Midtown Lunch

Though we have been lacking volunteers lately, on certain Tuesdays 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 DJ, a college guy with a taste for tacos. 

Name: DJ

Age: 19

Occupation: student at University of Pennsylvania majoring in biochemistry and biology, minoring in Spanish; I research part-time in Dr. Todd Ridky’s lab at Penn investigating melanoma

Where in Philly do you Work?: In my room mostly; I do research at the Clinical Research Building next to HOP

Favorite Kind of Food: German sausage & aged gouda cheese

Least Favorite Kind of Food: baked beans

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House at 1022 Race Street; brisket noodle soup with hot sauce. Tacos Don Memo on 38th & Walnut; burrito with horchata drink. Federal Donuts at 1219 2nd St.; French toast donut.

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I was in the mood for soup and the soups at New Phnom Penh were recommended by friends. I have had some great Cambodian meals in Philly so it seemed promising.

Inside, the small restaurant has a whole garden of plants lining the window and on our visit, There’s Something About Mary played on the television.

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• Opa’s $10 burger is stuffed with feta [Bridges Burgers Beer]
• Thad also went to Kabobeesh this week, but for the skewers [Philly Phoodie]
• A tator tot truck is opening on Temple’s campus [Foobooz]
• A visual guide to Pen campus dining [34th St]

Happy Noodle Bar opened last month in the space formally occupied by Nan Zhou. The small spot serves Chinese small bites and soups from various regions of China including Yunan and Xi’an. Then to round it out, the Happy people threw in Korean food and… a bloomin onion (not a joke! it is the first appetizer on the menu though not available when I visited).  Our foray into Happy Noodle Dining was not a continuous happy time.  Please have some patience by reading through the sad, the bland, and the ugly before you come to the good stuff.

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Though we have been lacking volunteers lately, on certain Tuesdays 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 Chelsea, a student with tastes beyond a student budget. 

Name: Chelsea

Age: 20

Occupation: Student

Where in Philly do you Work?: University City

Favorite Kind of Food: pumpkins, hummus, chilean sea bass, lamb chops, scallops (I’m an expensive date)

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I awkwardly enough hate salt and rice (unless it surrounds my sushi)

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly:Buddakhan (325 Chestnut St) has an incredible lunch deal–$15 kobe beef sliders and $15 bento boxes; Barbuzzo (110 S 13th St) also has a great deal on a $13 seasonal mediterranean antipasti plate, which is composed of interesting spins on seasonal produce and always includes delicious toasted homemade bread topped with extra virgin olive oil; Magic Carpet (multiple locations) chili is always a solid go-to

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Kabobeesh’s familiar long, single level design would lead you to believe it is a diner. But instead of waffles and milkshakes, you will find curry and  lassis inside. Kabobeesh has a full menu of Pakistaki meat and vegetables in sandwich and platter form. I wasn’t sure what I was going to order when the rotating food slide show above the counter plastered a picture of a whole fried chicken.  I remembered my previous experiences ripping in to an entire fried chicken at Wa-Gi-Wah, and decided to see how this bird compared.

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• The April food truck line up for The Porch at 30th St was just announced [Foobooz]
• Gennaro’s pizzas have plenty of cheese and sauce [City Paper]
• Farm truck has heart and healthy soups. salads, and sandwiches [Philly.com]
• American Sardine Bar is now featuring a sandwich by Top Chef alum Jen Carrol, it is fully deep fried and stuffed with chicken, pimento cheese, and pickled green tomatoes [Grub Street]
• A list of awesome McDonald’s dishes from around the world, I am looking at you Green Tea McFlurry and Cheese Katsu [Buzzfeed]