Midtown Lunch

As is customary at Philly Lunch, every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Philadelphia. This week, it’s Brad, who is seeking spicy food to put in his mouth when he isn’t fixing the mouths of others.

Name: Brad

Age: 28

Occupation: Orthodontist

Where in Philly do you Work?: Harleysville at the present time. My lunch advice comes from the 6.25 years I spent at Penn and Temple.

Favorite Kind of Food: Thai

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Flan

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: It is absolutely impossible to go wrong with the Village Whiskey (118 S 20th St) burger. After extensive sampling of nearly every burger in this city, I have deemed this one to be my favorite.

If you live in Philadelphia and haven’t been to Han Dynasty (108 Chestnut St) yet, you have made a terrible mistake. Here’s what you are going to do: Take a party of 3 for lunch to Han Dynasty. Order the spicy cucumber and Dan Dan noodle appetizers. Order the three cup chicken as a main course. You will all share these three items. Pay the bill. Enjoy your newly fulfilled life.

Paesano’s II (901 Christian St) has, all-around, the greatest sandwiches in Philly. The Paesano and Gustaio sandwiches are to die for…well, maybe not to DIE for. That is a little extreme. They are definitely worth going far out of your way for, though.
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As is customary at Philly Lunch, every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Philadelphia. This week, it’s Lauren, a student just dreaming about  good bagels.

Name: Lauren

Age: 21

Occupation: Student at Penn, soon to be marketer at Kraft Foods

Where in Philly do you Work?: University City

Favorite Kind of Food:I’m open to trying anything at least once. My favorite foods are probably Italian or Greek. Like Aubre, I also have a weakness for carbs.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I’m not very picky, but I don’t like scallops, coconut, or capers.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: Sakura Mandarin: Their soup dumplings are great. Honest Tom’s: It’s a bit of a hike if I’m going between classes, but it’s well worth it for their sweet potato tacos. 500 Degrees and Square Burger: I love burgers and these are my favorite quick places for lunch. I used to intern across the street from Franklin Square so I found myself going there a lot. It’s also a great place to take visitors from out of town. Pod: A bit more pricey than most Midtown Lunch spots, but I find that the Kaiseki Express or a big bowl of soup is a pretty good value.
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As is customary at Philly Lunch, every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Philadelphia. This week, it’s Julia, who loves seafood and Peeps.

Name: Julia

Age: 28

Occupation: Project Associate, The Food Trust

Where in Philly do you Work?: 16th & JFK

Favorite Kind of Food: I spent 3 years living in Asia, where I developed a penchant for the regional cuisines. I often crave a slurp-worthy bowl of noodle soup (namely ramen, pho, and Chinese la mian), juicy soup dumplings, or just a really good bowl of rice (I know, it sounds odd, but so true). There’s nothing quite comparable to the taste of perfectly sliced tuna belly or fresh-from-the-sea uni or oysters. I also studied abroad in France, so get quite excited about a fresh baguette and stinky cheese.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Even just slightly mushy fruit, e.g the mealiness around the seeds in an overripe watermelon. I also snobbishly detest most processed food, particularly American cheese and bologna. The only exception: Peeps, which are totally awesome.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: Su Xing House (1508 Sansom): one of the best lunch deals around: you get a soup, entree, and side dish from $6-8. My favorites are the lotus root/peanut soup, Dried Bamboo Shoot with Chinese Celery, and “As-You-Wish”
Nam son (16th and Washington): I have been known to transport pho broth and all of the fixings on my bicycle to bring back to my office. They also have delicious pre-made bun, banh mi, and other rice lunch boxes which are faster and much more portable.
Cafe Lutecia (2301 Lombard): I almost always get the soup/quiche combination ($8.00). All homemade (people swear by their tomato bisque) and incredibly delicious. University City food trucks: Magic Carpet, Mexicali, wow I really miss these.

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As is customary at Philly Lunch, every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Philadelphia. This week, it’s Mike, a spice loving accountant.

Name: Mike

Age: 23

Occupation: Accountant

Where in Philly do you Work?: North American Building (Broad and Sansom)

Favorite Kind of Food: I generally am a fan of spicy dishes, as long as you can still taste flavors (Mexican and/or Thai.) I love the tapas idea. It allows you to try multiple dishes on a menu instead of just one (two if you have a dining partner willing to share). I’m a sucker for dishes I’ve never tried before as well.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Purple food (Turnips, Eggplant, Red Grapes, etc.) Food should not be purple, it’s not normal.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: The Palace at the Ben (834 Chestnut) is a great option for Indian. They do a buffet spread with 8-9 options for $9.95 that is constantly changing. Garces Trading Company (1111 Locust) is a great spot if you can get someone to split a sandwich and a salad with you. There really isn’t a bad option on the menu. Mexico on the Square (1511 Pine) is a great alternative to Chipotle or Qdoba, for a little south of the border kick, and you get way more (authentic) bang for your buck. The chorizo sope ($4.50) is a lunch in itself and won’t hurt your wallet. If you can’t get to 15th and Pine, try out Santa Fe Burrito (212 S. 11th St.) They offer 17 burritos ranging from veggie to traditional to “ultimate”. Great place if you have a lighter eater with you, as they offer a mini sized burrito for $4.95. Thai Chef Noodle Fusion (2028 Chestnut) does a great 3 course lunch deal for $8.95 that won’t leave you fighting to stay awake for the rest of the day. The Kibitz Room (1521 Locust) is a great place to get a sandwich! They run a little high (Corned Beed Special Wrap @ $10.50) but they easily give you enough food for 2 lunches. [Ed. Note- this is now Schlesinger’s] Pita Pit (1601 Sanson) is a steal on the first Thursday of the month, when they offer a coupon on their website for 50% off any pita.

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As is customary at Philly Lunch, every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Philadelphia. This week, it’s Aubre, who will glady let you eat the foie gras off her plate.

Name: Aubre

Age: 24

Occupation: Coordinator at U Penn

Where in Philly do you Work?: University of Pennsylvania

Favorite Kind of Food: Generally any kind of carb that has cheese incorporated. That being said—sandwiches, bagels, pizza and pasta are some of my biggest weaknesses. I could eat an everything bagel with veggie cream cheese every single day, for the rest of my life, and die a very happy, very fat woman. I love falafel, any kind of curry, Thai and Japanese noodle dishes, SUSHI, burritos, cheeseburgers and hot dogs. I also passionately love brunch. Idea for you—Midtown Brunch. Let it marinate.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Foie gras. 1 out of every 3 times I tell someone this, they’re all “Oooh no, you just haven’t had the right foie gras. There’s NO way you could just outright hate it.” Actually, I could. And I do. No arguments!

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: Since I started working at Penn, it’s been the Magic Carpet truck (corner of Walnut and 34th & another back on Sansom and 36th) . Favorites are the falafel pita sandwich with a side of grape leaves or the Greek salad with falafel on top. Everything here is delicious and fresh and I LOVE their hot sauce and balsamic dressing.

Hummus on 39th and Walnut. A little on the pricey side but portions here are huge. Their shawarma is fantastic and they have a great Greek salad with falafel on top. Their pitas are delicious as well. A little spongy and doughy—perfect for dipping.

The burritos at the Tacos Don Memo truck, on 38th btw Walnut and Chestnut, are amazing. These are tough at lunch time though, because afterwards I feel like I’ve been shot with a tranquilizer dart and have trouble finishing my work for the day.

The lunch combo specials at Sang Kee, on 36th and Chestnut, are another great option in my area. Slightly pricey by ML standards, but a TON of food. Even enough to bring the rest home for dinner. I usually go with the steamed dumplings, beef with eggplant in garlic sauce and brown rice. Their chicken with string beans is excellent, too– one of my favorites in the city. ($9.50 including a drink)

Lemongrass Thai on 36th and Lancaster does a great lunch special. Tulip dumplings, Lemongrass soup & either the Royal Noodles or the Panang Curry. They have a lot of vegetarian options as well. ($8.95)

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As is customary at Philly Lunch, every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Philadelphia. This week, it’s Morgan, a biologist who is seeking out raw meat. If a biologist says its ok to eat, it must be, right?

Name: Morgan

Age: 26

Occupation: Biologist

Where in Philly do you Work?: 11th and Walnut (TJU)

Favorite Kind of Food: I love shwarma, cheeseburgers, sashimi or chirashizushi, tacos in flour tortillas, tortas, comfort food Americana, and anything chargrilled or fried.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I’m on the anti-cilantro side of the gene pool (it actually is genetic). I’m also not a fan of green bell peppers. Oh, and I HATE the idea of fruit with meat. Mango salsa is the bane of my existence.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: When I worked at Penn I would hike all the way to Saad’s Middle Eastern (4500 Walnut)  for a lamb shwarma sandwich with extra garlic sauce. It’s dreamy! These days I am a big fan of the Philly Wasabi at Jake’s Sandwich Board. I keep wanting to explore their menu a little more, but that sandwich is irresistible to me. I also really like Mumbai Bistro for quick and reliable Indian take-out. I used to really like the Tampopo on 8th street for the Fresh Bibimbap before they shut down. Rice and veggies covered in cubes of raw tuna and drizzled with sweet and spicy sauce, it is a dish I still crave on a regular basis. I walk over to Five Guys for my burger fix. Luckily a new location is opening less than a block from my job! Also, the burger at El Vez is amazing! It is only on the lunch menu and saves me from the sub-par (in my opinion) Mexican fusion when my coworkers insist on eating here.

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As is customary at Philly Lunch, every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Philadelphia. This week, it’s Stephanie a producer who isn’t afraid to order pho with the works.

Name: Stephanie

Age: 26

Occupation: Producer for SnapGlow.tv via Philly.com

Where in Philly do you Work?: Itinerant around Center City

Favorite Kind of Food: Japanese

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Jolly Ranchers. (They make my teeth hurt.)

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: Jay’s Favorite Sushi Bar at 15th and Samson is one of the best Japanese spots in the city. While their fish selection rarely deviates from the standard selection, Jay’s consistently guarantees freshness. The price range of their menu “specials” are also quite impressive, offering two rolls for $7.95, six piece of sashimi for $8.50, or three rolls for $10.25. I usually sit at the sushi bar and have the chef put together what he deems freshest, while enjoying a warm cup of green tea. Easy breezy perfection.

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