Spicy Scallop Sushi at Numa
To be honest, it was the modern typography on the Numa sign that drew me in when I desperately needed a fast snack. Because it is right off Rittenhouse, prices were not great. I had to just go with a single roll.
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Lil Dan’s Grills Up Big Flavors
This week, Luncher John tries 3 sandwiches from Lil Dan’s truck. Lil Dan is one of the competitors in tonight’s food truck cheesesteak battle at Yards Brewery in conjunction with the John T Edge cookbook event!
Compared to other food trucks, Lil Dan’s Gourmet Truck looks rather plain and nondescript. It’s simply a white trailer with two boards listing its menus. Even the truck’s name is only noted on the top of the menu boards in relatively small print. Then again, it would be a mistake to judge it by its appearance. (Ed. Note- Dan is in the process of getting a fancy wrap to up the pizzaz)
Lil Dan’s, which parks at LOVE Park two to three times a week, serves up some complex and tasty sandwiches to sizable lunchtime crowds. In addition to standard grill fare of breakfast sandwiches, burgers, steak sandwiches and fries, Lil Dan’s also offers ten different gourmet sandwiches and rotating daily specials. The sandwiches are also very reasonably priced at between $5.50-7.50, and the staff is extremely considerate.
Today’s Food Happenings
- Shake Shack is opening at 11am at 2000 Sansom St!
- From 6:30 to 9:30 food writer John T Edge will be having a little fiesta for his Truck Food Cookbook at Yards Brewery. There will be a cheesesteak competition between 2 local food trucks (Lil Dan’s and Spot). Cheesesteaks will be $5 and Yards Brawlers are $4
- And Center City Sips begins today to wash it all down
A Farewell Lunch Cheered Up By Mercato’s Lobster Pyramid Pasta
While deciding where to take my roommate for her final lunch in Philly before moving back to Hawaii, we remembered that Mercato recently started lunch service. The promise of fancy pasta, outdoor seating, and the BYO policy was too good to resist and certainly worth the few dollars more per dish than the typical Midtown Lunch. With 235 reviews on Yelp, Mercato is a popular dinner spot. Reservations are only taken for early bird seating so the wait can sometimes be painful. This makes lunch the perfect time to go.
Lunch Links (The “Don’t Make My Shake Shack Wait Longer” Edition)
Photo Courtesy of Philly Phoodie
- Get ready friends, Shake Shack opens next week. Actually, no it doesn’t…. ignore that, forget you know. I don’t want to wait in a longer line [Foobooz]
- Rittenhouse Tavern has opened for lunch with $15 burgers and $20 salads [Meal Ticket]
- Cheap Date Philly has an awesome round up of summer festivals [Cheap Date Philadelphia]
- Quince offers great baguette sandwiches and stuffed grape leaves [Philly Phoodie]
Capriccio Brings French Café Experience to the Parkway
This week, Luncher John is trying Capriccio’s sandwiches.
The Benjamin Franklin Parkway runs about a mile long and was designed to be Philadelphia’s own version of the Champs-Élysées. Anyone who has ever been to Paris can confirm the Parkway is not quite like the original. For one, the Champs-Élysées is lined with cafés, restaurants, and shops. Meanwhile, our Parkway features a stretch of museums and apartment buildings but is largely bereft of restaurants and food establishments.
One notable exception is the Capriccio at Café Cret, which opened up on the island plot bordered by 16th Street, Cherry Street, and the Parkway. Since 2008, Capriccio has infused a much needed lunch alternative on the Parkway to the Subway and T.G.I. Fridays, which were among the few other options, a couple of blocks away. It turns out that Capriccio offers some pretty sensible breakfast and lunch offerings.
