Midtown Lunch

Sowe is a lovable neighborhood restaurant in Graduate Hospital. It is built for all occasions and cravings, they have lunch, brunch, dinner, happy hour, meat, vegan food, outdoor seating, and ice cream for dogs. Earlier this month, the chef updated the menu. I stopped for a leisurely lunch in the sun.

My order of “hoisin glazed crispy pork belly” yielded thick browned pork on a brioche. The marinade had a nice flavor however the belly should have been cooked a few hours longer to get the fatty half of each slice to melt. On top, the thin radish slices were a good earthy contrast to the sweet hoisin. No complaints about the fries and addictive spicy mayo that come with it (and the other sandwiches).

The SoWe burger is a half pound of Angus beef. Frequent orderers of this burger told me they found it to be overly charred on this occasion.

For dessert, you have to go with the dish that made it to television. SoWe’s bacon beignets were featured on Destination America’s US of Bacon. The warm beignets come upright with slices of crisp bacon in between, its arranged like the most delicious bouquet.The airy donuts are dusted in sugar and placed in a dish with a secret stash of caramel at the bottom to get all over your hands. Let’s all consider a donut and bacon bouquet to bring the host of our next dinner party.

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

• Bacon dessert
• Menu diverse enough to appeal to many people
• Friendly staff

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• Burger inconsistent
• Pork belly should be cooked longer

SoWe, 918 S 22nd St, 215 545 5790