WHYY’s ‘Check, Please!’ Showcases the Delaware Valley Restaurant Scene

The show’s inaugural season premieres in January and will feature over 35 area restaurants.

Kae Lani Palmisano, host of Check, Please!/Courtesy of WHYY

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A new WHYY production will feature Delaware Valley locals reviewing area restaurants.

Check, Please! will debut Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m. on WHYY-TV. Hosted by food and travel writer Kae Lani Palmisano, each episode invites viewers to experience the Delaware Valley dining scene, according to a news release.

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In each episode of Check, Please!, three local diners, opposed to professional restaurant critics, choose their favorite restaurants for the other guests to visit anonymously. After trying all three recommended restaurants, the guests meet in the studio to discuss, dispute and celebrate their dining experiences.

The first season features 39 restaurants in northern Delaware, southern New Jersey, the Main Line and Philadelphia, including: Azie, Bing Bing Dim Sum, High Street on Market, Hungry Pigeon, Little Fish, Noord, Poi Dog, Sardine Bar, Sate Kampar, Vedge, Vernick, ZeppoliMrs. Robino’s, Del Pez and The House of William & Merry.

The show debuts on WHYY in January./Courtesy of WHYY

“We are thrilled to offer viewers a vibrant picture of both the hot spots and the hidden gems of the local restaurant scene,” said Terri Murray, vice president of programming and production at WHYY, in a news release.“From service and atmosphere to food and price, we’ll explore the local world of food through diners ready to dish about their favorite neighborhood places.”

WHYY recruited participating diners by asking, “If you have an appetite for Philly food, a passion for can’t-miss-plates in South Jersey, or a must-taste place you’re dying to share in Delaware, we want to hear from you!” The final group of diners was chosen out of more than 500 applicants based on their passion for the local food scene, their willingness to try something new and their ability to chat candidly in front of the camera. Diners also reflect the diversity of the region’s population, according to a news release.

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“This region has some of the best restaurants in the world and many of them are tucked into neighborhoods where only the locals know how good they are,” said Check, Please! host Kae Lani Palmisano in a news release.“On our show you’ll see local food lovers chatting about what makes a restaurant special, forgettable and everything in between.

The Check, Please! series began in Chicago in 2001 and has since been adapted in other locations, including Miami, Kansas City and the Bay area.

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