Midtown Lunch

What is the deal with the Bellevue Food Court? Is it worth checking out? Is it overpriced garbage or might there be some hidden gems? I had to find out. I bravely entered the Bellevue and made my way down the escalator having no idea where I would end up.  Then I saw Yunique Noodle House and I was back in my comfort zone. They have a mostly Korean menu, but they serve both Pho (Vietnamese soup) and Ramen (Japanese soup)…  this could be a bad sign or something great.

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Fat Salmon is a trendy Japanese restaurant right by Washington Square Park. It opened in February and has recently gotten its liquor license approved.

The regular menu is long and comes with pretty pictures of sushi. The lunch list is a lot shorter. Besides some too small sushi combos, the only under $10 lunch special was the donburi. I was completely unfamiliar with this dish and was still not quite understanding after an explanation from my dining sidekick. It’s always good to try new things, right?

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Muntin opened this May and I really really hope they make it, unlike their predecessor Misso. Japanese food dominates, with some Thai dishes thrown in. I strongly believe that lunch is the meal to get here. The deals during the lunch time hour are excellent values. So much so, that I was surprised at how empty the place was in the middle of the day. Read more »

The 4th and latest incarnation of the Bumblefish mini-chain landed in Center City not too long ago. Bumblefish claims to be neo-Asian healthy fast food. The store front’s high energy logo caught my eye (though I only now noticed looking back at the picture that the store is in need of some shingle repair).

I was not intending on eating sushi. I was really wanting to try to green tea noodle salad, thinking it would resemble the Burmese appetizer that I love. But alas, they didn’t have it. In fact, they have never had it. Way to tease me, guys! And then I found out that none of the other noodle dishes were available that day! I could have totally gone for the Citrus Sesame Noodle with green spinach noodles.

So sushi it was…

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Shiroi Hana is a Japanese restaurant conveniently located at 15th and Walnut and with a well rounded menu of teriyaki, sushi, udon, tempura, and katsu.  Also on the lunch menu are a few bento box options. Bento boxes are awesome because you get several different snacks at once and they are designed to be easily taken back to the office or school.  And I don’t know why, but having different compartments makes me feel like a kid again. You definitely get that “lunch box envy” from everyone around you.

Hey, hey you, I see you over my shoulder peeking at what I got going on in here! It looks better than your pb &j, doesn’t it?

It’s been a while since I had any pork katsu (breaded and fried sliced pork), so I chose that for my bento. ($10)

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I was more excited by the news of the opening of Maru Global than any other restaurant opening this winter; the prospect of fresh takoyaki in Center City made me squeal with joy.  The fried, octopus dough balls are one of my favorite foods. Since its shaky opening (they were open, then they weren’t, then they still weren’t…) the small establishment has been evolving and attempting to work out the kinks.

Inside, Maru has a few small tables, an open kitchen, and a selection of Japanese candy and drinks to go along with the Japanese menu. Just don’t expect any sushi. Fun, Japanese street food is served, with an emphasis on local and organic ingredients and a playful take on fusion flavors. Maru is also able to make accommodations for vegan diets and food allergies.

Surprisingly it was not the takoyaki that I was most taken with, it was actually the Curry Burrito Bento.

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