Midtown Lunch

The two food related areas I tend to be most snobbish about are probably pickles and dim sum. Dim sum is a great time for a group meal; tons of variety on little plate served to you by ladies with varying degrees of English proficiency is much more exciting than just ordering something from a menu.  The Notorious MSG agrees. I remember always insisting on sitting by the aisle as a child so I could pick out the dishes I had to have.  

I was hesitant about dim sum in Philly, I have had the top notch goods in NY. Several months ago I tried the dim sum at Ocean City and was very disappointed. But when a few of my girls were in the mood for dim sum, I figured  I would give Ocean City another chance. 

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I checked out the soft opening of Ramen Boy this weekend, and though you can’t eat there today (closed Mondays) I am hoping my thoughts can help you decide whether you want to rush out there tomorrow.

Photo courtesy of Philly Phoodie

The opening of Ramen Boy is kind of a big deal because Philly and ramen are not that well acquainted. The brand new space is small and decorated to look authentically Japanese. Seats are backless but have a little shelf for your belongings underneath. For now, it is BYO.  The menu is small; 4 ramens, gyozas and a handful of other appetizers, 2 rice platters, and dessert.

When the owners of Yakitori Boy announced that they would be opening a ramen restaurant, I thought I would get a preview by trying the ramen already found on Yakitori Boy’s menu.

After the jump; Yakitori Boy’s ramen vs. Ramen Boy’s ramen… is the ramen- focused restaurant’s version superior?

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Earlier this month Sammy Chon’s Korean Restaurant opened up a Philadelphia branch in Chinatown. The opening brought  much excitement to lovers of the Koagie (spicy meat sandwich), Korean fried chicken, and Korean barbeque. To make matters better, affordable lunch specials are available during the week until 3:00, which is huge because Korean bbq can sometimes be a little pricey.

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Empress Garden is one of my favorite spots in Chinatown. The pork chops in particular are a dish I always recommend to people looking for suggestions in that area of the city. A few months ago the restaurant was slightly renovated, making it more inviting, and the menu changed a bit. Luckily my favorites are still available.  One new dish is called a meatball dumpling or Taiwanese meatball.

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I’ve passed by Wong Wong a million times without thinking much about it. I needed a quick lunch in Chinatown and wanted to go somewhere I have never been before. Wong Wong advertised lunch specials, so I went in.

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It is a fairly often occurrence that I realize I need a fast and moderately healthy lunch. Vietnamese food can usually get that job done.  On 11th St, Vietnam Palace and Vietnam Restaurant across from each other, leaving you with a serious decision (snd I would love to know which you prefer). However, this lunch time decision was made up for me, only Vietnam Palace was open.  The menu is pretty affordable and the small lunch menu is a list of things from the regular menu, only cheaper. I was going to go with the grilled pork over vermicelli for $6 but was told that taking it to go during lunch resulted in  a surcharge. When I asked how much that surcharge would be I was told it might be about a dollar. That seemed annoyingly random and I thought “screw that.” Instead, for $9, I got the fully loaded bún. I think my math makes sense.

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