If your friend crew is active in the dating scene, maybe you have noticed this too- since opening only a few weeks ago, Mission Taqueria, has become THE PLACE for meeting dates. In fact, I have a taco obsessed gal pal who checked out Mission Taqueria with me its opening week and has since been back three times on dates. (You go, girl!) And it makes sense, while the food isn't perfect, the ambiance is fun and welcoming, the drinks are delicious, the staff is funny, and the dishes are easily sharable. Great guac (it better be at $12) and the crunchy chicharons are fun to munch on. Coctele de mariscos had fresh shrimp, squid, and clam but could have been punchier. Skirt steak tacos were just a
You can find the Rio Brazil truck in University City. And if you do find yourself at the Rio Brazil truck, you better be in the mood for meat. Eating lunch here is a less painful way to get your Fogo de Chao craving. Instead of stuffing your face and salt overdosing for $37, grab a $10 Brazilian style steak sandwich. Once you order from the limited menu, the steak or chicken finishes cooking over the fire on the truck. The ample portion of meat is impressive. Heaps of steak were served on a long roll with tomato and pineapple. It is intended to be simple, showcasing the charred steak along with a touch of sweetness. Here is an embarrassing true story about this sandwich: I was horsing aroun
The photos on the facade of La Parrillada Restaurante gave some indication of the delicacies inside, though it wasn't until we looked at the menu that we realized it was a Guatemalan restaurant. Sampling the Guatemalan appetizers we tried a pupusa revuelta, a fried taco, and something I have never heard of- the "pacayas forradas." The pupusa was fine, fairly standard, perhaps more bean heavy than I like. The fried taco, filled with steak and chorizo, was excellent. I think I am just going to come out and say that tacos are better when fried. Subsequent research taught me that pacayas are date palms and a Guatemalan food stable. This preparation had them battered and served with tomato sauce.
I've tried a lot of the offerings at Beck's Cajun Cafe in Reading Terminal- the gumbo, the muffaletta, the fried mac and cheese balls, the fried oyster po boy, the shrimp po boy, the etoufee, and on multiple occasions, the bread pudding with whiskey sauce. There was one sandwich on the menu that I knew I needed to save for a moment of ravenous hunger. The $9 trainwreck po boy comes with andouille sausage, chopped steak, salami, onions, melted cheese on a french baguette shmeared with spicy "creole" mayo. It's essentially a Philly cheesesteak with a few more kinds of meat and sauce. The trainwreck had me at hello, when I read the ingredients, and then again at the first waft of it's cooked b
A trip to North East Philly for Russian/Uzbeki food is one of my favorite Sunday afternoon activities. Recently, I checked out Oasis for the first time. I can't say its the most inviting restaurant. The windows are all blacked out and upon entering, you will find two more doors to choose from. Don't pick the wrong door, one leads to the dining room and one leads to another dimension where humans aren't top of the food chain, or maybe a coat closet, I forget which. Once seated though, our waitress was really friendly and attentive; likely enhanced by the fact that we were the only people inside since we were eating at an odd hour. The broth in the veggie, dill, meat, and noodle filled lagma
Here is a fact about me that all my friends know- I HATE Center City Sips. I hate it deeply. Little sweaty babies in their first suit their mom helped pick out or in heels only appropriate in NYC run rampant, making getting a drink at the bar a nightmare. Yes, naturally, the older I get, the more the hatred grows. But I do like a good deal and I do like a good happy hour. Old City launched Old City Eats in June. Over 30 restaurants will be offering two or more half-priced appetizers and at least one five dollar drink every Thursday from 5 to 8:00pm. I toured around with Old City district, sampling at a few of the participating restaurants. At the new Old City location of Jasmine Rice, I reco
Thai rolled ice cream may be the hottness food trend right now, but I am more in to what tastes good, that and not waiting in line. A La Mousse, run by the folks from Sakura Mandarin and located next to it in Chinatown, specializes in awesome and cute desserts. I love the inclusion of matcha in dessert and A La Mousse gets it. Like this sizzling brownie with matcha ice cream and matcha syrup. It actually does come out sizzling with a tableside pour of the sauce for added drama. The matcha is a bitter addition to the already dark chocolate brownie, which works for my taste, but might not be for everyone. You could also go with another flavor, like raspberry. A mini harvest is an oreo topped
