflin streets, and at the Singing Fountain. A third valet between Tasker and Morris will also operate on Friday and Saturday night. The taxi stand and extended valet days are presented by Passyunk Avenue Revitalization Corporation, EPABID and participating restaurants. 

“Nothing, and we mean nothing, gets in the way of award-winning food! The new taxti stand and extended valet days will help attract diners from around the region for East Passyunk’s first Restaurant Week,” said EPABID Director Renee Gilinger. “The taxi stand will continue year round to help drive more tourists, city-dwellers and suburbanites to shop, stroll and dine along the Avenue. Taxi and valet stands are a win-win for locals as they minimize the number of cars trying to park along EPABID. Visitors can now leave cars at home and have confidence in hailing a taxi in the heart of South Philadelphia.”

Between February 24, 2013 to March 2, 2013, the new taxi stand (between Tasker and Morris) will operate nightly after 7:00pm and two valet stations (between Broad and Mifflin, and at the Singing Fountain) will operate nightly after 5:00pm to 2:00am. Valet parking is $8.00 with validation from a participating restaurant, and $15 without validation. Guests are also welcome to drop their car off at one stand and pick it up at any other stand. This encourages dining, shopping and stroll of the Avenue. On March 1 and 2, 2013, a third valet stand will also be open at East Passyunk Avenue, between Tasker and Morris, to handle increased weekend traffic.

After EPRW, the regular weekly schedule resumes, with taxi stand after 7:00pm and valet services on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, from 5:00pm to 2:00am.  

Valet stands were introduced to East Passyunk Avenue in September of 2012. They are operated by ParkOps, LLC. Cars are parked in Neumann-Goretti's parking lot. Valet services have gotten rave reviews, including a recent five star review on Yelp that states, “The attendants were very friendly and gave off a vibe of trustworthiness, that means a lot to me when I'm handing over my keys. After our dinner, our car was retrieved promptly. Again, the attendants greeted us with friendliness...”

For additional information please contact  www.visiteastpassyunk.com or call (215) 336-1455.   

About EPABID

East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District is home to 150 independently owned shops and markets that perfectly balances the best of the old and the new, mixing old world shopping, authentic Italian restaurants, world famous cheese steaks, with trendy boutiques, handmade arts, world-class cuisine and record-breaking events. 

Chef-driven restaurants have pushed this once-faded community into the national spotlight. East Passyunk Avenue boasts more than 30 eateries, from authentic traditional Italian restaurants to gastropubs, including four of Philadelphia magazine’s Top 50 Restaurants: Stateside, Le Virtu, Fond and Will. Capogiro Gelato Artisans scoops up National Geographic’s “best ice cream in the world” just down the block from cheese steak global headquarters, where Pat’s and Geno’s still vie to be called the best of this Philly staple.

Anchored by the beautifully restored Singing Fountain, a communal gathering place on Tasker Street, this store-lined commercial corridor hosts events of all shapes and sizes. Annual outdoor favorites include foodie-festival Flavors of the Avenue, the Car Show & Street Festival, Farmers’ Markets and East Passyunk Craft Beer Day. 

For more information and directions, like East Passyunk Avenue on Facebook, follow @epassyunkave on Twitter, pin East Passyunk Avenue on Pinterest or visit www.visiteastpassyunk.com.

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Client News: Chhaya Cafe Combats the Cold with Mid-Winter Menu Items

Chhaya Café, 1823 East Passyunk Avenue, prepares for dipping temperatures next week with the return of richer, heavier and heartier brunch flavors. Chef and owner Varnana Beuria serves up a winter menu with sweet and savory selections that embody the concept of comfort food. On the beverage side, Chhaya’s Heaven Sent Elixir takes center stage as a must-have concoction that is both soothing and flavorful for those dealing with the pesky flu.

Starting this week, Chhaya will debut the following items every weekend during its brunch service:

• Stuffed French Toast Waffle –Chhaya's french toast takes on the appearance of a waffle as it’s dipped into a house-made egg batter and finished on the signature waffle press. Two pieces of the golden brown toast are then filled with a decadent layer of a berry infused cream cheese filling. A bourbon maple syrup is then drizzled over the entire waffle giving a sweet finish to this delicious make-over of this brunch staple. ($10.00).
• Warm White Bean and Asparagus Salad – Cannellini beans, roasted asparagus and cherry tomatoes are quickly sautéed in a walnut pesto made in-house from scratch. The mixture is then served atop a hearty slice of warmed country white bread, garnished with sliced toasted almonds, and finished with a fresh squeeze of lemon. ($10.00).
• Sunrise Eggs– Oven-roasted cherry tomatoes and asparagus are folded into scrambled eggs and served on top of an open-faced herb biscuit. Sunrise eggs are accompanied by a small side salad of arugula with slices of fresh strawberry. Smoked salmon is also offered as an add-on, placed just on top of the eggs. ($10.00, salmon $3.00 extra.
• Whole Wheat Crepes – Steak and Eggs Crepe with Béarnaise sauce joins other rotating crepe selections. ($12.00)

In addition to homemade scones, brownies and muffins, Chhaya will debut new flavors of fresh biscotti ($1.00 per piece for all varieties), including:

• Chocolate biscotti with walnuts and the subtle flavor of ancho chilies
• Cinnamon biscotti with almonds
• Chocolate biscotti with white chocolate chips
• Vanilla biscotti with dark chocolate chips

Featured daily coffees and teas will include:

• Belgium Hot Chocolate created from a semi-dark Belgium chocolate sauce, mixed into steamed milk. Fresh whipped cream can be added on top at no extra charge. ($2.75 12oz, $3.25 16oz)
• White Hot Chocolate and White Chocolate Mochas created from Belgium white chocolate and espresso, then mixed into steamed milk. ($2.75 12oz, $3.25 16oz)
• Heaven Sent Elixir is a mixture of honey, lemon, pulverized ginger and black peppercorns, steeped with any variety of loose-leaf tea in stock ($3.00 12oz, $3.75 16oz). Caffeinated tea varieties include: Morning Blend (Yunnan and Keemun), Kenilworth (Black Ceylon), Blue Lady (Black, lavender and grapefruit), Sun Dew (Green, dried flowers, apricot, citrus), Eros (Black, mandarin orange, vanilla, mallow flower), Tear Water (Earl Grey, violets) and Bancha (Second flush Japanese green). Decaffeinated varieties include Rooibos (Orange peel, cinnamon), Witch Blend (Hibiscus, blackberry, apple) and Tranquility (Spearmint, chamomile, citrus, lemongrass). Chhaya serves only the finest and freshest tea blends in the world from House of Teas.

Chhaya will also continue to serve its year-round menu of sandwiches, salads, baked goods, waffles and crepes. All food and drink items are made fresh, in-house every day, from the muffins to the sandwiches, even the chocolate sauce and chai.

For more information, call (215) 465-1000, visit www.chhayacafe.com, follow @chhayacafe on Twitter or like Chhaya Café on Facebook.