Archive for 'Carribean'

A Quick Jerk from a Center City Cart

With most food carts around Suburban Station serving ye ol halal combo or breakfast sandwiches, it is easy to miss Caribbean Palm- a cart on 18th and Market serving Caribbean platters. The pictures of oxtail help separate it from the other chicken and rice platters carts.

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Jamacian D’s Flagship

You may have seen Jamaican D’s food truck around town. The storefront is located in Germantown and from 9am on sells what you would find on the truck: stewed meats, fish,  and sides

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The Flavor of Pork? Latin Flavor brings Casual Caribbean to South Street

At the end of November, a Latin American/Caribbean casual dining restaurant opened on South Street. Latin Flavor serves Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Dominican food. This news peaked my taste bud’s interests because most Caribbean restaurants we have to work with in Philly are either fancy or super far from Center City.  I wondered if this spot could stand up to the amazing Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Dominican food I have tried up in North Philly: Isla Nena, El Principe, El Lechonera Principe, Cibao, El Rey de Fritura, Shining Star, Porky’s Point, and Freddy and Tony’s. Looking back at those reviews, I can only grimace with pride about how much fatty pork I have already consumed in my lifetime. Time for more. Because we all know that the “Latin Flavor” is often fatty, delicious pork.

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Improve Your Mann Center Visit with Jamaican Chicken Platters

I have been picnicking pretty hard this summer; casually eating outside is one of life’s simple pleasures. Making my way over to a Mann Center performance, I wanted to pick something up nearby to make a little picnic to go along with the classical music and BYO summer friendly white wine we brought. The area by the Mann Center is rich with tiny, Caribbean and Jamaican spots.  I picked two of them, right across the street from each other, just north of the 52nd Street subway stop.  Both had similar set ups, a counter to order large platters from and a few tables to sit at.

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Top Lunches of 2013

I am a big pig and have eaten hundreds of exciting lunches this past year. I am both grossed out and proud of myself when looking back at all the damage. I wrangled up my favorites of 2013 to share.

January started the year off strong, with peirogi’s from Donna’s smokey bar, Caribbean platters from Little Delicious, tom yom beef jerky from Ratchada, and the gooey mac and cheese brisket sandwich from MeltKraft.

In February, the Uzbeki meal from Samarkand was pretty legendary.

Taco truck, Taco El Rodeo was a pleasant surprise in April.

Pennsylvania 6 did the fancy business lunch right for me in May. Less fancy, but still satisfying: Poi Dog cart’s fried chicken and Campo’s monster of a meat sandwich called “The Stockyard”. Plus, this month brought the opening of Sizzling Woks (called Xi’an Famous Foods then), which meant slippery, spicy liang pi noodles in my mouth.

In June, I was obsessing over the lamb tacos at Border Springs Farm.

The meatball sandwich at Corner Foodery and the beef sandwich at Pura Vida were stand outs. Slightly more upscale, I loved the grilled pastrami and mac and cheese at Twisted Tail.

The meaty torta from American Sardine Bar and meaty burrito bowl from Animo  provided tasty protein in August.

September is beautiful in Philly. Perfect for a picnic provided by Talula’s Daily. I was also overjoyed to find pupusas at Tamalex. I also ate a large amount of pork from Freddy and Tony’s.

The sandwiches at El Soto and cheesy tacos from Quetzally satiated Mexican cravings for October. I was also in love with the bread from High Street and much of the Cambodian snacks at Kavei Express.

Rounding out the year; in the past 2 months I was impressed by the dim sum at Wokano, the Godfather sandwich from Cosmis, and the soup dumplings from I-Green.

I think its time for a salad. Please keep your fingers crossed that I fit in to my New Year’s Eve dress tonight. So- What were your favorite lunches this year?

Caribbean Feast Restaurant, A Temple Hospital Oasis

Caribbean Feast Restaurant is up by the Temple Hospital area, mostly a culinary dead zone. It was the wafting smell of jerk meat from the outdoor BBQ that drew us in. We found out they specialize in Jamaican food and do not use any pork products. Inside, take out and sit down are available in an odd triangle shaped space that they dressed up with fish tanks, random sideways palm trees, and banquet hall-esque tablescapes. Those jerk smells and  island tunes pumping through the speakers set the mood for some Caribbean feasting.

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Lunches Philly Needs from the South: Atlanta

My favorite little sister moved to Atlanta for grad school this year. I got to visit her recently, and was able to rekindle my love for fattening, Southern food. Philly has so much to offer, but we really haven’t nailed that Southern thing yet.

This first picture was taken at The Silver Skillet (200 14th St NW), which looks essentially like how I picture all old Southern diners.

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