Midtown Lunch

• Drawing for food gets a Mayo sandwich with South Philly Tap Room and likes it [Drawing for Food]
• No love for the new 5 Bite menu at 10 Arts, but the Cobb salad is perfect [The Inquirer]
• And in other salad news, the All Come at the Same Time Salad at Delicatessen is a girthy monster [Phoodie]
• A Korean rice bar is in the works on 18th and Ludlow [Brownstowner via Foobooz]
• A trio of fish tacos are available at Haru Sushi [Philly.com]

With promises of cheesesteaks I lured my New York friends to come visit me in Philly, so I had to deliver.  But that didn’t mean I had to wait in that line with them. I was hungry! I spotted Alyan’s Middle Eastern Cuisine across the street and figured I could pick up something quickly, and then hang out in the outdoor seating while pointing and laughing at my hungry friends on the long line.

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It had been a while since my last visit to Yummy Yummy, the tiny snack shop in Chinatown. I was happy to find that they had made some additions to their menu in every category: dim sum, waffle, pudding, tea- the main groups of the food pyramid…

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As is customary at Philly Lunch, every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Philadelphia. This week it’s Devon, a marketer who isn’t afraid to resort to Disney World to fulfill her global tastes.

Name: Devon

Age: 30

Occupation: Marketer

Where in Philly do you Work?: shareURmeal.com and GoBYO.com (17th and the Parkway or Cherry Hill, NJ)

Favorite Kind of Food: I’ve thought about listing Mexican food here – I love nachos, burritos, chili con queso from The Mexican Food Factory (601 W Rte 70 
Marlton, NJ). I also have a 25-year love affair with Benihana (5255 Marlton Pike, Pennsauken, NJ) – chicken fried rice, ginger dressing, and beef teriyaki. Family food during Thanksgiving (Mom’s house) is also a contender – candied sweet potatoes, turkey with cornbread stuffing… Oh, and my husband’s family makes the greatest 7 fish dinner for Christmas (Nanny’s house) – fried smelts, yes smelts, are actually very tasty…but my favorite food is a good garlic kosher pickle. Actually most pickled items will do – tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and cabbage.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Giant raw clams – I will enjoy small raw clams and giant cooked clams though.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: Mexican Post (16th and Cherry Streets – where I met my husband),  for gazpacho and beef burrito. Giwa (1608 Sansom St), for the sizzling rice bowl with chicken. Mamma Palma’s (2229 Spruce St), for any pizza they put in front of me – I can almost smell it right now just typing about the pizza. And Tampopo (104 south 21st Street), for Bi Bim Bob.

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Fast, fresh, homestyle Indian food is the motto of Mumbai Bistro. Here, the main feature is the by- the- pound Indian buffet where everything goes for $4.95 a pound. During my lunch trip there was a steady stream of customers, but I was able to get my food and pay very quickly. A few tables are available in the small space.  The serving trays are reheatable, just be cautious when you carry your tray so your selections don’t mush into one Indian food blob.

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Cheesy Bread Photo Courtesy of Mac and Cheese

• A meatball shop is scheduled to open early October. So random, I love it! [The Insider]
• An out of towner falls in love with Paesano’s sucking pig sandwich [CT News]
• The vegan cheesy bread and vegan curry look good at the nee vegan spot Loving Hut [Mac&Cheese]
• Get some Top Chef fare with the 5 bite lunch from 10 Arts [Foobooz]
• There has been a lot of chatter about the Mad men inspired 3 martini lunch [Grub Street]
• Q & A on the egg recall [The Inquirer]

Chris’s Jazz Cafe is most appreciated for their evening live jazz performances. They won Best Jazz Club in 07. While attending a happy hour there, I learned they also serve lunch and dinner. The lunch menu consists of sandwiches, burgers, and wraps all under $10 dollars and a handful of over $10 entrees. Whats more exciting is the daily lunch special: a different meal every day with a side (usually fries) and a soda for only $6.

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