Neuronix

I did post my opinions based on actual personal experience and I backed it up with a little bit of additional information. I agreed with the department, considering I eat those lunches as well, or I wouldn't have posted what I said.

Just what I was saying. I only went in twice since Bob left us. Also, one of the departments where I work used to get Koch's semi-frequently for different lunchtime events. They've since switched off of Koch's. I was curious why so I asked. They told me that the sandwiches just got smaller and smaller last year and they didn't think they were worth the money anymore.

I'm pretty sure Greek Lady doesn't own that truck anymore. They should call it Taiwanese lady instead I remember one day I went there only to find new people working the truck, Greek Lady logo removed from everything, but the same menu and the same food. I don't know if the food has changed much since then. I used to go out of my way to Koch's once and awhile for a hoagie, but they've really gone downhill. I hear a rumor that the family sold it off (is this true anyone?). Ever since Bob died the place got slower (that was possible?), all the fun went out of it, and the sandwiches got skimpier.

I wish I could get excited about Tiffin... Their menu includes potatoes or some type of tuber with every option, every day. It's not like I have anything against potatoes, but I thought Indian had more variety than that. I also like my Indian food spicy, the way it should be. Minar would make it good and spicy for me. Tiffin is always mild, no matter how you order it

I eat at the Penn area food trucks at least once a day. Sometimes two. My thoughts: Most of the trucks on Spruce street suck unless otherwise noted. For Chinese/Asian: King's Work (33rd and Spruce) is one of the best Chinese trucks on campus and I go there frequently. Shrimp and eggplant is excellent. Singapore noodle is also very good, and better than Yue Kee IMO. Yue Kee (on 38th) is very slow and often rude, so I stopped going there. I think King's Wok is better anyways. I don't bother with any of the other Chinese trucks except Kim's (next to Pottruck), which is pretty good and has a decent variety of other dishes like basic Vietnamese. The other trucks just poor goo on everything and is nasty. I go to Koja once and awhile. Indian: The truck next to Pottruck (next to Kim's) is ok. I think the buffets are gross and this truck probably makes the best, cheap Indian in the city right now (sad). He will make it spicy for you. I like authentic spicy food, and his is so-so. He's kind of rude. Kabobeesh, while not a truck, at 42nd and Chestnut is great. Mexican: Mexicali makes decent cheap burritos, even if they aren't particularly Mexican. The restaurant at 40th and Snasom is very good for a cheap (~$5), simple Mexican bite. I find the other trucks overpriced and not that good, though the cart that just went in next to Mexicali has been ok so far. Middle Eastern: The only that's worth going to IMO is Rami's at 40th and Locust. They have the best middle eastern I've had in this city. The carribean carts are open latest (till 10PM) if you want lots of fried fish or fried chicken to clog your arteries. They have an extensive menu of things that are usually sold out every time I go. Some of the other carts are open till 8PM (all the Chinese trucks I mentioned). Hemo's is ok if you want a hoagie. There's alot of other trucks for hoagies and/or Gyro's that I think are all pretty much the same old crap on a roll. I could never get into the crepe craze. I think they're overpriced and not all that good, though the Houston Hall creperie is always very popular. Au Bon Pain is ridiculously overpriced and not really that good. If you want to go to any cafeteria, the one in Abrahmson (CHOP's research building) is the best I've found on campus and is reasonable.

If we're talking about the same place (Cafe a la Turca I think it was called), that's gone now. It went back to being a sandwhich place for all of a month or something and last time I went by on the 42 bus I think it had a for rent sign in the window. I've been going to Rami's middle eastern cart on Penn campus, but it's pretty far out of the way at 40th and Locust. The kabob platters at the place at the start of Gray's Ferry (23rd and Bainbridge) are suprisingly good. The coupon going around in their flier makes it a pretty good deal if you live in this area. Unfortunately I really didn't like Philly Falafel, but that's just me I guess. I gotta go get a dosa now... How much are they? I imagine the prices aren't bad. I couldn't afford to go to Cafe Spice for that kind of thing very often. Thanks for pointing that out!

That chef is an idiot. Imported raspberries are a leading cause of cyclosporiasis, caused by the parasite Cyclospora. Simple rinsing with water will rinse the parasite right off and is a recommended preventative measure.

My girlfriend and I went to Amada last night. Given all the reviews, I decided to take her there as a surprise for our Valentine's Day/Dating anniversary. We probably stuck out being the youngest ones by several years, except for some of the employees Since I made the reservation on Monday the only reservation we could get was 10PM. That's fine for me, as I typically work an afternoon shift. Still, I don't think they should offer reservations that late. I wasn't necessarily expecting Spanish-style service, which would probably have put us there till 3AM and would have required yelling across the room at the server to get any service at all. But, to put it simply, we felt rushed. I expected, like any tapas restaurant, to get many small dishes over many courses. Instead, we ordered and ate three dishes, then were told we had to order everything else we wanted since the kitchen was closing. I honestly had no idea how much more to order at that point, so I probably got a little too much. As a contrast to some of the other posts, our waiter seemed a tad pretentious. He was not at all talkative. I saw him in the restaurant going to the bathroom and when we were leaving and I didn't even get so much as a smile out of him back. I think it may have all started when I asked him which was a better deal, to order off the menu or go with the chef's selection. He didn't give me a straight answer, but I think he may have sized us up as the young, can't really afford to be here crowd who will probably skimp. I also saw him chatting with some of the people at the table next to us. Maybe I'm making all this up... Who knows? In any case, we ordered off the menu. Here's what we got: Pitcher of red sangria -- $29, but the best red sangria I've ever had. I'll have to try to duplicate that recipe. Tortilla Espanola -- Very basic, good aioli Mix of 3 cheeses -- The manchego was pretty basic. How long is it aged exactly? Nothing special there. The garroxta was very good, being semi-soft goat's milk cheese that had a little flavor to it. The queso de cabra was also very good--the most complex of the bunch. Pumpkin Soup -- I'd love to tell you the real name of this dish, but the menu online is not the same as the menu in the store and this isn't on the online menu. In any case, I'm a sucker for good pumpkin dishes and this was no exception. This was one of the stars of the dinner IMO. Then since I didn't know how much more to get, Olivas -- Good quality and quantity serving. Patatas Bravas -- I was slightly disappointed with these. I've always had smaller chunks or slices of potato in the past and it's usually more potatoes and less plate. I can see why, they're very nice when they get a nice crisping all over. Pulpo Gallego -- I was expecting something of a small mound of grilled octopus or an octopus salad since this wasn't on the grill section of the menu. It turned out to be tasty grilled octopus, though a very small portion (maybe a dozen small pieces?) for $11. Chorizo a la plancha -- Pretty standard grilled Spanish chorizo. Costillas de Ternera -- This was also a real standout of the meal. YUM! Shredded beef and cheese on warm flatbread. Amazing. Cordero Relleno -- I was disappointed with this $18 lamb chop option. They ended up being 2 large fried shells stuffed with a little bit of cheese and the smallest lamb chops I've ever seen. There was much more coating than anything else. Inside was alot of air, a little bit of decent lamb meat, and a small amount of cheese. Dessert Chocolate 5 ways -- 5 different versions of chocolate. If I remember correctly there was a little mousse (nothing special), chocolate orange cake (ok), truffle (good), hazlnut-chocolate thing (fuzzy now, good), small hot chocolate (very good). The portions on this one were all very small for $8. So Amada isn't a place we can usually afford and I think it was the most expensive dinner for 2 I've ever been to. I lived in Spain for awhile, so I really lament the lack of tapas options in Philadelphia. At least we have a few options now, but still nowhere near the scene of say NYC or Chicago. I mean, the quality of the food at Amada overall was high, but the prices were much higher than anywhere else I've ever been. Our bill for 2 was $65/person before tip. I've never eaten tapas for more than $40/person in the past and the average including drinks is usually more in the range of $30/person. If money was no object, I would probably come back. Since it is, $150 just wasn't worth it to us, especially with the service issues. We'll just have to wait until we get back out to Chicago or Spain. Edit: Forgot a dish!

Apologies, and your point is well taken Capaneus. Saying what the system might be thinking is not the same as arguing for it. I had just returned from the 12th and Chestnut store, empty handed. I like the signs that say "Lowest Price in the US" and I go online and find a lower price. Or perhaps the other signs that have a description by the winemaker, I buy it, take it home, and it's a huge dud. I guess the PLCB gets its just desserts on that one considering certain bottles have been sitting at the 12th and Chestnut store for months and months now.

The law obviously makes no sense. Why should Blue Mountain Winery's awful, overpriced wine be sold by their stores in RTM and elsewhere, while others can't open wine stores? I can only hope the corporations make the big monetary push in lawyer's fees to get this all changed.

That's the biggest bunch of nonsense I've ever heard on an Internet forum. I wish I had an award for this. You need to at least give me a link with some data backup for that statement before I'd even begin to acknowledge that as possibly true. How does it control alcohol consumption to have six packs of beer available on every street corner but not available by the case or from an alcohol warehouse? Oh great, the guy who just bumed a quarter from me is now buying a flask of vodka from the wine & spirits store or a 40oz from the deli down the street... So much control of alcohol consumption. What, we outprice the alcoholics? What kind of wishful thinking is that? It makes no sense other than in the light of state government greed and antiquated laws.

I fail to see any advantages to state-owned liquor stores. All it does is line the state's pockets. Sure, it's gotten somewhat better over the past few years. That doesn't mean it's right and that doesn't mean it's anywhere as good as it should be or is in other states for consumers. Competition is a good thing. We force all the other industries to have it for a reason.

I can only hope this will be turned into a push to rid us of the state monopoly on liquor in PA.

Methinks that would the horchata agua fresca. ← It is, and it's pretty good. My girlfriend and I plowed through 4 cups of it I dunno where else you can get horchata around here. It's a rice based drink that I liken to drinking a thinner blended rice pudding. The alambres are quite tasty as well. This place very much reminded me of Mexico, except some of the things I'm used to being included with your meal in Mexico (a little bowl of soup, grilled green onions) didn't come with the meals. Tacos al pastor were of course sublime. That being said, the frijoles charros didn't really do it for me. It turned out to be a beef and bean soup that was ok, but nothing amazing. We should have spent the $5 on more al pastor

Well it's certainly not that here. We ordered from them a few nights ago. They delivered us someone else's meal as well. We called and they asked us to put the third meal out front and the delivery guy would come back and get it. They did. Certainly not precision it seems That being said, the food was good. It doesn't replace the hole in my heart that Minar Palace's departure left, but I'm sure I'll be ordering again.