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 Becca, a “pastry bitch”, who is looking for a partner in dim sum crime.

Name: Becca

Age: 24

Occupation: Pastry Cook

Where in Philly do you Work?: I’m the assistant pastry chef at a place in Old City, and the PM pastry cook at a restaurant in Center City East. I am a work machine.

Favorite Kind of Food: Burgers, big sandwiches, runny cheeses, Chinese, Spanish, Middle Eastern, anything you can eat with a beer in the other hand, soups and stews, pizza when it’s decent, root beer floats. I’m a snob about good bread. I’ll do just about anything for a good bowl of noodle soup or an open-faced turkey sandwich. If I’m free, I’ll never turn down a brunch offer, because I love fried eggs and cheap champagne based cocktails.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Squishy gelatinous stuff, cilantro, eggplant, anything too custard-y like creme brulee. I hate cupcakes too but I think it’s just because they’re trendy in a bad way.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: Sang Kee Peking Duck House on 9th and Vine for the noodle soups and “blank” over rice platters; either Mama’s or Maoz for falafel; Tin Wong for noodles and soup; Joy Tsin Lau for dim sum–the dumplings and fried shrimp are amazing when you’re hungover; La Lupe in South Philly for green chili chicken tamales and tacos carnitas, or Taqueria Veracruzana (8th and Washington, I think) also for pork tacos; Moriarty’s for wings, beer, and burgers; Jake’s Sandwich Board for the roast pork sandwich; I like that kosher style deli on 19th and Sansom–Rachael’s Nosherei? I was a regular at Darling’s Diner in NoLibs at the Piazza for about a year, and almost always had the BLT or roast turkey plate. I just found out about Han Dynasty in Old City and their banquets and I’m about to go for the second time.
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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 Kaitlin, whose least favorite foods happen to be my favorites!

Name: Kaitlin

Age: 24

Occupation: Equity Research

Where in Philly do you Work?: Financial Row/District

Favorite Kind of Food: Anything with pumpkin/squash, cheese, or mushrooms in it. I’m on a rice-based dish kick right now so I’m eating entirely too much Afghan, Mexican, and Thai food (if that’s possible).

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Pickles and the vast majority of pork products (I’m working on this…)

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: I’m a huge fan of Thai Singha’s lunch special: 2 dishes from the “hot line” for $6, Mama’s Vegetarian’s falafels, and Vic Sushi’s lunch special: 3 rolls for $10.95. When I can, I head over to Reading Terminal for Beck’s, Nanee’s Kitchen, Kamal’s or honestly any other place in there.

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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 Wayles, who knows a thing or two about University City eating.

Name: Wayles

Age: 29 1/4

Occupation: Education

Where in Philly do you Work?: Well, I currently work on N. Broad, but only for a few weeks. Since I worked in University City for almost 5 years, I like to still dream about my UCity lunches.

Favorite Kind of Food: I have a very healthy appetite. I like it all, especially the things I can’t make myself. Even though I love to cook, I enjoy the treat of having someone else do it. So, bottom line, I like food.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Eggplant, broccoli rabe, and anything resembling a licorice taste.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: I’m going to focus on UCity, because I can’t stop thinking about it!

I’m a big fan of lunch meal deals, and I’m sure it has something to do with my oversized appetite. This trend will be evident in my list of hot spots in UCity. The first I have to mention is Lemon Grass Thai Restaurant (3626-30 Lancaster Ave). They have an $8.95 lunch special that includes 3 courses. Anymore, I opt for the Golden Rings (calamari), Lemongrass soup (a nice chicken soup with a zip), and Evil Jungle Princess, without tofu. Also, they have an extensive vegetarian menu that almost mirrors the meat-infused menu. I will warn you, the service is always a little borderline rude, and certainly don’t think about arriving close to 2pm, as that is when they promptly close (if not a moment sooner)!

But wait, much more UCity suggestions after the jump…

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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 Zoe, a counselor who loves cheese and sandwiches- I am with you there, girl!

Name: Zoe

Age: 29

Occupation: High School Counselor (and newbie blogger with Row Home Eats)

Where in Philly do you Work?: 22nd & Arch

Favorite Kind of Food: Cuisines–probably Italian and Vietnamese. Food items (i.e. my death row meal) are baked macaroni and cheese, Uncle Tomy’s curly cheese fries, cheesesteak hoagies from Tony Luke’s, fettucini alfredo, Wawa hoagies and lobster tail. I would be very, very full. I’m also, apparently, a fan of cheese.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Bananas and raisins.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: Brisket sandwich with cheese and rabe from DiNic’s in the Reading Terminal. I used to be a vegetarian and they would make veggie sandwiches for me with cheese, roasted peppers and greens. I slowly transitioned to eating meat with their roast beef and brisket sandwiches. Now I’m a full-fledged omnivore and there’s absolutely nothing I like better than this sandwich, with extra gravy. YUM! They put a lot of care into their food preparation and truly value the process as well as the end result. And if you go when they’re not too busy (which has become increasingly difficult,) your sandwich comes with a side of conversation from one of the owners or a guy sitting next to you at the counter.

Because the Reading Terminal is a little too far from work, I usually get the turkey diablo with pickles from Primo Hoagies when I’m in the mood for a sandwich. The sliced turkey breast is paired with peppery cheese and a secret spice blend, which are all balanced nicely by the crunch of the pickles and the chewy seeded roll. Besides, I feel kind of racy ordering something called the “diablo.”

I also enjoy Vietnam Restaurant, although I do not get to lunch there as often as I would like. Their vermicelli dishes are outstanding and service is quick and friendly. I always try to order something different when I go, but their vermicelli is so darn good that it’s hard to veer away. At least I’ll switch up the topping from grilled chicken to steak to squid, depending on the day. I’ll usually add an order of vegetarian summer rolls because I’m piggy like that. At least they’re not fried!

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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 Shao from FriedWontons4u.

Name: Shao

Age: I need to be wined and dined with a box of Popeyes fried chicken before giving that answer up.

Occupation: Food blogger on most days. Unemployed Mondays through Fridays.

Where in Philly do you Work?: Currently I’m living near Center City.

Favorite Kind of Food: Seafood! Oysters, sea urchin, geoduck, salmon – if it’s living underwater, it’s going in my tummy.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: There really isn’t one food that I hate, but if drinks could be consider my answer would root beer. I know some people are passionate about it, I just can’t stand it.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: Tampopo on 21st street between Chestnut and Samson. I always get the Fresh Tuna Bibimbap with brown rice and extra avocado. It’s served with a spicy gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) dressing and it is the perfect light lunch. I use to always ordered Gyutan-don (thinly sliced pieces of grilled beef tongue served with rice), but they took that off the menu a few years ago. Please bring it back!

Congee with meat ball, calf liver, pork belly, and ginger from Ting Wong (10th street) in Chinatown. I always crave this during the cold winter months. Thank goodness it’s only a few blocks from where I live.

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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 Devon, a marketer who isn’t afraid to resort to Disney World to fulfill her global tastes.

Name: Devon

Age: 30

Occupation: Marketer

Where in Philly do you Work?: shareURmeal.com and GoBYO.com (17th and the Parkway or Cherry Hill, NJ)

Favorite Kind of Food: I’ve thought about listing Mexican food here – I love nachos, burritos, chili con queso from The Mexican Food Factory (601 W Rte 70 
Marlton, NJ). I also have a 25-year love affair with Benihana (5255 Marlton Pike, Pennsauken, NJ) – chicken fried rice, ginger dressing, and beef teriyaki. Family food during Thanksgiving (Mom’s house) is also a contender – candied sweet potatoes, turkey with cornbread stuffing… Oh, and my husband’s family makes the greatest 7 fish dinner for Christmas (Nanny’s house) – fried smelts, yes smelts, are actually very tasty…but my favorite food is a good garlic kosher pickle. Actually most pickled items will do – tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and cabbage.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Giant raw clams – I will enjoy small raw clams and giant cooked clams though.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: Mexican Post (16th and Cherry Streets – where I met my husband),  for gazpacho and beef burrito. Giwa (1608 Sansom St), for the sizzling rice bowl with chicken. Mamma Palma’s (2229 Spruce St), for any pizza they put in front of me – I can almost smell it right now just typing about the pizza. And Tampopo (104 south 21st Street), for Bi Bim Bob.

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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 Jimmy, a handsome Texas native who likes his tacos in the morning.

Name: Jimmy Pickles

Age: 24

Occupation: Student / Resident Caretaker of 4 grown ass men

Where in Philly do you Work?: 15th and Chestnut

Favorite Kind of Food: Mexican is my favorite kind of food, not only because it’s simple and delicious, and the focus is on fresh ingredients, but also because no matter what you get, it goes well with alcohol. It also reminds me of home (Austin, TX). There may be nothing in the world more perfect than fajitas and ritas in the sun. Oh, and breakfast tacos. I realize that no one reading this knows what I’m talking about, so ask a friend from the South- breakfast tacos change lives.

Beyond that, anything cooked by my mom, anything with too much fat, anything that costs nothing, and anything involving the elements of “pork” and “bun”.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Ooo. Soup (yes I’m serious, and no, I won’t explain myself). Also, Indian food- I can’t stand overwhelmingly vegetarian fare and I’ve never met a curry chicken that wasn’t at least 80% dried out. Also, pears. Because they taste like sand.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: This is Philly, so I feel the need to say that you can find the best cheesesteaks in this beautiful city at Dalessandro’s in Roxborough. Go try one and end the debate for yourself.

Jake’s Sandwich Board (12th and Sansom) is one of my favorites, basically anything you order is amazing. And the staff is knowledgeable and competent and there’s usually an owner around, which are big plusses for me. You can never go wrong at Reading Terminal, and if you go between Tuesday and Saturday, there’s a Dutch Amish diner place (I think it’s called Hatville Farms) that has a completley ridiculous turkey and gravy sandwich. And it kills me to say this, but I really do like the pizza at Zavino (13th and Sansom) even though it’s overpriced and the staff all graduated early because they were too cool for school.

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