Midtown Lunch

A year ago, my roommate and partner in crime returned to her homeland of Hawaii. I miss that tiny girl a whole lot. While we lived together she would sometimes bring home vacuum sealed Hawaiian delicacies, which I had previously only known about to the extent of what I learned on the finale of Top Chef Season 2. Now I am on my own in seeking out poi, which I actually enjoy, and kalua pork. Thus, I was excited when the Poi Dog cart opened. Its a tiny, roaming cart, bringing big Hawiaan plates to Philly.

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• A killer kale salad at Strangelove [Two Eat Philly]
• Finally, a solid lunch options by the Art Museum [Zagat]
• 10 food trucks to seek out [City Eats]
• $3 corner store cheesesteaks are something we should start considering [Foobooz]

Today, Luncher John is trying out the bakery that replaced the failed chocolate shops on Walnut Street

Is it possible to somehow eat lunch at one of the city’s best pastry shops while just happening to taste some of its sweets? I’m pleased to report that the answer is yes. Potito’s Bakery, located on Ritner Street in South Philly, has received much acclaim for its cannolis, cakes, and other baked goods. Earlier this spring, Potito’s opened up a downtown shop at the corner of Juniper and Walnut. In addition to finding most of the same sweets and other treats as the original bakery, you may even be able to satiate your lunch appetite.

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Miles Table opened a few months ago on 16th and South, with the goal of being accepted as a neighborhood spot with its self proclaimed “where the neighborhood eats” slogan.

As for the menu, you are looking at  breakfast served all day, sandwiches, salads, pizza. Recently, Foobooz spread the word that on Wednesdays, Miles does a 1/2 off burger deal. Seemed like the right incentive  to get me over there.  Order at the counter and your meal is brought to you. Outdoor seating is available and it is BYOB.

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It isn’t easy to keep up with the line up at the Bellevue’s basement food court. They go through new restaurants like my sister goes through boyfriends, meaning the turnaround is real quick.

Fresco Tortilla replaced the corner spot occupied by Maui Dog’s. It features reasonably priced, semi-Americanized Mexican food- which is not necessarily a bad thing. The counter service is friendly and speedy. The menu features the usual suspects.

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Photo Courtesy of Thrillist 

• The first reports of Luke’s Lobster are… good, duh [Foobooz]
• Some of the snacks at Morgan’s Pier are too small, but the burger is great [Philly Phoodie]
• Shank’s cheesesteak is better than its chicken cutlet Italiano [22 and Philly]
• Adam Erace tasts most of the menu at Bru and likes most of it [City Paper]
• Taco Mondo is serving some photogenic locally sourced tacos [Thrillist]

My mouth dropped open while passing through Philly’s Chinatown on the bus coming home from NYC this weekend when I saw a sign for a new restaurant- Xi’an Famous Food.

The bad news first, Xi’an occupies 902 Arch Street, meaning Szechuan Tasty House, one of the better restaurants in Chinatown, is no longer.

The good news- Xi’an food, cuisine from one of the oldest cities in China, is amazing and unique. I was first exposed to it in 2009 in my favorite dingy food court basement, Flushing’s Golden Mall, at  NY’s now famous Xi’an Famous Foods. In the past few years the public has caught on, demanding for more access to the slippery noodles and cumin lamb burgers and resulting in 4 more outposts around the boroughs. Most recently, the original Midtown Lunch was lucky enough to get a Xi’an within its boundaries.

As for Philly, Happy Noodle Bar made some attempts at Xi’an food, but it wasn’t quite right.

So, I had to resort to repeatedly transporting noodles over state lines. Until now.

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