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 Mason, who isn’t afraid to schlep for a good meal and is looking for Thai in town.

Name: Mason

Age: 30

Occupation: Graphic Designer

Where in Philly do you Work?: Home office located in Fishtown

Favorite Kind of Food: This is a seriously hard question. Anything asian (are you surprised?) and any pork product (my jewish mother will be so disappointed)

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I just can’t get over the concept of corn and beans in asian desserts. Vile.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: I have to categorize this based on the following:

Quick & Healthy: Brindle Cafe on Girard Avenue- this is the place that I go to often (would also fall into my “go-to” lunch category) based on the fact that it is close-by, tasty and surprisingly very healthy- so I feel good eating out several times a week (my Jewish guilt coming into play here). My favorite is a toss between the slow roasted beef sandwich with horseradish and a smokey roasted pepper-cardamom sauce or the Thai beef salad which is spicy, reminds me of Thailand and really hits the spot.

Long lunch touching on my dad’s roots: Nam Phuong on 11th and Washington Avenue- I go to this place when I am craving some good old Vietnamese food and feel like a nice bike ride. Their pho hits the spot for a cheap and tasty lunch. When I have company with me and I feel like splurging $16 on lunch, the Tilapia clay pot is simply divine.

Long lunch touching on my mom’s roots: Famous 4th St. Deli on 4th and Bainbridge. I usually don’t eat dinner if I eat lunch here. Even the regular hot Pastrami sandwich is gigantic. When I am brave I try the Zaftig. Top that off with a large cookie and I am toast for the rest of the day. But so worth it.

“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? Since I have no co-workers currently, I get to make my own decisions and seem to eat very often at Brindle Cafe and rightly so.

Place you discovered thanks to Philly Lunch (if any) Taco Loco on Washington Avenue. I was always a little scared to try that place, but the review on Midtwon lunch seemed pretty harmless and I was really craving tacos one day while in South Philly. Glad I tried it. Uzbekistan in North Philly- by far the best recommendation. Never had Uzbeki food before and loved that it was a destination meal. Wish we reviewed more of these obscure places. Seems like every reviewer is in with the trends (Korean fried chicken?)

If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? Probably anywhere in Asia- they always seem to be eating and the food is so cheap. Top picks would likely be Singapore or HongKong – they truly have the best variety of Asian food. Close second would be Bangkok (could food get any cheaper?) or Tokyo (could there be more sanitary kitchens anywhere in the world?) .

Is there anything you’d like to ask the Philly Lunch readers? Any recommendations for Thai food? I am still struggling to find a good authentic one. Tamarind on South Street is close, but am curious if anyone has found anything better, especially featuring Thai street food.

My coconut tilapia at Sawatdee was amazing and a steal as it was included in their $10 3 course lunch. I hope it is still on the menu.

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.