Chef Launches Jacket Potato Pop-Up in South Philly

A monthlong pop-up restaurant concept called Mod Spuds, launched by chef Ange Branca, is running at the Comfort & Floyd luncheonette in South Philadelphia.

The pop-up features English-style jacket potatoes served as complete meals with toppings inspired by Branca's experiences around the world. Variations on the theme include Philly cheesesteak, Bollywood chicken tikka masala, a Nacho variant, a Happy Jack with barbecue jackfruit, and a Malaysian rendang beef option.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the English-style jacket potatoes are treated as full meals in themselves.

Branca decided to host the pop-up while her Bella Vista restaurant, Kampar, is under construction following a fire in February. Mod Spuds runs twice a week at Comfort & Floyd, located on the corner of 11th and Wharton streets.

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Branca explained to The Philadelphia Inquirer that she survived on jacket potato meals during her studies at a university in Edinburgh. The classic Mod Spud she serves in Philadelphia is inspired directly from Branca's university experience. It's topped with chili con carne and Heinz baked beans that British chef Sam Jacobson from Stargazy helped her find.

She described how she likes to enjoy jacket potatoes: “I dig right into the middle, scooping all the way down so I can get a little bit of each topping and a little bit of the potato.” Once she has pulls up the toppings and potato from its skin, or jacket, she'll pick up the potato shell like a taco and eat it.

Customers can get a classic jacket potato for $15, a build-your-own option starting at $8 with $3 per vegetable topping and $5 per meat topping, and gluten-free offerings across the menu. An accompanying nonalcoholic root beer, sold for $8, is homemade and fermented for four days by Kampar's server, Rachel Ore. Diners can turn it into a root beer float for $5.

Branca said she likes the Mod Spuds' retro-Jetsons branding and aims for long-term viability beyond the pop-up, based on customer reception.

“I want to see if people love this, and if they do, I will keep it going,” she told The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Mod Spuds runs through December at Comfort & Floyd on Mondays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Comfort & Floyd is at 1301 S. 11th St. in Philadelphia.