Brand-New restaurants offering flavorful comfort foods from around the globe

When you think of Scandinavian cuisines, Pennsylvania might not be your first thought.  Our first guest, Nik Forsburg, may change your mind.  Nik, who conceptualized Fet-Fisk Pittsburgh with his soon-to-be Creative Director, Sarah LaPonte during the pandemic.  Together, they hosted bi-weekly pop-up meals at their house, in what Forsburg described as "speakeasy dinners."  This coincided with Nik's desire to keep himself busy throughout the pandemic by acquiring a plot of land to farm at a local community space, which yielded the ingredients he uses for his dishes.  Soon, the Fet-Fisk Pittsburgh pop-up became a popular (and sought-after) dining experience and now Nik is preparing to open the doors to Fet-Fisk Pittsburgh this Fall (September).You don't have to travel far for our next guest, who opened Lilly's Ferry in Old City Philadelphia in what used to be Victoria's Freehouse.  With views that will make you want to explore Philadelphia, Anas Hamed offers the savory dishes of Middle Eastern fare to your palates. Hamad's Chef, who previously owned and was the Chef for a restaurant in Dubai, created the menu for Lilly's Ferry.  That menu includes items like his rich and creamy Hummus, Chicken Shawarma, and (lollipop) Lamb Chops. If you're curious to find out more--tune in and hear from Anas what he has to tempt your taste buds!As we circle the globe via cuisines, we find ourselves stopping for some of Juan Placencia's Brazas BBQ Chicken.  The Peruvian-based restaurant is not Placencia's first; he has opened, operated, and been the Executive Chef for several restaurants over the years.  Due to some unfortunate set-backs, he felt the need to sell his restaurants and began anew.  Fortunately, his decision preceded the shut-downs in 2020 and he used that time to open a ghost-kitchen concept: Brazas BBQ Chicken.  The CIA (Culinary Institute of America) graduate found success in his new venture, and opened the doors to its first brick and mortar location approximately 9 months ago.  Now, he is helping to bring about the resurgence of Philadelphia's South Street dining scene, and offering a delicioso flare while doing so!