Midtown Lunch

For a while now Uzbekistan has been my spot to trek to for my Uzebeki food cravings and yes I do often enough  have cravings that only Uzbeki food can satisfy. A while back Craig LaBan recommended Samarkand, a bit farther and fancier than Uzbekistan, but offering a very similar menu and comparably affordable prices.

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• Tomorrow is the Food Truck Round up at the Piazza with 8 food trucks, some free Spodee spiked bites to sample, an alcoholic gift bag raffle, Spodee cocktail specials, and a bar allowing food inside in case of bad weather [PMFA]
• Honest Tom’s rotates brisket and shrimp tacos on special [Meal Ticket]
• PYT is now serving a Han Dynasty pork belly burger [Foobooz]
• A list of local fish and chips [Zagat]

Located next to the Old City bars I tried to get into back when I was underage, Nick’s Roast Beef is actually a bar itself but, as the name indicates, a purveyor of sandwiches and other bar snacks and lunch basics. Not being the biggest lover of roast beef, I picked something similar that I figured Nick’s would also do right.

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Saigon Cuisine is the new Vietnamese spot in University City. Inside, though the decor is pretty sparse (let’s get some art up in there!), it is spacious and very clean.  Also worth noting, the service was friendly and the food was brought out fast. The menu has a whole range of meaty, veggy, and noodley options. I stuck with the basics to feel out the place since it was my first visit.

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Though we have been lacking volunteers lately, on certain Tuesdays 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 Kylie, a PR director who lunches in Old City.

Name: Kylie

Age: 29

Occupation: PR Director

Where in Philly do you Work?: Neff Associates in Old City

Favorite Kind of Food: Reigning from Australia, I am used to a lot of Asian influenced meals. Thai, Vietnamese, and Malaysian foods really do it for me.

Also, anything with avocado. Grilled avocado, salt , pepper and little lemon juice is the perfect lunch accompaniment.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Anything with mayonnaise on or in it. WTF America? Gross.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly:

Fork etc – Butternut Squash soup with a side of brussels sprouts
Generic Food Truck on 3rd & Chestnut – lamb gyro platter w/ extra tzatziki
Cafe Ole – the European grilled cheese
European Republic – the wrap, frites, and drink deal for $7
Khyber Pass Pub – Smoked Brisket and pinto bean chili

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• The gator gumbo impresses at Beck’s 30th St Station location [34th St]
• Neat, savory crepes are an “adventure for the taste buds” at Beau Monde [Philly Phoodie]
• Circles is debuting new Thai noodle soups [Foobooz]
• Tomorrow is the Philly Mobile Food Association’s Mobile food seminar [PMFA]
• On Tuesday, the prices for lunch at Day by Day is reduced to the 1981 prices for its anniversary [The Insider]

Today Luncher John forgets about calorie counting and checks out the fried fare at the new soul food spot in Reading Terminal

Last year’s demise of Delilah’s at Reading Terminal Market left a temporary void in soul food cuisine at the market. Fortunately for everyone, the KeVen Parker Soul Food Café now capably addresses the craving for good soul food. Opening up in January with a sleek, modern look in the exact same spot vacated by Delilah’s, the Soul Food Cafe takes up where its predecessor left off. KeVen Parker owns Ms. Tootsie’s on South Street, which is famed for its fried chicken, and he brings many of the same menu favorites to Reading Terminal.

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