Thanks go to our fellow Philadelphia Bloggers for introducing us to the South Philadelphia Tap Room. During a recent afternoon, Patti and I burrowed into South Philly to attend the Philadelphia Webloggers Meetup at this laid back neighborhood local. Although this was just our first visit, we found food, atmosphere and beer all delicious.
Something was amiss during our return trip to New Trieu Chau. Pulling up to the restaurant located at 1807 Washington Avenue in South Philly, something was different. At first, I thought it was me: Did we drive by and miss it? A second lap around the block proved that we hadn’t. The hole-in-the-wall spot offering great Southeast Asian food had been usurped by another! After some quick deliberation, we decided to give the replacement a shot.
Looking for some fresh, delicately flavored Chinese food in Philly? Queen Village’s Mustard Greens just may fit the bill. Located on 2nd Street, Mustard Greens offers a clean, contemporary atmosphere just steps away from the hustle and bustle of South Street.
On a recent Friday evening, three of us were looking for a quick, unplanned meal when we thought of Mustard Greens. Although parking in the area can sometimes be difficult, luck presented us with a spot just steps from the front door.
This week we chose to search out some really good vegetarian sandwiches in the land of the Cheesesteak. With all due respect to Pat’s, Geno’s, Tony Lukes and their brethren, the Philly sandwich scene is much more than just beef and cheese wiz. Really.
Let’s get ready to rruuummbblle!!
Making our battle plan, we decided to include Veggie Hoagies and Falafel sandwiches for those not keen on the Hoagie thing. In addition, logistics would force us to stay within an 8 block radius in South Philly, otherwise we’d still be driving and eating as you read this post. So you fans of the Veggie Sandwich unite, and tell us what we missed - I’m sure it’s a lot.
After our visit to the soul food church fell through on Sunday, some of us sinners decided to visit a couple local bars. Still reeling from southern cuisine deprivation, we set our sights on a couple of local taverns: Grace Tavern and The Dive Bar.
Grace Tavern finds its home just off of South Street in the city’s Fitler Square neighborhood. Reputed to have a good 
Oyster Po’ Boy (Wikipedia’s thoughts on the Po’ Boy here), I’ve driven past this tavern many times wanting to stop in for a look. Inside, the bar is completely renovated with tin ceilings, a long mahogany bar and a small dining room in the rear. The atmosphere is a dark, yet inviting.
There are a lot of good breakfast places in Philadelphia and today I visited one of them, South Philly’s Morning Glory
Diner. I won’t argue that this spot is better known than some (awards cover the front door like a rash), but I think that the menu offers a good blend of traditional and California-style favorites (think scrapple + breakfast burrito).
For those less adventurous diners, South Philly’s Pho Hoa is an easy 
introduction to Vietnamese food. Whether you’re looking to stretch your culinary boundaries, or you’re restaurant choices are limited by a friend or family member that won’t deviate from the tried and true, this place is for you.
I’ll be the first to admit that PhillyFoodGuys is not a big fan 
of chains (homogenation, lack of character, etc…, but we keep an open mind in looking for restaurants that offer fun and unique experiences, even if it’s for some looking to expand their gastronomic frontiers.
Ever since our South Philly Taqueria Tour, I’ve been jonesin’ for another Mexican food fix. So when I learned that I missed out on Los Taquitos de 
Puebla’s Tacos al Pastor, I knew that I had to go back, even if it was for takeout.
Doing my best NASCAR impression as I looked for parking, I had to laugh as I saw throngs of people queued up for steaks from Genos. I could only hope that the restaurant didn’t have a “Spanish Only”policy!
