PhillyFoodGuys: Hittin’ the Streets for Underground Eats

 

 Lakeside Chinese Deli [11:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

If you’ve ever been told “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” the Lakeside Chinese Deli may be why. This inconspicuous storefront restaurant located in Philly’s Chinatown seems to fade into the neighborhood commotion, but we found the food, service and “atmosphere” to be excellent.

Continuing our adventure in Chinatown after our initial visit to Lee How Fook, we invaded the Lakeside Chinese Deli with a group of hungry explorers. Recommended by FoodGuy Tushar, Lakeside specializes in Dim Sum, however it is served a la carte versus from the traditional tableside cart. Our first impression wasn’t overwhelmingly positive; the exterior of the restaurant features a large picture window with the shades drawn and there’s also a big hole in the sign.

 

 Chinatown's Lee How Fook [12:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Philadelphia’s Chinatown may be smaller than those of other large cities, but it’s packed with good food. So when Tushar suggested searching for a few alternatives to the many mainstream restaurants in the area, I was enthusiastic about exploring a part of the city that I know nothing about. After some discussion, we selected three lesser known restaurants based on the recommendations of a few random characters that we consider friends. They include: Lee How Fook, Chinese Starlight Diner and Joy Tsin Lau.

Today, I awakened with a strong urge for breakfast, so I headed down to Fishtown’s newest brunch spot, Ida Mae’s Bruncherie. Situated on the corner of E. Norris and Tulip Streets, the restaurant is attractive and welcoming with a brick exterior, classic awnings and open doors.

Entering Ida Mae’s, I found the open kitchen in the front of the restaurant full of activity. The front dining room features a counter seating approximately eight, the kitchen and 4 - 5 small tables ; the back features two smaller connected rooms . Taking a seat at the bar (sorry, “counter” and “Irish” don’t seem to go together ) it was clear that the staff was  preparing for a busy day.

 

 South Philly Taqueria Tour [15:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We love good Mexican food. There’s something about the variety of flavors and the relaxed dining style that we both really enjoy. So on a recent afternoon we decided to explore several area Taquerias to find the best… 

After considering our options, we selected three Taquerias to visit; since menus can often be quite expansive we limited ourselves to using the ubiquitous taco and elusive tamale as a litmus test for the restaurants. Generally, tacos can be found everywhere, but it takes more than just stuffing a tortilla to make a good one. Furthermore, tamales are difficult and time consuming to make, so anyone who takes the time to make a good one certainly cares. 

Today I found myself a) hungry and b) in need of inspiration. What’s a person to do in the land of fast food, Wawa convenience stores and prepackaged Lunchables? Before making a tragic culinary blunder, I took a tip from Matt O’Hara’s Finding Philly blog when I searched out the Vietnamese Hoagies he described a couple weeks ago.

 

 Abyssinia Ethiopian Food [16:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

On a recent Sunday evening, we had a “hands-on” experience with a great local Ethiopian spot in the Spruce Hill section of Philadelphia. Located at the corner of 45th and Locust Streets, Abyssinia is a hangout for both Ethiopian expatriates and locals alike. Its’ casual atmosphere makes this restaurant and bar an ideal place for a relaxed meal with friends… The downstairs dining room is ideal for larger groups, while the funky upstairs bar is best suited for smaller groups; the main bar on the first floor is pretty generic can be skipped.

 

 Tiffin - Indian Food in NoLibs [15:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Rolling down Girard Avenue on the edge of Northern Liberties, we weren’t sure what we’d find when we arrived at Tiffin. Tushar was particularly interested in checking this place out; being Indian, he’s always ready to sample the foods that he’s most familiar with. In addition, we all wanted to see how this experiment conceived and developed by a Penn Grad student is progressing… Apparently, the original idea of offering takeout Indian food ordered by telephone and internet morphed to include a dining room based on customer demand.

 

 Hardena Authentic Indo in South Philly [14:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Hardena was one of the most interesting restaurant experiences we’ve had in a long time. Located at Hicks and Moore Streets in South Philly, this modest Indonesian eatery is popular with local expatriates and visitors alike. If you don’t like some adventure in your meals, then this place is not for you.

 

 Giwa and Standard Tap [6:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

All right everyone, here is a brief podcast highlighting two restaurants that we recently visited. Giwa was a fun Korean restaurant located in Center City Philadelphia; Standard Tap is located in Northern Liberties. Thanks & talk to you soon!

TAGS: Philadelphia, Philly, Center City, Northern Liberties, Giwa, Standard Tap, Podcast

Let me set the scene for you… Old School, American-Italian style restaurant complete with dark wood paneling, drop ceilings and red pleather booths. Back in in the day, this was a big hangout for some of the Flyers and there was a reported “riot” after the team beat Boston in the ‘74 Stanley Cup. OK, many might have run the other way, but Patti and I dug in for a truly meaningful “dining experience.” As we were ushered into the dining room, we were transfixed by the mirrored etchings of Grecian figures, not to mention the back-lit stained glass murals of Venetian scenes.