A few years ago, Luncher Nick told us about his superior parking lot lunch from Koreana (he had the bibimbap and jabchae). I visited for my first time and tried some of the other items from their fast- food- meets- traditional Korean menu.
Posted at 12:53 pm, April 2nd, 2014 under chicken, Korean, soup, University City.
Last week I was traveling in China; seeing the sites and eating the eats. Snacking all day long at little local spots was the main reason, despite MANY stressful moments, that we were glad we did not go with a tour group. Here are some highlights:
Beijing
Shabu Shabu, the dining experience that required diners to dip raw food into broth until cooked to the desired temperature, is popular in other major cities but has not yet made it big in Philly. There are a handful of Chinatown restaurants who offer hot pot and shabu shabu on the menu, but month-old Simply Shabu, is the first to offer only this high heat meal.
Devon & Blakely opened in the Spring of 2013, bringing another mostly generic lunch option to city workers. Expect soups, salads, sandwiches that cost about $2 more than they should due to the location and convenience. While I take my lunches seriously, every once in a while convenience is the priority.
Posted at 12:54 pm, January 22nd, 2014 under Center City, salad, soup.
Caribbean Feast Restaurant is up by the Temple Hospital area, mostly a culinary dead zone. It was the wafting smell of jerk meat from the outdoor BBQ that drew us in. We found out they specialize in Jamaican food and do not use any pork products. Inside, take out and sit down are available in an odd triangle shaped space that they dressed up with fish tanks, random sideways palm trees, and banquet hall-esque tablescapes. Those jerk smells and island tunes pumping through the speakers set the mood for some Caribbean feasting.
Posted at 2:04 pm, December 12th, 2013 under Carribean, chicken, North Philly, soup, Temple.
Two weeks ago, Dream Mexican Grill opened on Walnut Street where the San Samosa Indian buffet had reigned for at least as long as I’ve been in Philly. Not much has been done with the interior so far and the outdoor seating won’t be useful for many months. Dream is open daily for lunch and dinner with a Mexican and Caribbean menu. For lunch, you can order a la carte or choose 3 (an entree plus two out of the soup, salad, dessert choices) for $9.99
I don’t really love that they named their restaurant Soup Kitchen Cafe. To me, this name for-profit cafe it seems to be making light of the locations that provide desperately needed food to hungry people who can’t afford it. I get that soup is a big draw here, but you could incorporate “soup” in to your name so many other creative ways right?
I am going assume that was not their intention at all, and let it slide, especially since I was really happy with my lunch there. The owner seems like a nice guy. And its a good thing that Soup Kitchen Cafe is bringing comfort food to a developing part of Philly.
Posted at 12:20 pm, September 26th, 2013 under sandwiches, soup.
