Today Luncher John tries Aya’s kebabs
On the quiet 2100 block of Arch Street is Aya’s Café, a restaurant specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine. While the primary focus for this Zagat-rated spot is undoubtedly its BYO dinner service, Aya’s also serves up some lunch options for those craving some good Middle Eastern food.
Posted at 11:11 am, September 18th, 2012 under BYOB, MIddle Eastern.
I was upset at first when I heard that S &H Kebob house, a favorite South St cheap eats Turkish spot, had turned into Leziz Turkish. But, luckily it was just the name that changed. The menu is intact. And lunch specials are still under $10 including my favorite dish- the manti. I made a return trip to try some of the other lunch specials, like the lamb shawarma.
Posted at 1:48 pm, August 13th, 2012 under BYOB, MIddle Eastern, Team Baba Ghanoush.
While deciding where to take my roommate for her final lunch in Philly before moving back to Hawaii, we remembered that Mercato recently started lunch service. The promise of fancy pasta, outdoor seating, and the BYO policy was too good to resist and certainly worth the few dollars more per dish than the typical Midtown Lunch. With 235 reviews on Yelp, Mercato is a popular dinner spot. Reservations are only taken for early bird seating so the wait can sometimes be painful. This makes lunch the perfect time to go.
Tres Jalapenos is a “safe” Mexican restaurant. It has bright, festive decorations and checkered table cloths. As the safeness and slightly cheesiness should have hinted at, the food was lacking in authenticity. It was not an unpleasant meal, just nothing was memorable. However, if you don’t have lunch plans tomorrow, there is a special you should know about.
Yes, that is an empty bag you are looking at. As the weather gets colder, we sometimes have to rely on the power of delivery and that can be a total crapshoot. I heard that Sushi Planet had ramen on the menu. I placed my order and waited. An hour later my delivery arrived, except the ramen was missing. I was pretty hungry at this point, luckily at least half my order was inside.
Chicken Chargha, aka Pakistani Fried Chicken, is the reason that LeBan and other’s come to Wah-Gi-Wah. I had to get in on this unique chicken preparation. Unlike other fried chicken places in the city who run out early, only serve one day a week, or periodically take it off the menu- you will be able to get your chicken fix here from 11am until 11pm. I find that comforting.
Posted at 10:23 am, November 21st, 2011 under BYOB, chicken, Pakistani, West Philly.
I hope to impress you with the fact that I ate practically half the menu of Uzbekistan, a restaurant located in the area I believe is considered the far northeast. Yes, it is out of the way for Center City folk, but there is no CC equivalent and it’s a bit quicker than a flight to Eastern Europe. Check out where Uzbekistan is located on a map. Its geography is reflected in the cuisine, especially the influence of multiple ethnicities. The common theme on an Uzbek menu is hearty food. Sometimes a girl has gotta feast, and this is the place to it.
