Midtown Lunch

Truffle Fry photo courtesy of Nick Chen

• New Mexican spot Tres Jalepenos is serving up classics plus interesting dishes like chicken with pumpkin seeds [Meal Ticket]
• Foobooz gives up a run down of local Thanksgiving themed specials [Foobooz]
• A look at that Barbuzzo antipasto lunch deal mentioned in the links last week, the vegetarian version [Living on the Vedge]
• Congrats to our former University City contributor Nick, who is going to write about burgers for A Hamburger Today. First stop- 500 Burger [AHT Serious Eats]

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 Thad, who runs Philly Phoodie and may be our first anti-Pho profiled luncher.

Name: Thadeus

Age: 28

Occupation: 3rd year Law Student / Law Clerk

Where in Philly do you Work?: Market East

Favorite Kind of Food: Sandwiches (of any kind).

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Pho. That’s right, I said it. I have tried and tried again to like it, but I feel the hype is just that – hype! I am never craving a big bowl of broth.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: Where to start?

Han Dynasty (108 Chestnut St.) – The Dan Dan Noodles are absolutely
addictive. The Dry Fry Style pork belly is just ridiculous. Crispy, fatty, and
meltingly tender. Just be ready for the heat.

Jake’s Sandwich Board (122S. 12th St.) – Try everything. Seriously, I can’t even say what is the best. I have never had anything there I didn’t love. You can’t go wrong with the roast pork or the “Jake.”

Nan Zhou (927 Race St.) – The hand drawn noodles are on another level. I go for the noodles in pork soy sauce or noodles in peanut sauce. The noodles are certainly the star here, and those dishes are both under $4.

Falafel Nazi Food Cart (20th and Market) – Some days Christo’s there, some days he isn’t. You will most likely be lectured about how little you appreciate the effort he puts into his food. He only has chicken and falafel, sandwiches or platters. Just get one of the choices with both chicken and falafel and you will be on (a garlic-y) cloud nine. Seriously, it’s completely amazing, but you will smell like garlic for 2-3 days. Oh, and the prices change depending on his mood. $6- 10. Again, I am being serious.

I also have to give props to John’s Roast Pork for the cheesesteaks and roast pork (14 Snyder Ave), Shank’s Pier 40 for the chicken cutlets (try the marinara sauce) and cheesesteaks (Del Ave and Christian), Nick’s Roast Beef for the
roast beef sandwich and gravy fries (20th and Jackson) and Gooie Looie’s for an Italian hoagie that comes with three sandwiches’ worth of meat for $6 (Pennsport Mall). Also, P & S Ravioli for gourmet sandwiches like the spicy Italian and spicy Godfather (1722 Oregon), and D’ Alessandro’s for another high-end hoagie joint. These places keep the people of South Philly eating well.

Read more »

For guest appreciation day, you can get 50% off any dessert this Sunday at the 15th and Spruce location.

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 Tom who loves Italian food and has eaten sandwiches all over the city.

Name: Tom

Age: 26

Occupation: Grad Student and Law Clerk

Where in Philly do you Work?: School on North Broad, work in Center City

Favorite Kind of Food: Italian, all different kinds of sandwiches (Roast Pork, Roast Beef, Pulled Pork, Cheesesteak, Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak, Italian Hoagie, Sausage and Peppers, Meatball, Chicken Cutlet), Burgers, Pizza, BBQ, Mexican, Chinese, Greek

Least Favorite Kind of Food: carrots, celery, olives

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: (places and dishes): Everything at John’s Roast Pork (Weccacoe and Snyder) and Paesano’s (either location), DiNic’s (Reading Terminal) Tony Luke’s (Front and Oregon), and Jake’s Sandwich Board (12th and Sansom). Cheesesteaks at Chink’s and Steve’s in the Northeast and Geno’s.

Read more »

Shrimp Ceviche from Cantina Los Caballitos at the Night Market

• Chhaya’s chili, cheese, fried egg topped waffle looks like it works for breakfast or lunch [Mac&Cheese]
• Click through this slide show of 12 Philly food trucks, including Don Memo, Koja, La Dominque, and Buttercream [Phillymag]
• This thorough Philly burger list from uwishunu is awesome [uwishunu]
• Plus a look at the new La Frieda custom blend burger from Pub and Kitchen, that is if you have $18 to through around [Meal Ticket]

Didn’t get any profile volunteers this week, so you must all look at this very sad freshly shucked unaltered ear of corn.

I feel bad for you if you are stuck at work on this gorgeous day. At least treat yourself to an after work hot dog?