Dizengoff

Dizengoff (1625 Sansom Street) is a specialty restaurant that offers hummus with a limited selection of toppings. The toppings seasonally change. They have two locations in Philly- one in center city and one in Fairmount at the Whole Foods' food court. Also, the owner is one of the owners of Zahav.

I ordered hummus with baba ganoush. The hummus came with one pita bread and a small side salad. The hummus was delicious. It was creamy, mildly dense, a little tangy, and flavorful. The babaganoush which is pureed eggplant was light and didn't have a strong taste. Its texture went well with the hummus. Also, the parsley sprinkled on top of the hummus added more flavor to the dish.  The bread was fresh, warm, fluffy, soft, and somewhat chewy. The salad was mostly cucumber and tomatoes. It was crunchy and refreshing. Usually, I don't eat hummus as a meal; however, this hummus dish was very satisfying. Although this was pretty pricey for hummus (I paid $11), it was totally worth it and can be considered as a whole meal. I would say my money was well spent and can see myself returning to Dizengoff for more. 

Baba Ganoush over Hummus

Ba Le and Bambi

For breakfast one day, I got a Vegetarian Banh Mi from Ba Le Bakery and the Awesome Trio drink from Bambi. The two establishments are located in the strip center on 6th and Washington. I grew up going to Ba Le Bakery. It was our family's go to banh mi shop. My family usually orders the traditional cold cut banh mi. Bambu is newer to me. I believed it opened a few years ago (maybe in 2014) but I never tried it.

The Vegetarian banh mi was delicious. Since it was made to order, it was very fresh. The Vietnamese hoagie had the traditional cucumber, parsley, pickled carrots and radish, and jalapenos. For the protein, there was tofu even though you can't really see it in the picture but it was there. The tofu was marinated with a sweet and savory sauce. The baguette was lightly toasted. Everything went well together and was very enjoyable. I would definitely be coming back for more.

The Awesome Trio consisted red beans, white beans, mung beans, taro, pandan jelly, and coconut milk. The texture of the beans, taro, and jelly was perfectly cooked. However, the drink was way to sweet for me. It was a struggle for me to drink and I was unable to finish it. I don't think I will be trying anymore of Bambi's drinks for the fear of it being too sweet. If you are someone loves very sweet things and can handle it, I definitely recommend Bambi but it just not for me.

The Awesome Trio drink and Vegetarian Banh Mi

Kung Fu Hoagie

I ran into Kung Fu Hoagie, a vegan food truck that sells vegan banh mi and pho, at a block party. I have read good reviews on yelp and have been meaning to try this place for awhile. They have a calendar on their website to help locate them. Their truck is primarily stationed at West and South Philly; however, they do go to events. Below is what I ordered.

I got the banh mi with the "pork" called Banh Mi Chay in a size small. It came with homemade vegetarian tofu "pork," yams, mung bean noodles, vegan mayonnaise, picked carrots, cucumber, cilantro, and jalapenos. The sandwich was very tasty. The texture of tofu was dry, firm, and semi chewy. Even though I didn't think the tofu tasted like pork, I can see how they tried to imitate pork. The veggies were fresh and complement the tofu. The menu said that there was yam in it but I didn't taste or notice the yam. I did see little shredded bits of mung bean noodles. I don't think traditional banh mi have bits of noodles in it. I think the sandwich would be fine without the noodles. I wonder if they added the noodles for extra protein. The bread was soft and chewy. I think they toasted the bread, but I consumed it an hour after purchasing so the bread soften. This banh mi was filling for a 6 inch sandwich.

In addition, I bought a small bag of vegan jerky. This was my first time trying vegan jerky and oh my goodness it was incredible. It tasted like real beef jerky. It's texture and flavor was very spot on. I let my family try some and they didn't believe me when I told them it was not meat. I was so surprise by the taste. I had to google how vegan jerky was made. It appears that they use either hydrated seitan or coconut meat. Over all I think Kung Fu Hoagie did an awesome job coming up with these delicious recipes. The jerky tasted like jerky.  Although the banh mi did not taste like the original banh mi I was use to as a meat eater, it did have some of the flavors of traditional banh mi but with a twist. It accomplished satisfying my banh mi craving. I look forward to trying the other items on their menu.

Inside Banh Mi Chay and Vegan Jerky

Inside Banh Mi Chay and Vegan Jerky

Mi Lah

When I was looking for vegan and vegetarian restaurants on yelp, I stumble upon Mi Lah (30th Station, 2955 Market Street). Their menu was not extensive so beforehand I was able to decide I wanted to try their Buffalo Hoagie and their Char Siu Bao. Char Siu Bao was one of my favorite foods as a child but once I became a pescartarian, I had never have it again nor have I tried vegetarian or vegan versions of it. Hence, I was really looking forward to experiencing it again. However, when I arrived around noon, all the Char Siu Baos were gone! How could that be?! It was still early and I felt like Char Siu Bao is a lunch item. Needless to say I was disappointed. In addition, Buffalo Hoagie was crossed off on their menu. They stated that they no longer sell it(what?!). I came all the way there to learn they had nothing I wanted. Since I was already there, I decided to give their Vietnam Hoagie a try.

The Vietnamese Hoagie came with marinated tofu, cucumber, shredded carrots, veganaise, and cilantro. I was not a big fan of this hoagie. I thought the tofu had a funky smell. It was salty. It tasted like they use alot of soy sauce in the marinate and the soy sauce did not got well with the tofu and the other spices they used or the tofu was marinated a very long time creating this weird salty taste and smell. The texture of the tofu was interesting, though. It reminded me of Vietnamese pork rolls (Cha Luo) which I didn't mind. It was flavors that I did not like. The carrots were also not pickled. In other banh mi I had before the carrots were pickled. The cucumber and cilantro were fresh, but I wouldn't say it complement this meal because I thought the tofu marinate was overpowering. I don't think they toasted my bread. It didn't taste toasted. It tasted average and was mildly chewy Although Mi Lah got good reviews on yelp, I was highly disappointed especially since I paid $8 for this hoagie.  Not sure if I have a different taste bud than everyone else but I did not like this Vietnamese hoagies at Mi Lah. I felt like Ba Le Bakery and Kung Fu Hoagies have way better vegetarian vietnamese hoagies. I will be reviewing the two places mentioned in the latter in future posts. 

Vietnamese Hoagie

First Time at Red Lobster

One of friends wanted to go to Red Lobster (1 Baltimore Pike, Springfield PA 19064) for her birthday. Considering that I have never been to Red Lobster, I was all for it. The only thing I really know about Red Lobster is that they offer these awesome unlimited cheddar bay biscuit. I yelped the place before we went and based on the poor service and subpar food reviews, I did not have any high bar for this place. On the other hand, the place when beyond my expectation. Contrary to the reviews, we experienced awesome customer service. Our waitress was super nice and kept bringing us extra biscuit. Our waitress and her colleagues even sang happy birthday to my friend. In addition, the food was really okay. 

I ordered from the lunch menu. With lunch, you get a salad- a choice of Caesar or garden salad. I actually wanted the garden salad but I told the waitress I will have want my friend was having without realizing she actually got the Caesar salad. That was totally my fault and I didn't want to have to send it back. The Caesar salad was actually really good. It was cool which made it feel refreshing and appetizing. The lettuce was crisp and fresh. The sauce was creamy and cheesy with the added fresh parmesan cheese. The croutons were crunchy. I had the salad with their famous cheddar bay biscuit. The biscuit was warm, soft, and very tasty.  I had not complaints with the salad and biscuit. 

Caesar Salad and Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit

For my entree, I got the Sailor's Platter which came with garlic shrimp, broiled flounder, and battered fried shrimp. For my side, I picked broccoli. The portion side was good. The broiled flounder was mediocre and bland. There wasn't much seasoning. The garlic shrimp was soft and very oily. The taste of oil overpowered the taste of garlic. I would say both the flounder and shrimp were not fresh but frozen. The battered fried shrimp was crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside. It was good. You can't really good wrong with fried foods. The cocktail sauce for the fried shrimp was delicious. It was cold and refreshing savory and mildly sweet concoction. I forgot how much I like cocktail sauce. The broccoli was very tender. I think it was steamed or boiled and seasoned with salt. Overall, the meal was okay. I wouldn't say it was one of the best foods I ever had but I would say it was acceptable. 

Sailor's Platter with Broccoli

Ramayana- Indonesian Food

My friend recommended this Indonesian restaurant name Ramayana (1740 S. 11th St.)  that is conveniently located in my neighborhood. I visited the establishment with my friend on a Saturday. Although on the door it says that it opens at 12 PM, it was not; however, my friend and I heard the vents running. Hoping that they will eventually open soon, we went to get coffee first and plan to come back later. When we came back around at 1PM, they were still not open. We waited a little outside and then eventually decided to leave. As we walked toward the end of the block, we heard the rolling shutter going up. Ramayana finally opened after one and a half hour later than when they were suppose to. Lesson learned here is don't try to go here at the supposed open time. Come a hour or 2 later!

The place was small with a total of 10 seats. It was buffet style. You can either order 2 or 3 sides with rice. The sides that my pescatarian self could eat were kale, young jackfruit, egg foo young, tofu, and salmon. I decided to get kale, tofu, and salmon. It came with a side of what I believe is Sambel. I never had Sambel but it tasted like the garlic chili paste/sauce that you can get at the Asian Supermarket. Overall, the food was tasty, but I don't think it was spectacular. The kale and tofu were good. I think the salmon was either not fresh or they fried it too long because it was a little harder than I would want it to be. In addition, the salmon was mostly salmon stomach which I was little disappointed about. My friend did mention the rendang was awesome. If I have to compare this place to Sky Cafe, I would choose Sky Cafe. Although both are reasonably priced, I felt the food at Sky Cafe were fresher and space was cleaner and nicer. 

Rice with Kale, Tofu, Salmon, and Sambel

Fergie's Pub

My friends and I headed to Fergie's Pub (1214 Samson Street) during an unsuccessful Center City Sips. Center City Sips is an event were establishments participate in discounted drinks and food every Wednesdays from 5pm-7pm during the summer. It is really just basically happy hour but by naming and marketing it as Center City Sips makes it a really great gimmick. Places always end up being crowded on Wednesdays. I am not sure why we even decided to meet up on a Wednesday after work. The initial location we choose for center city sips was very crowded and loud so we left and tried another bar in the area but that spot ended up being crowded too. We wind up at Fergie's Pub. Luckily, there was a table for our party and the place was not loud or crowded. Fergie's actually had a good amount of vegan and vegetarian options on their menu that were not just salads so I was glad we went there. 

I ordered the Veggie burger. It came with cheese, some kind of creamy dressing (aioli?), spinach, and pub fries. The burger was delicious. I am not 100% sure what it is made up of but it appears to be bean based. It was very tasty with the cheese and dressing. I devour the burger pretty fast. That's how you know it's good. The fries were crispy on the outside and tender inside. On the menu, it says that the Pub Fries are award winning, hand cut fries. Not sure, if they declared that title themselves or some organization gave it to them. Nonetheless, they were enjoyable but I wouldn't say they were the best fries I ever had. I would come back to try their other vegetarian options. 

Veggie Burger with Fries

Yamitsuki Ramen

We grabbed an earlier dinner at Yamitsuki Ramen (1028 Arch Street) based on a recommendation of a friend. When we went on a Friday, it was pretty empty. Maybe because it was still early for dinner. We were seated in the front of the restaurant where the high tables were. The place was clean. It had a nice modern hip vibe. Below is what I ordered. 

I got the Vegetarian Japanese Curry Yasai Ramen with an egg. It came with spring mix, Inari tofu, menma bamboo, bean sprout and my added egg. I would like my noodle soup to be very hot when it comes out. I would like my noodles to slowly cool down as I blow onto it and eat it. I didn't get this here. I thought the broth was not hot enough for me. It was more on the lukewarm side. Maybe all the ingredients were cold so when you pour the broth over it it significantly cools down the whole dish. My friends thought it was fine even though it that wasn't really hot. I have not been to many ramen places but do ramen usually come out not very hot? Overall, I thought the ramen was okay. The broth is more on the bland side which I didn't mind. I didn't think the toppings were very fresh. The noodle did taste better than the instant noodles. It was a little firmer and chewier than instant ramen noodles. Overall, I thought the dish was okay. Unfortunately, it wasn't good enough for me to be wanting more or coming back for more. 

Vegetarian Japanese Curry Ramen

The dessert we ordered was the Matcha Snow Ice. This on the other hand was life. It was topped with herbal jelly, fried mocha, red beans, and condensed milk. I can say this is the best matcha snow ice I have ever had. It also looked very different from the other snow ice I have ever order before (see below). I am not sure if making it as layers of web shape contributed to this awesome texture or not. It's like semi creamy and melts in your mouth. It was not overly too sweet.  The herbal jelly, red beans, and fried mocha enhanced the experience. I would admit I was very doubtful of the fried mocha at first, but was very pleasantly surprise. It was one of the best things I have tasted even though it was not crispy like you expect fried foods to be. It was softer and more gooey than regular mocha and had a hint of sweetness. I enjoyed this dessert very much and this is something I would come back for. It was phenomenal in my opinion. 

Matcha Snow Ice

CoZara

CoZara (3200 Chestnut Street) is a relatively new Japanese Tapa style restaurant in University City on Drexel's campus. My friends and I went there for happy hour for my birthday last month even though I didn't order from the happy hour menu. I am a pescarterian; however that day I was eating a vegan diet. I actually decided in advance on this restaurant for my birthday happy based on a friend's recommendation. I didn't want to change the restaurant at the last minute and there were vegan options on the menu that I can eat. Below you will see how I wished I had changed the location.

For my first dish, I ordered a vegan roll- Veggie Deluxe Roll (crispy shallot, asparagus, carrot, shiso, wasabi stem dressing, micro greens, and ginger dressing. So when they say tapa style, they really meant it. The rolls were super tiny and there wasn't much of it- only 6 rolls!  I felt like the diameter is just a little bigger than a quarter. The ingredients were fresh and tasted alright. They was nothing special about it, though. It was basically all the ingredients rolled up together and the sauce wasn't unique or anything. These days a lot of place offer sushi made with fresh ingredients. I could have gotten a good amount of better quality specialty vegan sushi for a better price elsewhere. One place I can think of off on the top of my head is BubbleFish in Chinatown. Their Green Peace vegan roll is the bomb dot com. It's cheaper. They give you more rolls and they are much thicker rolls. In addition, their sauce for their sushi is awesome. 

Veggie Deluxe

Lastly, I got the Vegetarian Mazemen. Based on the menu there were supposedly going to be arugula, pickled red cabbage, and miso in it. I beg the differ. It was basically ramen noodles with mix greens not arugula (I feel like when menus say arugula they give you arugula not mixed greens with arugula with other greens in it, no?), fried shallots, alfalfa sprouts, pickled red ginger not pickled cabbage, and sesame oil not miso. I didn't really taste the miso. I just tasted sesame oil with the noodles. I let my friend try it and she agreed with me. At the bottom once I finished eating the noodles, there was more of a tangy flavor like vinegary maybe that was the miso or where the miso was.  I felt like I could have easily made this at home. I already have ramen noodles, fried shallots, and sesame oil at home. I just needed to get some pickled ginger, alfalfa sprout, and mixed greens from the supermarket which I can do so for cheap. This was not worth $10. The amount was little and this just simply was not an exceptional quality dish in my eyes. As I mentioned, I could have assembled this entree myself. 

Vegetarian Mazeman

Not sure, if I didn't order the right things.  Maybe my standards are too high. Maybe they placed more focus on other dishes. My friends who ordered the fish and meat dishes seem to enjoy them. I, on the other hand if you can't tell already, was highly disappointed at this restaurant. I don't think I have ever been so disappointed at a restaurant before. Even though the food was fresh, the quantity was small (okay that was probably given because it was tapa) and it was expensive for not very unique food. I guess with all the competition out there and for them to be tapa style,  I just expected alot more. I would think the establishment would want to differentiate itself with their offerings or their taste of the food but I didn't find this here. I will not be returning and I would not be recommending this place to anyone. There are far too many better restaurants in this city of Brotherly Love. 

Monk's Cafe

One day I was very busy at work and when I finally had some time to eat, I was very hungry. Without any snacks on hand or home brought lunch, I ordered a Seitan Cheesesteak from a restuarant nearby, Monk's Cafe (262 S. 16th Street). I just happened to stumble upon that vegetarian option on their menu while looking at menus of restaurants close by. The establishment, however, is known for their large selection of beers and also I think for their mussels.

I ordered the Seitan Cheese Steak (seitan sauteed with onions and mushrooms served on a long roll topped with Grueyere cheese). It came with a hand full of plain lettuce as a side. The cheese steak looked really very appetizing and promising. The roll was very soft. The texture of the thinly sliced seitan and sauteed onions and mushroom were good and be can passed for real cheese steak; however, the seasoning was too salty for me (I guess not all things taste better when you are hungry). I am not sure if it was from the cheese or from the combination of the seitan and cheese. I still ate it all and the side salad because I was famished and it was quite pricey for the portion size (at least to me it was). Sadly after that lunch, I don't think I will be visiting Monk's Cafe again. I was disappointed with the portion size to price and the saltiness of the meal.

Seitan Cheese Steak

Miles Table

My friend and I stopped by Miles Table (1620 South Street) for lunch. At Miles Table, you order at the counter and then they bring the food to you. My friend and I were unsure of what to get then we notice the half off burger lunch special. Of course, our frugal asses went with that option. The veggie burger that they had was the falafel burger- good thing I love falafels.

The presentation of the falafel burger looked great; however, I thought burger was okay. It didn't have the spices I was use to in falafel like cumin and coriander or at least I didn't detect any. I also didn't think the texture was like the falafels I am familiar with which were more firm. This burger was crispy on the outside but the inside was mushy like hummus. The favors tasted like hummus to me too. Nonetheless, I guess it was good on its own way. The fries were delicious. Overall, I can't complain much for the price I paid. For like five bucks, I got a good burger and great fries. It was an awesome deal. Even though it was cheap, I would not get it again. I rather get a falafel sandwich from one my favorite food cart. I do want to try other thing on their menu though like their breakfast item. Based on yelp, it appears they have awesome aoili for their homefries.

Falafel Burger with French Fries

Village Tavern

Village Taverna (769 E. Passyunk Ave) is Mediterranean restaurant located in the Queen Village area. We decided to do an earlier dinner there one day. We arrived when the establishment just opened for dinner (that's how early it was). The place had modern decor. The ceilings were high and the tables were well laid out, creating a roomy and open feel. Below are the foods I indulged in it. It was more of an appetizers kind of night.

We ordered Pikelia (assortment of dips, feta, and olives). It came with Hummus(blended chickpea dip), Tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber, garlic dip), Tyrokafteri (spicy feta dip), and Melitzanosalata (pureed roasted eggplant dip) as well as pita bread. The Hummus was okay. It was comparable to store bought hummus (eg. Athenos brand). The Tzatziki was good. It was creamy and refreshing with very light seasoning. The Tyrokafteri was yummy. It tasted like semi creamy lumpy feta cheese with a kick. For the Melitzanosalata, I had to compare it to Baba Ganoush which I am actually more familiar with. The Melitzanosalata was very bland in comparison to Baba Ganoush but then again the Baba Ganoush
has more additives, especially the Tahini which is not present in Melitzanosalata. The pita was delicious, warm, and toasty. My favorite dip was the Tyrokafteri while my least favorite was the Melitxanosalata.

Pita Bread and Assorted Dips

Oddly I did not see one of my favorite stuffed grape leaves on the menu, but luckily it was a special and of course, I had to get them. They were wonderful. They were tender and had the appetizing mildly sour taste I like. For some reason, I think I can never go wrong with stuffed grape leaves. Although the stuffed grape leaves differ a bit at every restaurant, I have never been disappointed by any thus far.

Stuffed Grape Leaves

Finally, for my entree, I ordered the Octopus (char-grilled, greek-style with lemon). It was firm and chewy but yet tender (if that makes sense). The light lemony seasoning also complemented the octopus well.  It was quite enjoyable. 

Octopus

Overall, I thought the food was good but not amazing. I don't think I would come back; however, I would recommend this place. That might sound contracting but I think others should have the opportunity to try good food and judge for themselves.

Rooster Soup Company

Rooster Soup Company (1526 Samson Street) is a relatively new and awesome restaurant doing good in the community. The establishment was started by Federal Donuts and Broad Street's Ministry along with crowd funding supporters. Federal Donuts donates chicken bones to the restaurant for soup production. 100% of it's profits goes toward Broad Street's Ministry's Hospitality Collaborative program which helps and provides resources to the less fortunate. If you love helping people and love good food, I definitely recommend supporting Rooster Soup Company. Below is more detailed information about Rooster Soup Company as well as what I ate there.

The Smoked Matzo Ball Soup was one of the best I ever had. The aroma and favor of the soup was wonderful. Unfortunately, I could not distinguish any of the seasonings in the soup but trust me, it was delicious. The texture of the matzo ball was great. It was firm and had a nice bite to it. Usually matzo balls don't really have any taste. The broth is what really makes the dish and this broth was everything. If you are uncertain of what to try on the menu, I highly recommend the Smoked Matzo Ball Soup. 

Smoked Matzo Soup

For my entree, I ordered the Bacon, Latke, Tomato Chive Mayo and Green Tomato without the bacon of course. I mainly got this because I like potatoes. The sandwich came with plain kettle potato chips. Overall, I thought this was okay. The sandwich was a little overpowered by the pickled green tomatoes. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't really taste the latke. Nonetheless, I still finished the sandwich. Even though the pickled green tomato was somewhat salty, it was very addictive. My friend ordered the special pasta that night and she really enjoyed it. I think next time I will try another sandwich or a pasta dish. 

Latke, Tomato Chive Mayo and Green Tomato Sandwich

Hummusology

Hummusology (1112 Locust St) is relatively new restaurant. Former the restaurant was a cafe (Cake and the Beanstalk). My friend and I decided to get dinner here one evening after work. The seating area and the counter were separated by a partition wall. You basically walk in past the seating area and make a left to the counter to order.

I ordered the Vegetables Rave (creamy hummus topped with warm chickpeas and fresh herb roasted vegetables, sprinkled with paprika and a pinch of cumin, olive oil, green sauce, and a dollop of tahini). It came with a baked pita and a bowl of Israeli salad with olives and pickle. For the hummus, you can choose warm or cold. I choose warm. All the roasted vegetables were tendered and delicious. I was not too fond of the hummus. It was very creamy and rich. It tasted like peanut butter to me. I think they used alot of tahini.  I prefer my hummus a creamy light with some lemon flavor. The pita bread was fresh, soft, and good. The pickled salad was appetizing. I ate alot of the vegetable and the salad but I could not finish the hummus in one sitting.

Vegetables Rave Hummu

My friend and I also shared a Potato Burekas (fine potato stuffed puff-pastry) served with a side of hummus, tahini, a hard boiled egg, and Israeli salad. The Potato Burekas tasted like what it was- a flaky pastry with a thin mash potato filling. It was okay. Even though I never had Potato Burekas, I wasn't really impressed. There was no special seasoning. It was two basic ingredients combined together. 

Potato Burekas

The most enjoyable for me during this meal was the Israeli salad and the roasted vegetables. Since I didn't like the hummus which was the main focus of the restaurant, sadly I don't think will come back. 

Panada Cafe

I was so excited to have found a 100% vegetarian Indonesian restaurant in my hood. Panada Cafe is located on 1608 West Passyunk Ave. The restaurant appears to be family owned with the husband working the register and the wife managing the kitchen. For fast food restaurants and food court stalls, you usually ordered the food first and wait for your order to be called to pick it up. When an establishment that appears to be a seat down restaurant follows the process mentioned in the latter, it can be confusing. Obviously when I walked in I was uncertain on how to proceed (do I sit and wait to be served or do I order and pay at the front first). Luckily, the owner directed me to counter and pointed to the sign that says order and pay here. After that it went smoothly, I ordered my food and took a seat. When the food was ready, it was actually bought to me which was nice. Another interesting observation is that they use disposable dish ware, cups, and utensils. I guess it is a cost saving move on their part because they don't need to hire waiters or dishwashers. Now enough with my ordering experience. Let's get to the food.

I ordered vegetable spring rolls as an appetizer. It came out hot and crispy and with homemade sweet and sour sauce. I am familiar with veggie spring rolls filled with mostly cabbage and carrot but this vegetable spring roll was special. It had a piece of bamboo shoot in it. I am not sure if I like it because the bamboo shoot has such a different texture than cabbage and carrot aka it's harder and chewier than the tender carrot and cabbage. The homemade sweet and sour sauce was tasty. It went well with the spring rolls.

Veggie Spring Rolls

For my entrèe, I got koloke ("chicken" with onions and red pepper cooked with house special sweet and sour sauce). The dish came with rice and topped with fried radish. The rice was a little dry but seitan chicken was great. The texture tasted close enough to chicken for me. The house special sweet and sour sauce tasted like the sweet and sour sauce for the spring rolls. It was good. This meal definitely satisfied my craving for unhealthy Asian take out. I will be back for sure to try more items on the menu. 

Koloke

Eat Café

The Center for Hunger-Free Community is an community outreach program associated with Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health. They partner with universities, public and private organizations, and the community to find sustainable solutions to poverty and hunger. In collaboration with The Center of Hospitality and Sport Management at Drexel University, Vetri Community Partnership, and The Greater West Philadelphia Community, the center recently opened Eat Café  (3820 Lancaster Ave), a nonprofit restaurant that embraces the pay what you can concept. The establishment offers nutritional and seasonal rotating three course meal with the suggested price of $15. I believe the restaurant is anticipating that people of higher economic status will pay or pay more to offset what the lower social economic patrons might not be able to contribute. Or maybe they hope that whatever the less fortunate can afford although less than the suggested price will still keep operation going. This pay as what you can is indeed an interesting idea and experiment. Currently, the restaurant is open during 4pm-8pm Wednesday through Friday.  I am curious to see how this will all pan out. I do wish the pay what you can prove to be sustainable and the organization will be able to open more restaurants or invest in other programs to help the community.

Inside the restaurant, I would estimate that there was a total of 10 tables, ranging from 2 to 6 people seatings. Since the tables are fairly close together and the staff was friendly, it had a warm and homey ambiance. There was also an open kitchen in the back. The night that we went, the place was packed. We were a party of 6 so it was going to be a challenge to seat us. Fortunately, the reservation for the large back table cancelled at the last minute. Hence, we got their table...Yay for people who don't show up.

The first course was between milestone soup or a caprese salad. I chose the soup. The soup was still hot upon arrival. There were beans, carrots, pasta, and tomato in the soup. The soup was not heavy and very tasty. It was great to start the night.

Milestone Soup

For my entree, I ordered the only vegetarian option that evening- Veggie Pesto Lasagna. This dish also came out very hot which I preferred. The portion side was on point for me. It wasn't too little or too much. The lasagna was layers of tendered seasonal vegetables and pasta topped with melted cheese and pesto sauce. The cheese was chewy and went well with the layers. The pesto sauce was a little oily but I didn't mind it. It was a light kind of oil and also the kind that probably kept the meal hot longer. It also added flavor to the overall dish. As sides to share among the table were roasted vegetables and spaghetti. The vegetables were fresh and the right amount of tenderness. The tomato sauce was simple and rich in tomato flavor. I feel that sometimes sauces can be over powdered by spices used in them but it wasn't like that here. It was purely tomatoey and tasted homemade.

Veggie Pesto Lasagna

Roasted Vegetables and Spaghetti

I got the Lemon Sorbet for dessert. It came with a maraschino cherry on top. It was very refreshing but just a little more on the sour side. For the most part, I enjoyed my experience. The food was fresh and good. The only thing was it took a while for our foods to come out; however, that could be because we had a large party. They waited for all the foods to finish cooking before serving. I would like to return and try something else when their menu changes.

Lemon Sorbert

Sumo Sushi

One day when I didn't bring lunch, I decided to order sushi from Sumo Sushi (337-41 S. Broad Street) with my coworker. They had lunch specials. I loooooove discounts so yay. It was also very easy to order online for this restaurant. Online ordering was available on their website as well as grubhub and yelp. 

We ordered the 3 roll lunch special for $10.95. We got the shrimp tempura, yellowtail crunch, and spicy tuna rolls. The crunch for the yellowtail came from the apples which was new for me. I think they might have been granny smith apples and the slices weren't real crisp. It was my first time having apple in my sushi. It was just okay. Overall, I thought the yellowtail and spicy tuna sushi were mediocre. They were a little mushier than I would like them to be. I had better and firmer yellowtail and tuna sushi before. The shrimp tempura roll had avocado and cucumber in it. It was my favorite of them all. Fried things are always yummy. Having it paired with avocado, cucumber, rice, and seaweed was just the icing on top. 

Shrimp Tempura, Spicy Tuna, and Yellowtail Crunch Rolls

In addition to the sushi, we got something new to both of us- Tuna Pumpkins. They were lobster salad wrapped with a thin layer of tuna, creating the shape of pumpkins, and topped with mosago, which were roe from a small fish called capelin. Below I have pictures of the pumpkins and the inside of the so call pumpkin. The lobster salad inside had a creamy texture with tiny bits of lobster in it and was very tasty. The combination of the lobster salad and tuna complement each other well and kind of melts in your mouth. I ate my share slowly, savoring over the novel taste and sensation in my mouth. I highly recommend the Tuna Pumpkins in addition to the Shrimp Tempura Roll.

Tuna Pumpkins

Lobster salad inside the Tuna Pumpkins

Real Food Eatery

Real Food Eatery (207 S. 16th Street) as its name suggests offers real whole nature foods.  For their Real Plate options, you choose an entree (protein), a base (spring mix, kale, brown rice, or white rice), and 2 sides. In additions, they had salads and bowls. Everything was made to order. The ordering process was easily. You come in and order at the counter closest to the door. Then you pay and pick up your meal at the other end. 

I ordered the Veggie Bowl (rice, shredded carrot, roasted mushrooms, and greens) with sesame dressing on the side. The bowl was presented in a bibimbap style with the rice on the bottom and the other ingredients on top. To eat, you mix all the components together and pour the sauce over it. The brown rice was a good texture- not hard and not soft. The mushroom and greens were tendered and tasty. The carrots tasted like any other raw shredded carrot would taste like. The sesame sauce was rich in sesame flavor and very creamy. Everything went well together. The portion size was also huge. I ate half and saved the rest for later. It was a healthy, simple, and satisfying meal. I should really try to prepare meals like these at home...maybe one day. It didn't seem like it would be hard to make.

Veggie Bowl

Destination Dog

There is a new gourmet hot dog in town and that's Destination Dog (1111-1113 Walnut Street). The establishment has a high class feel in comparison to places you expect to get hot dogs. There is a bar and an ample of table seating. They serve high quality and exotic meat and nation inspired topped hot dogs. You can customize your own hot dog or you can select from a menu. 

I ordered the only vegetarian dog available on the set menu- The Veg-Dog Meal-Ionaire (Indian). For some reason, I thought the name came from the movie, Slumdog Millonaire. It was a vegetarian sausage topped with samosa filling, pickled radish, cilantro, and sriracha mayo. The sausage came on a housemade bun and housemade chips. The bun reminded me of Texan Toast. The bread was thick, fluffy, soft, and tasty. The sausage had a soft texture. I could not make out what the sausage was made of and the exact spices in it (maybe some curry spice) but it was absolutely delicious. It was so good that I had my friend try some. The topping was also exceptional. It was one of the best samosa filling I ever had. The pickled radish complemented the samosa filling greatly. Although the sausage was suppose to be topped with sriracha mayo, I thought it taste more like ketchup. The house chips were thin, fresh, and crispy. I didn't think they were too greasy. There were some burnt ones, but it was still addictive. Overall, I thought meal was filling. It was a good portion side. I really liked what I had and hope to return for more. 

The Veg-Dog Meal-Ionaire

Sky Cafe- Indonesian

Sky Cafe, (1122 Washington Ave, Ste B) an Indonesian restaurant located in South Philly, is one of tastiest and one of the most affordable places I ever been to. Most of their main dishes were either $7 or $8. The establishment was relatively small. I would estimate there were seating for about 20 people. My friend and I ventured to Sky Cafe for dinner. I was actually surprised that the cafe closes at 8PM. In my opinion, it was too early for a restaurant that I consider serving lunch and dinner types of food to close. Luckily, my friend and I made it before closing. The staff was very friendly and our food came out fast.

Being the greedy and fat selves we are, we ordered a rice dish to share as well as a separate rice dish for ourselves. We shared the Nasi Uduk (coconut rice with anchovy, spicy egg, shrimp cracker, and cucumber). I thought the coconut rice would be the coconut rice like the ones at Thai restaurants- rice that is fluffy and made with coconut milk. However, what I got was regular rice topped with fried shallot and surrounded by a medley of toasted coconut flakes, toasted anchovy, and toasted peanuts, shrimp cracker, cucumber, and hard boil egg halves topped with spicy hot paste sauce. The medley of coconut, anchovy, and peanuts was the star of the dish. It was delicious with it's sweetness and saltness. I would note that the medley was mostly coconut flakes and peanuts with a few anchovies. The rice is a little on the drier side. Not sure, if the rice was just a little off that day or the Indonesians prefer their rice on the drier side. The eggs were cold and topped with sauce that I considered hot, but the two cucumbers provide some cooling relief. The shrimp cracker was crispy and tasted fresh like it was homemade.

Nasi Uduk

For my personal entree, I got Nasi Sayur (steamed rice with vegetable curry, egg, shrimp cracker, and cucumber). The rice was in the center and it was topped with a spicy sauce and diced potato and carrots. Similar to the dish above, surrounding the rice were hard boiled egg halves topped with spicy hot paste sauce, shrimp crackers, and cucumber and in addition, the vegetable curry. The curry was mostly potatoes, but I am not complaining because I love potatoes. There was a lot of flavor coming from the curry and sauce on top of the rice as well as spiciness. I thought it was a great combination and my taste palate was definitely happily aroused by the spices. Overall I enjoyed both dishes. I mostly ate the components of the dish separately, but I did eat the rice with the medley and the curry. I am not sure if that was the proper way to eat it. A part of me is telling me that I was suppose give the ingredients a good mix and eat it together and maybe topped the mixture on top of the crackers or cucumber to eat. I do plan to frequent the cafe again to try all the vegetarian and pescatarian options. Maybe next time, I will observe how others consume the rice dishes.

Nasi Sayur