Midtown Lunch

Passover is over and its time to carb up. I am incorporating something breadlike into every meal this week. Pizzeria Vetri opened its 2nd Philly location on Chancellor Street last summer. On my first visit to the original, Art Museum location, I liked the prosciutto slice of the day but was not overwhelmed with joy over the Margherita pie.  The menu is the same at both locations (and the one in Austin, TX) and I returned to try a different carb pie.

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Thanks to Double Knot for inviting me to try the new lunch menu! 

I am normally exponentially more excited to try the food of a new restaurant than I am to see the designed space. But for Double Knot, Michael Schulson’s latest addition to 13th Street (with a passageway in to Sampan), I was really excited about both. Teaser pictures and the multi uses of the bi level space, complete with subterranean sushi bar and robatayaki grill, had me needing to see it for myself.  (Sidenote: how did I not know this spot was formerly a gay “movie” house?)

Here is the deal, in the morning, as early as 7am, you can enjoy coffee and pastries at the bar or 2 tops, along side the carefully curated shelves of knick knacks and wooden accents. Happy Hour begins at that same space at 4pm with just a sample of the food offered downstairs. After 5pm, you can head down the stairs for a loooong menu of skewers and sushi. But for lunch (and that’s 10pm-3pm), the menu is pleasantly streamlined: pick a protein (steak, shrimp, pork, chicken, tofu, meatball) and what form you would like it in (salad, banh mi, rice, noodles) in exchange for $7.

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Thanks for being patient with me in 2016. I plan to continue to tantalize you with suggestions on where to spend your hard earned dollars around the city!

I wanted to look back at 2015, to see which meals were the most tantalizing according to you (or the folks who follow me on instagram)! It’s always good to have a refresher.  As expected, my top 9 photos of 2015 were mostly food related:

Branzino at A. Bar

Beef Stew at Viet Huong

H Mart Jjigae

Khachapuri

Pork Belly Banh Mi

Duck Poutine

My favorite food memory out of this group may have been the khachapuri, just because I was so excited to try Georgian food. Which is your favorite?

Underdogs has been going strong on 17th Street for a few years now. Back in 2012, Luncher John loved the beef chili covered “Michigan” dog. I have a deep love for hot dogs, but try not to eat them too often. Things have been hectic at work, and I decided a comforting hot dog was something I deserved.  To make it more comforting, why not pair it with toppings from a classic elementary school sandwich and everyone’s favorite breakfast side dish.

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We all need a quick lunch to grab and go once in a while. But I still won’t sacrifice my stomach room for something boring. The Di Bruno Bros Suburban Station has a heated rack with rotisserie chicken and hot meals that make lunch on the go fairly easy. For example, the chicken pot pie muffin was calling my name.

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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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In 2012, Luncher John reported on the newly opened honeygrow and was relatively satisfied by the noodles and fruit bowls, but not enthused about the lines. While the crowds seem to still favor Honeygrow, they are a bit more manageable now, which meant it was finally time for me to check it out. I have passed by countless times, smelling good things, but being skeptical of the concept.

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