Inka Wall, a Peruvian restaurant, is one of the newer occupants of the “HMart Plaza” in Upper Darby. We don’t have a ton of Peruvian food in Philadelphia, that’s enough of a reason to make the trip west to the end of the Market/Frankford line.
Posted at 12:53 pm, January 27th, 2014 under BYOB, chicken, empanada, Peruvian, Upper Darby.
H-Mart and the restaurant plaza surrounding it is one of my favorite and most concentrated areas for ethnic dining. The turnover rate is the one negative- your favorite new spot could be gone in a few months, as was the case with El Sabroso and their awesome pupusas. Sa Bai Dee has been around for a few years, however, so they must be doing something right. The approachable space and menu would appeal to a wide audience. The restaurant does Thai and Loatian food, though more of the menu seems to be straight Thai.
Posted at 12:56 pm, January 16th, 2014 under BYOB, noodles, Thai, Upper Darby.
Not to be a brat, but it is not often that I come across a cuisine that I am completely unfamiliar with. So while browsing for restaurants in NE Philly (one of my favorite hobbies), I was excited to find there exists a restaurant that serves traditional Moldivian food. For the sake of being practical and straight forward, it’s called Moldova Restaurant. Inside, the decor is festively kitschy. Service came with a smile, though our waiter did not speak enough English to recommend any dishes for us. We were on our own.
Recently, Prime Burger opened right by Washington Square Park with a menu of burgers made of various meats (La Freda beef, crab, mushroom, turkey,fish). They all sound pretty good actually, especially with the various cheesy topping options. But my hungover state required something less meal-like, more fat kid snacking.
Two weeks ago, Dream Mexican Grill opened on Walnut Street where the San Samosa Indian buffet had reigned for at least as long as I’ve been in Philly. Not much has been done with the interior so far and the outdoor seating won’t be useful for many months. Dream is open daily for lunch and dinner with a Mexican and Caribbean menu. For lunch, you can order a la carte or choose 3 (an entree plus two out of the soup, salad, dessert choices) for $9.99
This month, a Mexican restaurant called Quetzally took over the tiny space formerly occupied by the Asian fusion restaurant, Stix Asian Eatery. No more Korean style chicken wings. Instead, salsa and melty cheese. Apparently, Quetzali means beautiful in Nahuatl, and while the space isn’t exactly beautiful (currently photos of Mexican food cover up a giant poster of a Korean fried chicken wing), it is homey and comfortable.
Located in a residential block of Northern Liberties, Pura Vida humbly brings latin cooking to the neighborhood. The menu appears slightly Mexican, but more inclusive than that, with Guatemalan tamales for appetizers and vegetarian chorizo. Pura Vida, after all, is the Costa Rican slogan for a super chill lifestyle. Going along with that, the funky decor inside this small, corner BYOB includes Christmas lights and a raffia umbrella.
