Rhong Tiam

What We Ate:

Banana Roti Crepe

On our last full day in New York we visited three restaurants, this being the last one. We have soldom enjoyed something sweet on the trip, so I wanted to get a good dessert in. Rhong Tiam definately satisfied this craving with their banana roti, an egg, banana, and sweetened condensed milk crepe. This could not have been a better end to our day. It was not too heavy but was sweetly satisfying. The outside of the crepe was exactly how it should have been- thin and crisp. It barely separated the velvety inside from the addictive sweetened condensed milk that draped the crepe. I could not tell the difference between the texture from the egg and the banana, but I could taste the distinct banana flavor. Both Nate and I enjoyed this crepe, and I would recommend it as a sweet snack/dessert for two.

Dong Yi Feng

Today we took a chance and got something called Dim Sum (a style of Chinese Food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates - Wikipedia) and it was definitely a new experience. After having a little difficulty actually finding the front door, we were surprised to walk in and see pink tablecloths accompanied by bright yellow chairs. Twenty seconds after arriving, a cart arrived table-side and a woman started offering us small bowls filled with various interesting looking Chinese cuisine. Our Persian hostess in Manhassett, Dree Kavoussi, was not hesitant to say "yes" to just about anything that the woman pulled out of that cart and consequently we were given some very strange dishes. This included shrimp dumplings, mango jelly, and even chicken feet. Many of the dishes I was very happy to try but the chicken feet I just couldn't bring myself to eat. Not many of my eating companions seemed to like it that much either. A lot of the other dishes tasted like nothing I'd ever tasted before. I sometimes didn't even know what I was putting in my mouth but was surprised to find some great flavors. I hadn't tried Dim Sum before but am definitely up to go again.
-Jack

Nothing beats Chinese food from the little white box with thin metal handles when you are really hungry and do not want to cook.  Dim Sum is not this type of Chinese food.  It is actually authentic cuisine and at Dong Yi Feng, most people that dine here speak Chinese.  Located in Flushing in Queens, Asian culture lines the streets.  Getting off the train here feels like arriving at a station in Beijing since there are predominantly Chinese-Americans that inhabit and run restaurants and stores in this area of New York.  There is almost no time between sitting and food arriving at your table.  A waitress tried to serve us a range of items from a cart to which we had to reply yes or no.  We tried many different dishes, many of which I am not able to name or describe the ingredients.  The best items I ate were the shumai with shrimp and some sort of meat, followed by black rice "dumplings."  The shumai meat was sweet and the shrimp added a firm bite to the otherwise chewy dish.  I do not normally eat black rice, but I was impressed with the complex flavor of this grain.  The rice stuck together, and it was sweet with an excellent grain flavor.  We ordered around 18 plates.  To our surprise the total for all of this food was about $45.  This was an affordable and interesting way to spend one of our last meals in New York.

-Nate

Guacuco

Later in the evening after Dong Yi Feng, we headed down to Brooklyn to a place famous for its arepas. This place was called Guacuco, and although it was not in the very best neighborhood, this gem gave us quite a meal. I ordered the Parrillada Arepa and a Carne Empanada, both overflowing with Venezuelan culture. My arepa was filled with both chicken and steak with peppers and onions in between a delicious roll. Although it was very hot, I had no problem plunging my face into this arepa for the amazing flavors. The empanada was also very good. We split this up between the three of us and all enjoyed it very much. It was about this size of a burrito, but taco-shaped and laid on its side on top of some amazing drizzled sauce. Overall, Guacuco gave us a last great dinner meal for our trip, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for some amazing Venezuelan cuisine.
-Jack



We crisscrossed New York on our last day to get to dinner at Arepera Guacuco in Brooklyn.  Starting in Queens for lunch, heading to Manhattan for some exercise in Central Park, we took the subway across the water to this Venezuelan restaurant.  We had an excellent experience with arepas the previous night at The Stanton Social, so we had some high expectations.  This time, though, the arepas would be much larger.  I ordered the A Pabellon, which contains shredded beef, cheese, beans, and plantains.  When the arepas arrived at the table, I was stunned by the bread packed with meat.  I noticed the bread most while eating the arepa.  Its warm, doughy texture perfectly holds the ingredients and makes for a soft texture that contrasts with the texture of the meats.  The shredded beef was delicious with a great balance of spice.  The beans were very filling and combined with the cheese, gave the dish the right amount of salt.  The sweetness of plantains were contrasted with the salty flavor of the beans and cheese.  However, I would have liked a few more plantains.  After enjoying the A Pabellon and having more room in my stomach, I ordered the A Pernil, which contains pulled pork shoulder and cheddar cheese.  The bread was once again incredible, but I enjoyed the A Pabellon more than this one.  The pork shoulder was great meat, but it did not have that much flavor.  I was hoping for the dish to be more spicy.  The cheddar cheese enhanced the presentation, but it did not add much to the dish.  I used the three sauces on the table to increase the flavor in this arepa.  There was what appeared to be a chipotle aioli, green sauce, and a spicy mustard.  My favorite sauce was the chipotle aioli, and it added spice and juiciness to the arepa.  While the A Pernil did not quite match the excellent taste of the A Pabellon, this was one of my favorite meals of the entire trip.  I will have to visit Arepera Guacuco again but before that, I need to find an arepa restaurant in Baltimore.

-Nate

The Stanton Social

What We Ate:

French Onion Soup Dumplings: 5 out of 5 stars

Red Snapper Tacos: 5 out of 5 stars

Hand Pulled Chicken Arepas: 6 out of 5 (no typo)

Nori Spiced Tuna Tartare Roll: 4.75 out of 5

The Youtube channel Chow first introduced me to The Stanton Social, and after learning that the bald judge on Food Network's show "Chopped" named Chris Santos owned the eatery, it was a must-go.  It was the most up-scale place that we would go, but going in athletic shorts and a polo, or sear-sucker shorts and a t-shirt as we did, is not highly suggested.  Because of this, they put us in a booth invisible from the street, but we were content with being seated no matter the location.  We were culinarily introduced to the restaurant with the water, which was the best water that has ever grazed my palette.  It may have been the heat, and I know humans cannot taste water, but this bottled water was crisp, clean, and possibly mixed up with the Holy Water from the church down the street.  But I digress... As I mentioned before, Chow did a spotlight on The Stanton Social, specifically French Onion Soup Dumplings, which turned out to be my favorite dish that we ordered.  Apparently after introducing these gems to New York, many places have tried to duplicate the dumplings but none have succeeded in doing so.  The dumplings are served in an escargot dish, six count, and are topped with gruyere and speared with a crouton to complete the new spin on a classic dish.  The presentation is stunning, one of the best I have seen in my short culinary career, and the flavor completely lives up to these high expectations.  Best-case scenario, you pop the dumpling on your plate before you indulge to release some steam, but I suggest you pop the whole thing in your mouth to savor all of its contents and not let any of the juices escape.  The soup inside is ridiculously flavorful, its components being complexly meaty and sweet broth and tender, translucent onions.  I have tried many french onion soups, but this one was the most flavorful of all of them.  The gruyere was not as gooey as I would have liked, but I guess they let it cool so we would not burn ourselves even more.  One difference between regular french onion soup and this one was that the crouton was suspended above it, so it did not lose any of its crunch which was nice. The one thing that made no impression on us was the dumpling dough itself, which may be good considering it is a rendition of a soup.  If you are ever in northern China Town and have some money to spend on delicious tapas style dishes, I urge you to check out The Stanton Social.

-Alec

Wow, where to start? We each had to decide which dish to review, and I felt confident that I would be nowhere close to doing any of these dishes justice with my blogging. Entering Stanton Social in our street clothes at first made me feel a little bit bum-ish, however when they decided to seat us out of view of the passersby I felt somewhat more comfortable. We knew that we were in for a more expensive meal judging by the upscale atmosphere of this renowned restaurant, but after the first few bites we were willing to pay any amount for more and more. We unanimously decided on the Red Snapper Tacos, the Chicken Arepas, and the French Onion Soup Dumplings. However after these three bite-sized yet flavorful-as-an-entire-buffet meals, we picked a fourth dish, the Nori Spiced Tuna Tartare Roll. I'm going to talk about the Arepas. This was my first encounter with this dish and my oh my it was a splendid encounter. The hand pulled chicken seasoned with a heavenly blend of spices and was served on top of the nice chewy dough. Topped off with a small slice of jalepeño pepper and cheese, these Arepas offered a plethora of flavors for my inexperienced pallet that was difficult to fully comprehend. This dish could not be outdone by any other in our trip and deservedly earned a 6 out of 5 stars. Stanton Social as a whole was by far my favorite spot in terms of flavor and presentation, and I highly highly highly recommend it to anyone (dressed in casual business attire please) looking for a knockout meal. 

-Jack

I knew The Stanton Social would be a pricey dinner and after enjoying the last bite, we all wished we had more money to spend.  The two dishes I will review our the red snapper fish tacos and the nori spiced tuna tartare roll.  I love red snapper, and these tacos perfectly utilized the fish.  It was sweet inside a crunchy corn shell, which gave great texture to the soft ingredients.  The tacos had creamy avocado and spicy mango.  These two ingredients were creamy and sweet, but I was expecting them to have a slightly firmer consistency.  This was one of my favorite dishes of the trip, I just wish there were a few more to eat.  We ordered the nori spiced tuna roll wanting more food to taste after the first three plates.  The presentation was great with small shredded nori covering the plate.  The fine tuna tartare had a strong spice that was not overpowering.  While I really like this dish, it was not my favorite of the meal.  That said, anything we ate at The Stanton Social was among some of the best food we tried on the trip.  If you are in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, make sure to visit The Stanton Social.

-Nate

S'mac (Sarita's Mac & Cheese)

What we ate:
Jack - Buffalo Chicken Mac (Cheddar and American Cheese, Chicken, Buffalo Sauce, and Bleu Cheese): 4.5 out of 5 stars
Nate - Alpine Mac (Gruyere, Bacon): 4.75 out of 5 stars
Alec - Cheeseburger Mac (Cheddar and American Cheese, Ground Beef): 4.75 out of 5 stars

Today we headed back down the the lower east side (again) for some famous Mac & Cheese. Sarita's had me pumped up from all the hype on the internet and even on Food Network the same day. It was a very small little shop that even had a takeout section two doors down. While I held our little table (one out of maybe 7 total), Alec and Nate ordered for themselves and for me. I decided on the medium sized Buffalo Chicken Mac. Definitely should've gone with the small. This pasta was so rich with three different cheeses that I could barely finish half. The Bleu, Cheddar, and American combined with the spicy hot sauce just overwhelmed my taste buds. I was very sad that I wasn't able to finish it, however next visit (and there WILL be a next visit) I may order something a bit creamier and more easily consumable. S'Mac was a fantastic spot that I'd recommend to any Mac & Cheese fan.

-Jack

S'mac was recommended to us by a New York resident, and being mac and cheese lovers/ aficionados we decided we urgently needed to go.  I decided on the cheeseburger mac, just because I have not had nearly enough beef in my diet this week.  When we received our food, I first noticed the great crust on top of the mac that I needed to break into as soon as possible.  Upon further investigation, the top was so well done that I dragged my fork across it and it made a nice crusty sound.  The interior of the mac and cheese was gorgeously done.  It was the perfect blend of creamy and firm.  Many mac and cheeses that I have come across (for example the one at Noodles and Company) are cheesy, but are runny at the same time.  The cheeseburger mac at S'mac I could pave my way across, leaving little cheese in my wake.  My one qualm with the dish was, of course, that I would loved to have had more ground beef; however, for $10.75 it was immensely satisfying.

-Alec




I do not have mac and cheese often, but I was looking forward to visiting a restaurant that specialized exclusively in this form of pasta.  The options were endless, but I settled on the medium size Alpine mac and cheese.  Upon delivery to the table, I immediately noticed the bread crumb baked crust on top.  It was a beautiful brown, which made it difficult to wait even a few seconds before digging into the dish.  The gruyere was incredibly rich and creamy.  The mac and cheese had just the right amount of thickly cut bacon, which added a great hard texture and salty flavor to the soft noodles and stringy cheese.  While the medium size is more than enough food, almost too much, I was the only one that was able to finish all of it.  This was by no means easy, and I had to take plenty of breaks, but I was able to polish the pan.  This was a delicious meal in a unique location that to which I will need to return to sample another one of their mac and cheese delicacies.

Tortilleria Nixtamal

What We Ate

Nate- Chicken Taco: 4.5 out of 5 stars
          Steak Taco: 4.5 out of 5 stars
          Chipotle Tamale: 4 out of 5 stars
Alec- Carnitas Taco: 4.75 out of 5 stars
          Steak Taco: 4.5 out of 5 stars
          Guacamole & Chips: 4.25 out of 5 stars
Jack- Steak Taco: 3 out of 5 stars
         Pork Taco:3 out of 5 stars
         Carnitas Taco: 4 out of 5 stars

In the mood for some authentic mexican food, we ventured to Queens for some grub before catching a Mets game.  Tortilleria Nixtamal cooks their homemade corn tortillas in house, and these are served with every taco.  These tortillas are made using a style called "Nixtamal," which is corn that has been soaked in calcium hydroxide.  One taco runs $2.50, and there are an array of meats available.  I ordered a chicken and steak taco along with a chipotle tamale.  Although the tacos are quite small, they are packed with flavor.  The succulent chicken falls apart and is lightly covered in a carrot vinegar sauce.  The corn from the tortilla added a mildness to the tang from the chicken and sauce.  My only complaint with the taco was   that the chicken became a bit dry as I chewed it.  The steak taco was quite similar to the chicken in terms of juiciness.  Sautéed  with onion and cilantro, the steak was not too tough but had the right amount of chewiness.  There was a great flavor from the onion that complimented the marinated steak.  While the tortillas, one of the restaurant's specialties, were incredibly fresh, they were a bit soggy.  This was most likely the result of our ordering them to-go.  Tortilleria Nixtamal's tamale had an excellent presentation.  Wrapped in a steamed corn husk, the chipotle tamale contains spicy pork and chicken.  I have to say, this meat was some of the best I had.  It was pulled and blended well together.  The spice blend caused me to reach for a glass of water, but it added tremendous flavor to the dish.  However, this was my first tamale in a while, and it is not really the right food for me.  The masa based dough encasing the meat was grainy, and I thought the doughy texture was a bit unpleasant.  This was by no means an ineptitude of the restaurant but rather my personal distaste of this food.  At $3, you could definitely get away with eating two filling tamales for a full lunch.  The meat made me want to finish it, though.  Tortilleria Nixtamal was the perfect Mexican lunch food for an affordable price.

-Nate

Being street food, I was taken back by the hefty $6 price tag on the guacamole, but I ordered it nonetheless because I was in the mood for some good guac.  It definitely delivered, being that the portion was huge, it was served with various salsas, and it came with mucho chips.  The salsas ranged in spiciness, and complimented the tacos very well.  It was great to be able to customize my taco as I ate, instead of sticking with a singular salsa throughout the whole taco.  Jack and Nate also got small ounce containers of salsa that were added complimentary with the tacos.  The guacamole was evidently very fresh, and was studded with red onion as well as diced tomato.  They may have used sour cream in it, as it was creamier than I like it to be, and thus not as chunky.  Still, it was a great addition to my tacos.  The biggest letdown for me was the chips.  They may have been made out of fresh tortilla or maybe not fried at a high enough temperature, which resulted in a greased-soaked product.  The freshness of the guacamole helped to cut through the oiliness of the chips, but they were still a bit unpleasant.  It was by far the worst part of the meal, which in the grand scheme of the culinary world is still great Mexican food.

-Alec

If you're looking for a happy-go-lucky review of Tortilleria Nixtamal, you've unfortunately come to wrong place. It was a combination of the heat, the long walk, and a bit of the food that gave me a bad impression of the small Mexican joint. I ordered three tacos: the steak, the carnitas, and the pork. The guy at the register also swiped my card somewhere between twenty and thirty times. Both the steak and the pork were a bit chewy for me as well. The meat in the carnitas taco was not too bad, however the server may have had it out for me because the tacos were given to me in the foil upside down. Nearly impossible to keep together, I tried desperately to get the tacos together to little avail. Overall I really did not have a pleasant experience and would absolutely not recommend Tortilleria Nixtamal for any occasion.
-Jack

Lombardi's Pizza

What We Ate:

14" Original Pizza: Mozzarella, Tomato Sauce, and Basil

In 1905, Lombardi's Pizza became the first pizzeria in the United States.  Their coal oven technique has been used for over a century, and last night we were able to try a few historic slices.  The restaurant was predictably busy, so much so that we were seated in a room completely detached from the original restaurant.  Lombardi's serves only a white pizza and their original, plus a few toppings that you can add on top.  Because we had eaten some monster pastrami sandwiches from Katz's deli only a few hours ago, we ordered only a 14" original pizza. This included mozzarella cheese, San Marzano tomato sauce, and fresh basil on top of the thin crust. The coal oven charred the pizza crust to an appropriately black color, and it was very very thin.  The char was not off-putting from a flavor standpoint though, in fact it added to the flavor and gave the crust a nice crusty and almost smoky accent. This was probably the most simplistic pizza we have had thus far, from the tomato sauce to the mozzarella to the basil.  The sauce had very little seasoning and the sweetness of the tomatoes really shined through.  I wish that there had been more mozzarella, because it was very thin and sparse, and added little in terms of creaminess to balance the acidity of the sauce.  There was fresh basil on the pizza which was a very welcomed addition to the relatively unseasoned pie.  Although the restaurant has existed in the same location since 1905, I thought there would be a more historic atmosphere.  It was almost out-of-place in an otherwise very Italian part of town. This aside, the pizza was unique and has used the same recipe for many years, clearly not disappointing the customers. We wish we had another New York pizza with which to compare Lombardi's, but  that search for the city's best will never end. All in all, Lombardi's gave us a nice refreshing meal after some football in the park, and a little historic taste of NYC.
-The Hungry Crusaders

Katz's Delicatessen

What we ate:

Jack - Pastrami Reuben sandwich w/cream soda: 4.75 out of 5 stars
Nate - Pastrami sandwich w/black cherry soda: 4.75 out of 5 stars
Alec - Pastrami Reuben sandwich w/black cherry soda: 4.75 out of 5 stars

When we left the house for the day, we decided to take the subway down to southern Manhattan rather than walk the long stretch that we did yesterday. One block away from Katz's I could see the line that stretched around the corner. I figure that it must be good with limited eating space inside. What I saw shocked me. We were taken inside after volunteering for sit-down service and I was greeted with a sight that rivaled the NYSE. Hundreds of customers lined up at the counter, seated, and milling around the deli. Lining the walls were numerous pictures of the owner alongside famous customers, and near our table alone were pictures of him with Bill Clinton and Gorbachev (not in the same one thankfully). I perused the menu and quickly decided on the pastrami reuben. When the waiter came by and delivered it, I had a hard time waiting to take pictures before sinking my teeth into this gigantic pile of meat. It was amazingly good, and although I had a hard time keeping the whole thing together, I had no problem getting it all into my stomach. This pastrami earned a 4.75 out of 5 stars in my opinion, and a returning customer.

-Jack

Katz's will from now on be the model deli that I compare all others to.  After being herded into a section with other sit-in diners and waiting for a little bit, we finally sat down and ordered our food.  We had ample time to decide what to get, so as soon as we could we placed our orders.  A complimentary plate of pickles was placed before us, which was composed of classic deli pickles, half-brined pickles, and pickled green tomatoes.  The half-brined pickles were very, very lightly pickled, but on the other hand the other pickles sent a sour chill down my spine (in a good way).  After what felt like hours, we received our sandwiches.  Each half was the size of my fist, and I promptly stuffed it in my face.  The pastrami was thickly cut across the grain and juicy.  Katz's, established in 1888, definitely knew what they were doing. The country bread was no match for the contents of the sandwich in terms of attention, being merely a fraction of its size.  The swiss cheese drooped over the sides of the meat and was pleasantly melted.  I loved how the sourness of sauerkraut contrasted with the sweetness/brininess of the pickle-studded thousand island dressing, which contrasted with the meatiness of the pastrami, which contrasted with the creaminess of the cheese, which contrasted with the complexity of the pastrami seasoning that was found throughout the meat.  To put it in a single clause- it was the perfect bite.

-Alec

Katz's is one of the most famous diners in New York and after this meal I understand.  The massive pastrami sandwich I ordered had amazing flavor.  Pieces of pastrami fell off easily, and it was perfectly seasoned with the right amount of spice.  The juicy pastrami complemented the mustard I put on the sandwich.  After eating one half of the sandwich, it was difficult to finish the second.  However, I was able to complete the enormous sandwich barely contained by the bread.  The packed deli was a unique restaurant that is not entirely replicable.

-Nate

Sharaku

What we ate:

Nate - Tendon: 4.25 out of 5 stars
Alec - Yakinikkudon: 4.75 out of 5 stars
Jack - Tori Nanban Udon: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Near Washington Square Park, many Japanese restaurants line the streets.  We selected Sharaku with an expansive list of sushi and other Japanese fare.  Having spent a fair amount of time in Japan and trying plenty of the country's cuisine, I was pleased to see one of my favorite styles of cooking, donburi.  This simple dish contains some sort of meat or fish over steamed rice.  I ordered "tendon," which consists of tempura shrimp and vegetables.  If you are not familiar with tempura, it is lightly battered meat or vegetables that are deep fried.  This tendon was excellent, and I have not had one since I was in Japan.  The batter on the shrimp and vegetables was sweet and not too mushy.  The shrimp were plump, and I was served an array of vegetables that included carrot, pumpkin, onion, and a few others.  It was a well prepared dish at a great Japanese restaurant.  The dinner provided us with another ethnic food experience on our journey.

-Nate

When we left for the day, we had originally chosen a spot called Otafuku, known for its Okonomiyaki. After visiting the place, we decided against it and continued to search the street for some other Japanese spots. We're all Japanese students and know what will be good (or at least what we're ordering), but Nate really could tell us what the great dishes in Japan were, and could point us more precisely towards what we wanted to eat. I ended up ordering the Tori Nanban Udon, which was some chicken and herbs in a succulent fish broth. It wasn't exactly what I was craving (I had come into the restaurant dead-set on ordering sushi), but the Tori Nanban hit the spot. I respectfully slurped up the entire bowl and almost ordered seconds. The thick noodles absorbed the brothy soup like no other noodle could, and I greatly appreciated the calm and delightfully Japanese atmosphere. Overall, I'd give my dish a 4.75 out of 5 stars. If you're in the lower east side of Manhattan and want some great Japanese cuisine, check out Sharaku and you won't be sorry.

-Jack

I was pleasantly surprised when my food came to see that I got a good amount of food for only $9, being that it was a Japanese meal and we were in New York.  I ordered yakinikudon, or grilled beef over rice, and it came with scallions, onion, ginger slices, and pickled radish, all typical in Japanese cuisine.  The yellow of the radish, pink of the ginger, and green of the scallions popped visually against the dull brown beefy background.  Diving into my meal, I was immediately and uncannily brought back to Philadelphia, for the beef and onion tasted remarkably similar to the contents of the cheesesteaks I had tried in the days prior to arriving in New York.  The beef was shaven thin, and I could tell it had some good marbling of fat prior to its cooking.  The sauce that soaked into the beef and rice was a bit sweet, a good contrast to the pickled vegetables in the dish.  I found the rice to be a bit starchy (which may have been due to the sauce that soaked throughout it), but besides that it was a great bowl of yakinikudon.
-Alec


-Alec

Kilimandjaro Restaurant

What we ate:

Jack - Chicken w/Special African Sauce and Couscous

Nate - Chicken Dibi

Alec - Beef Skewers and Plantains 

After discovering that our desired restaurant Taconelli’s was completely booked, we searched the Internet for some suggestions.  The restaurant we ended up visiting received high ratings and one reviewer felt the need to describe the restaurant and it’s meals with deceiving advertisement such as “Do not come here…unless you want a killer meal,” or “Whatever you do NEVER order the fish…unless you want a fantastic seafood experience.” This restaurant was called Kilimandjaro.  We headed to West Philadelphia with almost no expectations, and our caretakers’ child.  Entering the unsuspecting building, I realized immediately how it felt to be a minority.  English was not the most spoken language and Caucasian diners seemed to be a rarity although there was another party there by the time we arrived.  The food was seasoned incredibly and probably marinated for many hours, and it was quite aromatic.  My chicken fell off the bone and was succulent and slightly spicy.  The side order of couscous I received was sweet and warm.  Everyone enjoyed their food, but this restaurant was an experience that in many ways has nothing to do with what we ate.  Besides the lack of English, the parking lot and surrounding area were filled with large vans decorated with spray paint.  Halfway through our dinner, we noticed two men carrying what appeared to be an extremely heavy garbage bag to the back of the cooking area.  The iced tea was disgustingly sweet and Alec’s hibiscus juice was like fresh prune nectar that I hope to never taste again.  To all of us, every African song playing in the background sounded almost identical. Overall, the experience outweighed the taste, but the chicken was pretty darn good.

-Nate

Immediately after entering the premises, I could tell that we may have made a mistake. Kilimandjaro, our backup restaurant, sported bright red walls and questionably healthy conditions. My first impression was confirmed when we unwrapped our silverware to find no matching forks, and two of us got spoons while the others got butter knives. Our friend Jimmy and I ordered the iced tea while Alec got the Hibiscus juice. Both obliterated my mouth with sweetness. I decided to order the chicken with “special African sauce” and just hoped to avoid the food poisoning. When it arrived, I was pretty surprised to dig into some pretty delicious chicken breast. I got nearly half of a chicken (wings and drums included), and happily gorged on the well-marinated meat. It was definitely the best chicken with African sauce I’ve come across. The couscous on the side was fairly sweet as well, but all in all it was the atmosphere of the restaurant that gave the trip some redemption. This was my first experience with good African cuisine and I’d be open to trying some more.

-Jack

Jim's and D'alessandro's- Two Local Cheesesteak Spots

What We Ate:

Steak with onions:

      -one with provolone

      -one with cheese wiz

Jim's: collective rating of 4.75 out of 5 stars

D'alessandro's: collective rating of 4.75 out of 5 stars

While Pat’s and Geno’s are two of the most famous cheesesteak establishments in Philadelphia, many locals will not tell you they are among the best.  We ventured to Jim’s in West Philadelphia for our third steak stop.  A small black building sits next to row houses, and the interior consists of a cramped space with little seating and a constantly sizzling grill.  As we waited in line, I could smell the onions caramelizing.  I watched with fascination as the cook chopped the steak into finely strips and in one swift motion cupped the bread over it to complete the sandwich.  The people here knew what they were doing, and this went all the way to the chef’s technique of keeping the rolls under the grill to keep them warm.  We kept our formula from the other day and ordered two steaks with onions, one with cheese whiz and one with provolone and specified for a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Not only were the steaks cheaper than yesterday’s, they tasted better too.  We took the food to the car to enjoy and to respect the limited space in the restaurant.

-Nate

Jim’s reminded me of a Japanese steak house in that the person who makes your food stands behind a flat top taking orders and making food right before your eyes.  This intimate experience with your food is something that allows the consumer to fully understanding what makes a traditional Philadelphia cheesesteak something special.  After we got our food we walked to our car, but not before noticing the Amoroso’s bread truck out back.  The steak was the most chopped of the sandwiches we had seen up to the point, and tasted exactly how it is supposed to be.  For future reference, I know that every cheesesteak I get will be compared to this one as a measuring stick.  The classic wiz (spread right out of the gallon can) was nice and synthetically cheesy.  The bread was the perfect combination of chewy and soft.  The only thing I didn’t like was the onions, for they were more caramelized and did not add that much in terms of texture.  When you take into consideration that these steaks were $7.20, about $2 less than that of Pat’s and Geno’s, it is definitely a step up from these more famous options. 

D’alessandro’s was suggested to me by a friend who used to live in Philadelphia, and after confirmation of it’s deliciousness by Mr. Reid we knew we had to check it out.  D’alessandro’s had a little more seating than Jim’s did, but it was crowded inside so we decided to head out to the sidewalk and eat on the outdoor seating.  The first thing that struck us when the sandwiches arrived was their size.  I would say that they were about 25% larger or more than the previous cheesesteaks, and stuffed just as much if not more.  Both were topped with onions per usual and the wiz was heavier than ever before on the one sandwich.  The onions were just how we liked them: barely translucent, sweet, and a little crunchy.  In a sandwich that features tender meat, chewy bread, and viscous cheese, this textural difference is very welcomed.  D’alessandro’s uses Amoroso’s bread just like Jim’s, and we saw fresh bread being unloaded from a truck once again as if it was following us. It was just personal preference, but I prefer my steak to be more whole and not ground up like it was at D’alessandro’s.  If the steak were more whole, it would be the perfect sandwich for me.  One thing to add was that D’alessandro’s had the cheesiest product of every one that we tried.  It was 75 cents extra for the cheese, and it was well worth it.  It may have been the type of provolone or the quantity, but the provolone variety had a pronounced cheesy flavor.  If not for the meat, D’alessandro’s would have easily been my favorite. Considering the price point at $7.25 and the size, though, it was definitely the best value in the city that we tried. 

-Alec

Silk City Diner

What We Ate:

Thai Chili Glazed One Pound Chicken Wings: 5 out of 5 stars

Baked Macaroni & Cheese w/ Garlic Bread Crust: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Pork Belly Empanadas w/ Sweet Potato, Jicama Slaw, Mango Tomatillo Relish, and Honey Mustard Sauce: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Freshly Cut Cheese Fries w/ Scallions and Chipotle Ketchup: 4.75 out of 5 stars

The Silk City diner at first looks simply like an old-fashioned diner car, complete with neon lights.  Upon further inspection, we realized that the establishment’s main doors had “use the other door” signs, pointing us to a bit down the street.  This is because the diner had actually grown so much that it took over buildings in both directions, to the left and the right of its original space.  After checking in, we walked through the original space that glowed of a bright red tinge, and got seated under an umbrella on some wooden benches.  The restaurant and bar was bustling with young, attractive people that made the old time diner theme recede to the back of our minds.  The outdoor seating carried more of an alternative theme, littered with décor such as a metal chicken sculpture over Nate’s left shoulder. 

Ever since I got food poising at school two years ago from the buffalo wings, I have always had a slight phobia of them.  I have to say, though, the experience I had last night at the Silk City diner was the complete antithesis of this.  The wings were featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and for a good reason.  We asked the waitress if she would recommend the buffalo or thai chili variety, and without hesitation chose the former.  Coming with blue cheese dressing and some obligatory carrot and celery that we did not even touch, the eight count wings were nicely crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.  They were phenomenally meaty wings that were fried just enough to have delicious chicken flavor that stood up to the sauce.  This dish was the definition of spicy and sweet, with bold chili flavor that contrasted with the sweetness of the sauce.  Jack forgot that the basketball we played earlier made his fingers quite dirty, but he was content to lick them anyway.  We mentioned the delectableness of the sauce to the bus boy, who replied with a “it’s just chili and sugar.”  But it was so much more than that.  We would have taken the sauce-drenched plate home with us if we could, but decided just to lick it right at our table instead. 

-Alec

After loving every bite of our first three appetizers, we were still a bit hungry.  We looked at the menu and ordered some of Silk City’s fresh cut homemade cheese fries.  The deep bowl of fries was delivered to our table, smothered in cheese sauce.  I recognized this sauce immediately from the mac and cheese we had earlier.  The fries were crispy and well salted and topped with chives, but most importantly, the delicious cheese sauce was layered in the entire bowl.  All of the other food was excellent, and the cheese fries were no exception.

-Nate

This evening Silk City Diner was our destination, and I was not surprised to see that it was once again in a not-so-great part of Philly. Once inside I was a bit confused to see the classic diner setting inside, but the waitress took us through the old diner car and out to a very nice and friendly outside eating area. Decorated with colorful chairs and strange statues, this was a great place to sit down with my friends Nate and Alec to have an amazing meal. I have to say that Silk City has provided me with my new favorite meal of the trip so far. We settled on the idea of ordering only appetizers due somewhat to pricing but also due to the delicious looking nature of the appetizer portion of the menu. We got the Thai-Chili wings, the crusty Mac & Cheese, the pork belly empanadas, and the cheese fries. Let’s first discuss the Mac & Cheese. Now, pasta is a favorite dish of mine served with most anything; it’s hard to mess up. The cooks here at Silk City really know how to make a fantastic mac though. I would put this dish clearly in my top macs of all time next to my own father’s. Served in an orange crucible and with crumbly garlic bread on top, the Silk City mac was a hit with everyone at the table. We almost had to fight for the last bite and nearly ordered more! I can’t stress enough the importance of the delectability of the creaminess in a mac & cheese, and they really did it right here, adding maybe some cumin and other spices into the melty cheese. It truly was one of the best appetizers I’ve ever eaten. After we dug into (and finished completely) our mac, we cut our two pork belly empanadas in halves and split them equally between the three of us with one left over. I was lucky enough to get the last bite here and was more than happy to snarf down the last half of this awesome dish. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when we ordered them but was definitely not disappointed. The pork belly was perfectly succulent and juicy, complementing nicely the jicama, sweet potato, mango and honey mustard sauce on the plate. The extra ingredients had a lovely sweet taste and went along with the savory empanadas. This was the best (and first) empanada I’ve ever eaten and I’d give it a 5 out 5. All of these appetizers combined to give us (unanimously decided) the best meal of the trip. I would absolutely recommend Silk City to anyone within 100 miles of this awesome chow-down spot.

-Jack

Geno's Steaks vs. Pat's King of Steaks

Geno's

What We Ate:

Steak with onions:
      -one with provolone
      -one with cheese wiz
Geno's: collective rating of 4 out of 5 stars
Pat's: collective rating of 4.25 out of 5 stars




                          

Pat's

The battle between Pat's and Geno's has only existed since 1966.  On the corner of 9th Street in South Philadelphia, many locals swear by only one of the establishments that claims to be the best in the city.  Pat's has been owned and operated by the Olivieri family since 1930 and believes themselves to be the creator of the steak and cheesesteak sandwiches.  Geno's, on the other hand, was created by Joe Vento in 1966.  While the "King of Steaks," Pat's, has a simple exterior in a brick building with a large white awning covering the small seating section, Geno's is much more flashy.  Two large blue signs on either side of the building spell the famous logo with a crown over the "A" in Pat's.  At Geno's, large neon signs  with plastic fire compose the outside display.  This logo can be found on the white deli paper covering the cheesesteak, as well, whereas Pat's serves their steak in plain white deli paper.  Also, Geno's has large tributes to Philadelphia war veterans along with police and firefighters.  All this is part of the personality of each restaurant, but what it really comes to is the quality of steak when determining the winner in this rivalry.

-Nate
                                                                                                               

Pat's Steaks w/ provolone on the left

A year ago I visited the intersection of 9th and Passyunk where the Geno's and Pat's rivalry lives.  That spring day i chose Geno's, the flashier of the two competing restaurants; however, today I came to the realization that I chose wrong.

We decided to get two steaks from each joint, both with onions, one with cheese wiz and one with provolone.  I usually am a fan of provolone, but after today I may have to reconsider my position on this matter. Knowing that both establishments are spots for tourists and not truly the best in the city, my expectations were not that high.  First we went to Pat’s, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with how good it was. There was a very good amount of steak in the sub, and the steak was tender and flavorful.  After going first for a half of provolone, I was blown away by how different the wiz was.  It complemented the sandwich and onions in a synthetic yet bold and cheesy way.  The onions were more well done than those of Geno’s, not adding a lot to the sandwich in terms of texture.  What’s more, I thought the bread could be better because it was a little too chewy for me. 

Halves of Geno's Steaks w/ provolone on the right

By contrast, I preferred the softer bread at Geno’s.  Also, the onions were sweet and not as cooked, giving great texture to the sandwich.  With this being said, the steak is what really made the difference.  Geno’s steak was thicker and much fattier, thus a bit juicer.  The problem with the steak, though, was there was not nearly as much of it.  In addition, I really had a problem with its taste.  To me it tasted a bit like dog meat might taste, but to Jack it was perfectly fine.  Perhaps I’m a bit picky, so take the short trip up to Philadelphia and find out yourself.  In this rivalry, Pat’s emerges as the king of steaks.

Stay tuned for tomorrow, when we will be trying steaks from D’alessandro’s and Jim’s. 

-Alec

PS: we are indeed exercising

 

Sip & Bite

What We Ate:

Jack- Antonios' Sip & Bite Supreme Breakfast Sandwich (Egg, Beef, Ham, and Cheese): 3 out of 5 stars
Nate- Chicken Gyro: 4 out of 5 stars
Alec- Beef Gyro: 4 out of 5 stars

    

Sip & Bite

    The recently renovated Sip & Bite was unfortunately closed the first time we went there, and apparently is every Tuesday from 3-11 PM.  We were thoroughly disappointment after this, but came back the next night nonetheless.  This was one of the most diner-esque places that we have gone and probably will go to, although it is Greek in terms of some menu items as well as in history.  Due to how crowded and bustling the place was, I feel that our experience was a bit worse than that of the regulars there.  Allow me to explain...

Beef Gyro w/ Fries

   I originally wanted to go with a meze sampler complete with spanikopita, calamari, and a lamb gyro, but to add to the fact that we had to come back the next day, they were out of lamb as well as calamari.  This was disappointing, so I settled with the beef gyro that came with fries.  The pita was nicely warmed on the griddle, and topped with slices of beef, tzatziki sauce, tomato, and onion.  The beef was tender, abundant, and well spiced.  My biggest problem with the dish was that the tzatziki was pretty bland.  To make matters worse for Nate, he had a lot of it.  I did not have an egregious amount of it on my gyro, so it was not a huge problem for me.  I will definitely be going back to Sip & Bite when I am back in the area to hopefully have a better experience, because I know it has potential.

-Alec

Chicken Gyro

Arriving at Sip & Bite after many meaty meals, I was ready for some authentic Greek cooking.  The chicken gyro was exactly what I needed and really tasted great.  Grilled chicken, onions, tomato, and tzatziki combine in a warm, doughy pita bread that make this classic Greek specialty.  The chicken was succulent and the tzatziki added an excellent creamy and tangy flavor.  My one complaint about the gyro was the amount of tzatziki used.  There was a bit too much for my liking, and it seemed to hide some of the flavor of the chicken.  I found this gyro to be among the best in the area and it is completely worth $8.50.  If you are in the mood for diner favorites and Greek cooking, Sip & Bite will solve those cravings.

-Nate

Today at Sip & Bite I had the Antonios’ Sip & Bite Supreme Breakfast Sandwich. Unfortunately, it wasn’t up to par with the rest of our project; however, it wasn’t too bad either. It consisted of a nicely cooked beef patty with a fried egg, some ham, and delicious melted cheese all in between two pieces of toast. While Sip & Bite wasn’t my favorite stop on the trip so far, I must say that Alec’s and Nate’s gyros looked very appetizing. I went with the non-Greek cuisine at the heavily Greek destination. Overall I gave the sandwich a 3 out of 5. I can't say that it was a bad sandwich, but considering this trip and all the other delicious opportunities, I could’ve been more impressed.

-Jack

DiPasquale's Marketplace

What We Ate

Nate- Old World Italian with oil and vinegar (sopressata, cured capicola, prosciutto, fontinella cheese, tomato, and homemade olive spread): 5 out of 5 stars
Jack - Real Italian with oil and vinegar (capicola, mortadella, salami, and pepperoni, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, hots, onions): 5 out of 5 stars
Alec- Sicilian fried rice ball stuffed with ground beef, mozzarella, and peas: 4.4 out of 5 stars

Today we headed downtown once again (we've taken close to 10 trips back and forth on I-83!) towards  Canton so that we could grab lunch at esteemed Italian deli Dipasquale's. I myself have been to the other store in Towson and can say that both are equally delicious and equally superior to any other deli in town. I can't speak for my fellow Senior Project companions, but for me DiPasquale's today provided to me one of the best Italian cold cuts I've ever eaten, and I eat a lot of cold cuts. Every ingredient was so incredibly fresh and clearly the product of a well run Italian deli/grocery store. You could simply notice by the crunch of the warm Italian bread and freshly sliced cheeses and meats that these guys take their food seriously. Not only did everything behind the deli counter look absurdly appetizing, but even the imported shelved goods in the store were enough to make even a non-cuisine-savvy chump appreciate the freshness and quality. You know a place is good when you want to buy more after your meal for the ride home. We grabbed a steamy hot baguette and gladly overstuffed our already bulging bellies on the drive back. Dipasquale's is for anyone in the mood for freshly sliced, off-the-vine, out-of-the-oven Italian lunch food. Guy's really leading us to some great places!

-Jack

Although not as glamorous as the sandwiches Jack and Nate ordered, my food was certainly delicious.  It offered a balanced meal of ground beef, mozzerella and peas encased in a ball of rice that was deep fried to golden perfection.  This was covered with a healthy ladling of some homemade tomato sauce that really tied the dish together.  I have to say, although it seemed smaller than my friends' stuffed sandwiches, it was a hearty stick-to-your-ribs kind of plate.   The tomato sauce had a handful of harmonious spices that obviously had been tweaked after years of family cooking tradition.  I truly believe that the sauce could have been served on a leather shoe and the dish would still taste good.  It reminded me of my grandmother's sauce, although hers is a little more sweet.  The outside of the ball (shaped more like a tear drop) featured a phenomenally crunchy shell that served as a good foil to the textural monotony of the tender ground beef and rice inside.  I really did not notice the peas until I was almost finished wolfing the dish down, but I suppose on this trip I will need to fit in vegetables any way I can.  I wish the ground beef had more spice and the dish had more mozzarella, but overall I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to pick up a quick and filling meal for only $5.
-Alec

The Old Italian (Yes, that is cheese)

Walking into DiPasquale's feels more like entering a museum of Italian food than just simply a great deli.  That's because the store does not just include a deli with freshly made Italian specialties but an entire grocery store filled with European, and mostly Italian, imported products.  For lunch I ordered the Old Italian (large) for around nine dollars.  When the waiter delivered the sandwich to our table, I was impressed with the array of deli slices, which includes sopressata, cured capicola, and prosciutto along with fontinella cheese.  While all of the meats were delicious, what made this sandwich was the crunchy bread and the homemade olive spread.  The first word that comes to mind when tasting these integral components of the sandwich is rustic.  It made me feel as though I were eating this Old Italian in an Etruscan square rather than a shop in Baltimore.  The bread was fresh and was the perfect casing for the meats and cheese.  The olive spread gave a fantastic tartness to the sandwich which complemented the flavors of the meats.  Sharing this meal over a large bottle of Orangina, I could understand why "It's an Italian thing" is DiPasquale's slogan.  You will have to make it to 3700 Gough St. in Baltimore, MD to find out why by trying their food.

-Nate

Legendary baguette and hat

An expansive Italian marketplace