Mini glutton's tour

[rockhopper]

A friend from Phillipsburg was visiting me the other day. I took him into Philly for some chow.

Breakfast was at Carman's. Yes it is worth the trip - for both the food and Carman. I was prepared for some atty-tude but she was quite charming. French toast with sweet potatoes, persimmon, tangerines and brandy. zow!

Chickie's deli for um, brunch. The Chickie's special is a 10 on a scale of 1-10. Can't be better. Really. (I've eaten thousands of hoagies :)). The only one I'd put this hoagie against is from Nardi's deli in Berlin NJ. The counter help was very friendly too.

Down Home Diner for "lunch". I had fried chicken. Actually I was surprised at how good it was. It tasted just like I pan fried it myself. Pan fried and deep fried tastes different. It was not greasy; rather crispy. The mashed potatoes were very good and the broccoli was not overcooked. My friend got meatloaf (so we got 2 standard diner items). That was great too. It was about 7 bucks for each so that's pretty cheap.

(we also grabbed some sarcone's bread on the way north to take home).

For the meal between lunch and dinner. (what is that called?) and after assuring him that dog and cat were not on the menu we went to Vietnam Oh, geez is that the name? The one on the west side of the street; there is another one on the east side. Goi cuon was very good, cha gio also very good but the pho is a bit bland. The broth I mean. This was not very expensive either.

We were in the mood for Italian after but were in the wrong neighborhood - at least from my experience. Is there anything good around city hall? So we went back to NJ and ate that Sarcone's bread with the meatballs and gravy I made the day before. Desert was Maalox (joke).

So, my questions:

Carman's is great but it's not what I can pay every day. So who has the "second best" breakfast in the city?

I've not had better bread in the city than sarcone's. Who is second best?

Who has your favorite pho? (the one I had was already second best)

[menton1]

How did you guys have room for all this food? It sounds great, but I would have had to spread this out over 3 days!!

[Holly Moore]

So, my questions:

Carman's is great but it's not what I can pay every day. So who has the "second best" breakfast in the city?

I've not had better bread in the city than sarcone's. Who is second best?

Who has your favorite pho? (the one I had was already second best)

Well done, eating wise. Excellent choices. Admirable tonnage.

I've always had the Down Home Diner and Carman's tied for first place, non-hotel breakfast. (The Four Seasons, when they're on their game, does one of the best hotel breakfast's I've had anywhere.). Second after them, if you like Carman's style, Sabrina's on Christian between 9th and 10th.

You're talking Italian bread, otherwise I'd say Metropolitan. Maybe Cacia's on Ritner. And you can get a couple of squares of tomato pie to hold you over for the ride to the next food stop.

I like Pho 76 at, I believe 12th and Washington.

[sara]

Besides Carman's (always first in my book), try Morning Glory, or Blue N Green (3rd St location) or Rx.

For pho, I'm not surprised you didn't like it at Vietnam, I've been saying that there's wasn't good for years now...try Pho 75 or Pho Hua on Washington, or Pho Cafe at 43d and Spruce.

[KatieLoeb]

Rockhopper:

Dude - that's some truly righteous eatin' all in one day! Damn - I'm duly impressed. You must have hollow legs or something...

I'm more of a diner kinda girl for breakfast so I'll put in my vote for the South Street Diner at 2nd & South. Virtually stumbling distance from my abode and good standard eggs plus and/or omelets. Down Home Diner does a pretty wicked breakfast as well and then you can go poking around Reading Terminal. Oh yeah - you did that already. Blue in Green, as Sara mentioned, does a great breakfast too.

Bread isn't really one of my favorite things but I'm with you on Sarcone's being pretty good. I'm also fond of Metropolitan for more rustic breads. The little Amish ladies at Reading Terminal do some delicious breads too.

For Pho I have two favorites. In Chinatown there's none better than Pho Xe Lua at 9th and Race. ALL their soups are delicious. Seafood noodle is a fave as well as the Beef Satay soup. Very stick to your ribs kind of winter soup. I also recently discovered Pho Nguyen Hue at 16th & Washington. There's an entrance on 16th Street just north of Washington Ave., or you can enter from inside Hoa Bin Plaza. I had a spicy vermicelli soup with beef from there that was outstanding, and they also make delicious shrimp rolls and Bahn Mi of all sorts.

You missed Bitar's (right down the street from Chickie's) Lebanese grill on this particular jaunt, so you'll have to check that out next time.

[menton1]

Carman's is great but it's not what I can pay every day. So who has the "second best" breakfast in the city?

My vote would be for Blue in Green, North 3rd St just above Market St in Old City. Awesome breakfasts!!

[herbacidal]

or you can go to the other BinG, on Sansom (Jewelers' Row) between 7th and 8th.

I prefer that one myself.

[coolgeek]

Folks - the Blue and Green on 3rd has been closed for several months.

And though I have never been there myself, I've not heard good things about the Jeweler's Row location in quite some time.

The 3rd street location is now a takeout fried seafood joint named - wait for it - Seafood Borgata.

[sara]

God that's sad...Really. Thanks for the update.

[herbacidal]

And though I have never been there myself, I've not heard good things about the Jeweler's Row location in quite some time.

i heard the sansom st. one was average at first.

then i actually went there. i've liked it since.

been there 4-6 times i think.

2-3 in the past year for brunch.

2-3 more times before that for weekday breakfast.

[menton1]

Folks - the Blue and Green on 3rd has been closed for several months.

Wow-- that's crazy-- hard to believe;

The place was always packed-- always a long wait on a Sunday-- how could they go under-- did they spend beyond their means? Were the prices too low? Very sad, a loss of a unique place....

[katbert]

I think we're going to BnG this Sat for early breakfast although they might not be open quite early enough (8ish). hmm. We might have to change that.

Also, 10th St Pourhouse does GIANT pancakes, mostly great homefries, a big breakfast burrito filled with omelette and topped with salsa, good frenchfries, a decent eggplant/fresh mozz sandwich w/ pesto in a buzzing coffeehouse kind of atmosphere. One time I did have not so good potatoes that had been sitting on the grill for too long and also the biscuit in sausage gravyness was not my favorite-- a sort of creamed chipped beef quality to it that I don't like.

Also the Dutch eating place or whatever it's called at the northern end of Reading Terminal Market-- I can just finish a hot apple dumpling with heavy cream for breakfast and their regular breakfast is consistently good. Note that this isn't a good place for groups, 1-2 ppl is easiest b/c it's seating at stools at counterspace only unless you takeout and hunt for seating in the center of the market (which can also be hard if it's primetime in RTM).

kt

[cinghiale]

Howz about Shank's & Evelyn's (10/Carpenter)? Haven't been in awhile, so tried to go last Saturday. They were closed till today, I think. Anyone been lately?

Sabrina's was a mob scene, so elected to go for dim sum at that place that used to be the Golden Donut or something -- the one on WashAve with the lions out front. Nothing too special, really. For that area, I still prefer the joint in the shopping center at 7/Wash.

[herbacidal]

Folks - the Blue and Green on 3rd has been closed for several months.

Wow-- that's crazy-- hard to believe;

The place was always packed-- always a long wait on a Sunday-- how could they go under-- did they spend beyond their means? Were the prices too low? Very sad, a loss of a unique place....

i remember walking by enough during the week, and they were often empty.

OTOH, I know they were looking for additional BOH/FOH staff, and if they were unsuccessful, that would be another reason.

plus rents undoubtedly rose since they opened initially.

[herbacidal]

I think we're going to BnG this Sat for early breakfast although they might not be open quite early enough (8ish). hmm. We might have to change that.

Also, 10th St Pourhouse does GIANT pancakes, mostly great homefries, a big breakfast burrito filled with omelette and topped with salsa, good frenchfries, a decent eggplant/fresh mozz sandwich w/ pesto in a buzzing coffeehouse kind of atmosphere. One time I did have not so good potatoes that had been sitting on the grill for too long and also the biscuit in sausage gravyness was not my favorite-- a sort of creamed chipped beef quality to it that I don't like.

Also the Dutch eating place or whatever it's called at the northern end of Reading Terminal Market-- I can just finish a hot apple dumpling with heavy cream for breakfast and their regular breakfast is consistently good. Note that this isn't a good place for groups, 1-2 ppl is easiest b/c it's seating at stools at counterspace only unless you takeout and hunt for seating in the center of the market (which can also be hard if it's primetime in RTM).

kt

call and check on BinG.

10th St. is a good alternative though.

the one time i've eaten there i liked it, although can't recall specifically what i ate.

[katbert]

has anyone been to Judy's Cafe for breakfast lately? We're trying to decide between there or reading terminal for a group of 6. Also if anyone wants to sell us on the Down Home Diner that would be helpful as well (I would be more inclined to go to the dutch place at the end).

I went to BlueandGreen last weekend and wasn't particularly impressed- the breakfast burrito wasn't as good as either the giant one at 10th St Pourhouse or the barking chihuahua from Sabrina's. I like sitting in booths and the magazines at the counter but the food was average. (Sabrina's rates much higher for the same prices.)

kt

[herbacidal]

go

I went to BlueandGreen last weekend and wasn't particularly impressed- the breakfast burrito wasn't as good as either the giant one at 10th St Pourhouse or the barking chihuahua from Sabrina's. I like sitting in booths and the magazines at the counter but the food was average. (Sabrina's rates much higher for the same prices.)

kt

i liked down home when i was there years ago, but that was then.

disappointed BinG wasn't up to par. Never been to Sabrina's, but everything I've ever had at BinG has been good.

And I love the magazines. It's where I get my monthly fix of giant robot.

[KatieLoeb]

has anyone been to Judy's Cafe for breakfast lately? We're trying to decide between there or reading terminal for a group of 6. Also if anyone wants to sell us on the Down Home Diner that would be helpful as well (I would be more inclined to go to the dutch place at the end).

I went to BlueandGreen last weekend and wasn't particularly impressed- the breakfast burrito wasn't as good as either the giant one at 10th St Pourhouse or the barking chihuahua from Sabrina's. I like sitting in booths and the magazines at the counter but the food was average. (Sabrina's rates much higher for the same prices.)

kt

If you mean Judy's at 3rd & Bainbridge, I had no idea they were open for breakfast. In fact I'm pretty certain they aren't as it's around the corner from my house and I pass it every day and NEVER have seen it open during breakfast hours (or even lunchtime), at least during the week. OTOH if you mean Sunday Brunch, that's another story. I think they're open at 10:30 AM or so. No brunch on Saturdays.