Midtown Lunch

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 Julia, who loves seafood and Peeps.

Name: Julia

Age: 28

Occupation: Project Associate, The Food Trust

Where in Philly do you Work?: 16th & JFK

Favorite Kind of Food: I spent 3 years living in Asia, where I developed a penchant for the regional cuisines. I often crave a slurp-worthy bowl of noodle soup (namely ramen, pho, and Chinese la mian), juicy soup dumplings, or just a really good bowl of rice (I know, it sounds odd, but so true). There’s nothing quite comparable to the taste of perfectly sliced tuna belly or fresh-from-the-sea uni or oysters. I also studied abroad in France, so get quite excited about a fresh baguette and stinky cheese.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Even just slightly mushy fruit, e.g the mealiness around the seeds in an overripe watermelon. I also snobbishly detest most processed food, particularly American cheese and bologna. The only exception: Peeps, which are totally awesome.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: Su Xing House (1508 Sansom): one of the best lunch deals around: you get a soup, entree, and side dish from $6-8. My favorites are the lotus root/peanut soup, Dried Bamboo Shoot with Chinese Celery, and “As-You-Wish”
Nam son (16th and Washington): I have been known to transport pho broth and all of the fixings on my bicycle to bring back to my office. They also have delicious pre-made bun, banh mi, and other rice lunch boxes which are faster and much more portable.
Cafe Lutecia (2301 Lombard): I almost always get the soup/quiche combination ($8.00). All homemade (people swear by their tomato bisque) and incredibly delicious. University City food trucks: Magic Carpet, Mexicali, wow I really miss these.

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? C-Giwa (1608 Sansom): kind of a splurge, especially for the hot pot bibimbop, yet I keep going back…
The food truck on the NE corner of 16th and Walnut: grilled chicken on pita ($4.00), make sure that you get it with grilled onions and gyro sauce. The owner also managed to make calling me “sweetie” sound endearing and not at all skeevy. Circles (1516 Tasker): thank you cheap Thai delivery–this has been a go-to spot for me and my co-workers, the lunch specials ($8.95) are big enough to share!

Place you discovered thanks to Philly Lunch (if any) Mexico on the Square (too far for a lunch walk) but they only have tamales on the weekend.

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Taipei, Tokyo, Paris. See “favorite food above”. Plus, you can get very fast, very cheap food that’s not “fast food”, e.g. a $10 total gourmand conveyor belt sushi lunch.

Is there anything you’d like to ask the Philly Lunch readers? What is your favorite lunch falafel spot? How’s the Morimoto lunch ramen?

I like the guy on 16th and JFK, right by you, for falafel. Have you been there, Julia?

If you would like to be next week’s Profiled Philly Lunch’er (or know somebody you’d like to nominate), email me at jamie@midtownlunch.com