Lunch ideas close to U of P Hospital

[Jeff L]

Besides the White Dog Cafe, can anyone suggest a great lunch to be had close to University of PA Hospital?

I have a 3:00 pm appointment and will be in town from 1:00 pm on. I like pretty much all kinds of food with one exception, German fare is not to my liking.

Does anyone know the name of that Chinese food truck parked close by that is supposed to be great? That would work for me too.

[philadining]

Does anyone know the name of that Chinese food truck parked close by that is supposed to be great? That would work for me too.

←

Yue Kee, parked on 38th St. between Walnut & Spruce St.

[Kobi]

Jeff,

I graduated a couple years ago, but a few options:

1- The Crepes inside Houston Hall. On the corner of 34th and Spruce. Great, cheap, quick, fresh.

2- Bejing. 38th and Spruce. This may have been the product of being a college student, but I have VERY fond memories of the fresh, (very quick), tasty chinese food. Always packed at lunch and they definitely hurry you out.

3- Tony Luke's. 38th and Spruce. Haven't been to the Penn outpost, but it is an obvious consideration.

4- Greek Lady. 40th and Locust. Used to be (still is also?) a cart with very popular sandwiches.

5- Hemo's Cart. 37th and Spruce. Awesome grilled chicken sandwiches. Ask for extra Hemo's sauce.

- KOBI

[KatieLoeb]

If you don't mind walking across campus, I'd suggest having lunch at Nan at 40th & Chestnut. It's Thai-French cuisine with a high fabulosity factor. BYOB.

Penne at 36th & Walnut is very good and practically across the street from the Hospital. Their handmade pastas are fabulous and they have great wines by the glass. Their Lunch Menu looks excellent and is pretty reasonably priced.

Many folks have recommended POD at 36th & Sansom.

If you're driving in and don't mind going just slightly further afield, Vientiane Cafe at 4728 Baltimore Avenue serves excellent Thai and Laotian cuisine and is open for lunch. Cute little place that's BYO also. Cash only but very reasonable.

[philadining]

Or if you're running short on time and want a quick bite from a truck, I'm not sure this is totally up-to-date, and it's totally subjective, but interesting:

Food Truck Guide from some folks at the Penn Linguistics dept.

[Behemoth]

Or if you're running short on time and want a quick bite from a truck, I'm not sure this is totally up-to-date, and it's totally subjective, but interesting:

Food Truck Guide from some folks at the Penn Linguistics dept.

←

I love that linguistics department touch:

And Sammy is the only (semi-)native speaker of a modern Aramaic language around Penn, so stop by and greet him in his parents' native tongue with a "shlomo a`layxu!" (` = `ayn).

That would be confusing to most Arab speakers, but Sammy makes one hell of a great shawarma. Actually, everything I've had from that truck has been great.

[Jeff L]

Great ideas, thanks everyone. I'd forgotten all about Nan, one of my favorite places! Think it's between Nan and the Chinese truck.

As an aside, I discovered Nan about 2 weeks after it opened while my wife was having a procedure at U of P. Her surgeon said it would be at least 3 hours, so off I went in the dead of winter looking for this well reviewed place. Found it, loved it and went back with friends a few more times.

Does anyone know if the chef/owner is the same guy who ran Aloutte on Bainbridge - that was another really nice spot for French/Thai.

[KatieLoeb]

Does anyone know if the chef/owner is the same guy who ran Aloutte on Bainbridge - that was another really nice spot for French/Thai.

Yes it is. Chef Kamol Phutlek was the chef/owner of Alouette, as well as having graced the kitchens of La Panetiere and Frog Commissary. His influence on cuisine in Philadelphia and the "Restaurant Renaissance" back in the 1970s can not be underestimated. He's famously a mentor of other chefs as well.

[Jeff L]

Does anyone know if the chef/owner is the same guy who ran Aloutte on Bainbridge - that was another really nice spot for French/Thai.

Yes it is. Chef Kamol Phutlek was the chef/owner of Alouette, as well as having graced the kitchens of La Panetiere and Frog Commissary. His influence on cuisine in Philadelphia and the "Restaurant Renaissance" back in the 1970s can not be underestimated. He's famously a mentor of other chefs as well.

←

Thanks, I thought I'd heard that. The guy really knows what he's doing in the kitchen and the waitstaff are all professional and pleasant, at least that's been our experience.

The only other place that serves up this kind of food that we really like is called Origin in Somerville, NJ. It's an amazing place, check out the NJ board for this one. Also, a place we used to like is 410 Bank Street in Cape May. Problem now is consistancy or the lack of it. They still pack em in down there though.

[KatieLoeb]

Does anyone know if the chef/owner is the same guy who ran Aloutte on Bainbridge - that was another really nice spot for French/Thai.

Yes it is. Chef Kamol Phutlek was the chef/owner of Alouette, as well as having graced the kitchens of La Panetiere and Frog Commissary. His influence on cuisine in Philadelphia and the "Restaurant Renaissance" back in the 1970s can not be underestimated. He's famously a mentor of other chefs as well.

←

Thanks, I thought I'd heard that. The guy really knows what he's doing in the kitchen and the waitstaff are all professional and pleasant, at least that's been our experience.

The only other place that serves up this kind of food that we really like is called Origin in Somerville, NJ. It's an amazing place, check out the NJ board for this one. Also, a place we used to like is 410 Bank Street in Cape May. Problem now is consistancy or the lack of it. They still pack em in down there though.

←

Jeff:

There's a place in Collingswood called Water Lily that philadining and I tried a short while ago that was excellent and was also Asian-French inspired. We posted about it in the NJ board so you can go back and see our impressions of the place. It was very good and could almost replace the dearly departed Le Me Toujours in Marlton in my heart and stomach.

Next time you're heading to Cape May let me know. I have a bunch of great recommendations for you.

[Jeff L]

Does anyone know if the chef/owner is the same guy who ran Aloutte on Bainbridge - that was another really nice spot for French/Thai.

Yes it is. Chef Kamol Phutlek was the chef/owner of Alouette, as well as having graced the kitchens of La Panetiere and Frog Commissary. His influence on cuisine in Philadelphia and the "Restaurant Renaissance" back in the 1970s can not be underestimated. He's famously a mentor of other chefs as well.

←

Thanks, I thought I'd heard that. The guy really knows what he's doing in the kitchen and the waitstaff are all professional and pleasant, at least that's been our experience.

The only other place that serves up this kind of food that we really like is called Origin in Somerville, NJ. It's an amazing place, check out the NJ board for this one. Also, a place we used to like is 410 Bank Street in Cape May. Problem now is consistancy or the lack of it. They still pack em in down there though.

←

Jeff:

There's a place in Collingswood called Water Lily that philadining and I tried a short while ago that was excellent and was also Asian-French inspired. We posted about it in the NJ board so you can go back and see our impressions of the place. It was very good and could almost replace the dearly departed Le Me Toujours in Marlton in my heart and stomach.

Next time you're heading to Cape May let me know. I have a bunch of great recommendations for you.

←

I did see your post about Water Lily and made a mental note to try it, my partner lives in Cherry Hill so I'm in that neck of the woods from time to time.

Probably won't get to CM until the summer, we used to take our girls there every year when they were younger. Something for everyone in that town, beach, sand and Wildwood for the kids, shopping on the pedestrian mall for Gale and of course for me, the best restaurants in all the NJ beach towns put together! Of course, I haven't been down in a few years and things change..but we all love that place.

[mrbigjas]

If you're driving in and don't mind going just slightly further afield, Vientiane Cafe at 4728 Baltimore Avenue serves excellent Thai and Laotian cuisine and is open for lunch.  Cute little place that's BYO also.  Cash only but very reasonable.

←

edited a second time to delete my crazy ramblings because you guys know better than i do.

so what's the jawn at 43rd & spruce? was it ever known as vientiane?

Edited January 20, 2006 by mrbigjas (log)

[philadining]

If you're driving in and don't mind going just slightly further afield, Vientiane Cafe at 4728 Baltimore Avenue serves excellent Thai and Laotian cuisine and is open for lunch.  Cute little place that's BYO also.  Cash only but very reasonable.

←

vientiane is at 48th & baltimore? i went by last night (on my way back from a great dinner at marigold) and it's on the corner of 43rd & spruce.

in fact, i suspect that the websites where you might have gotten that address are old--i think that vientiane was up on baltimore when it was the blue tent semi-legal restaurant. that spot is now meskerem ethiopian, i think...

←

Nope, Katie's got the right address for Vientiane, there's indeed a place at 43rd and Baltimore, but that ain't Vientiane Cafe...

edit to add details:

The Place at 43rd and Spruce is "Pho and Cafe Saigon"

http://www.ucityphila.com/world_cuisine/li...Type=Vietnamese

Edited January 20, 2006 by philadining (log)

[sunra]

If you're driving in and don't mind going just slightly further afield, Vientiane Cafe at 4728 Baltimore Avenue serves excellent Thai and Laotian cuisine and is open for lunch.  Cute little place that's BYO also.  Cash only but very reasonable.

←

vientiane is at 48th & baltimore? i went by last night (on my way back from a great dinner at marigold) and it's on the corner of 43rd & spruce.

in fact, i suspect that the websites where you might have gotten that address are old--i think that vientiane was up on baltimore when it was the blue tent semi-legal restaurant. that spot is now meskerem ethiopian, i think...

←

Nope, Katie's got the right address for Vientiane, there's indeed a place at 43rd and Baltimore, but that ain't Vientiane Cafe...

edit to add details:

The Place at 43rd and Spruce is "Pho and Cafe Saigon"

http://www.ucityphila.com/world_cuisine/li...Type=Vietnamese

←

Cafe Saigon is a good place for a quick lunch or dinner. We have gone before catching a show or some live music in the area and we are able to eat well very quickly. They make good pho, broken rice dishes and fruit shakes. I would avoid their spring rolls, though, way too greasy.

[philadining]

so what's the jawn at 43rd & spruce?  was it ever known as vientiane?

←

you're not crazy: I think there might be wording on their sign, or awning, or somewhere, that at least looks like "Vientiane" as you drive by. It could be an optical illusion. Or maybe they got a deal on an old awning... But I remember going by there a while ago and having a similar confusing moment, thinking that it just didn't seem like where I thought Vientiane was.

[Diann]

Couple of notes from a VERY recent Penn grad:

1) Pho/Cafe Saigon is good, but only because it's the one real Vietnamese joint in the neighborhood (there are those food trucks around 38th and Spruce -- the two Le Ahns -- but Cafe Saigon is better). I wouldn't go out of your way to check it out, since I think the places in South Philly do it better. That said, it's great for Penn students.

2) Jeff L, be warned that if you go to Yue Kee, you should definitely call ahead. The wait around lunchtime takes forever. If they tell you 20 minutes, I'd anticipate 30 or 40 minutes, unless things have changed in the last six months. I think this is their number: (610) 812-7189. I like the beef chow fun, anything with eggplant, and their dumplings -- it isn't gourmet by any means, but it's good for a food cart. (I think they use MSG, though...)

[Jeff L]

Couple of notes from a VERY recent Penn grad:

1) Pho/Cafe Saigon is good, but only because it's the one real Vietnamese joint in the neighborhood (there are those food trucks around 38th and Spruce -- the two Le Ahns -- but Cafe Saigon is better). I wouldn't go out of your way to check it out, since I think the places in South Philly do it better. That said, it's great for Penn students.

2) Jeff L, be warned that if you go to Yue Kee, you should definitely call ahead. The wait around lunchtime takes forever. If they tell you 20 minutes, I'd anticipate 30 or 40 minutes, unless things have changed in the last six months. I think this is their number: (610) 812-7189. I like the beef chow fun, anything with eggplant, and their dumplings -- it isn't gourmet by any means, but it's good for a food cart. (I think they use MSG, though...)

←

Diann:

Thanks for the warning. I remember reading that somewhere. Anyway, I've decided to go back to Nan for lunch. I know it will be good.

See you tomorrow tonight!

Jeff

Edited January 21, 2006 by Jeff L (log)

[phungi]

Lemongrass on Lancaster Ave. at 37th street is also a great option if you have a car. They have a price fixe menu with 3 courses and everything I have had there was great.