PhillyLunchBox

Chabaa Thai Bistro at Manayunk

4371 Main St.
Philadelphia PA 19127
Tel: 215-483-1931

By STICK

Chabaa Thai Bistro at Manayunk is our early choice for the hit of the summer on the Philly dining scene.

We discovered it last night while walking along Main St. in Manayunk. The place is only four weeks old, so there are some kinks to work out (like no desserts), but overall we totally loved the food, atmosphere, and service.

For $45 the two of us got:

Kang Kewan (Green Curry Chicken) (1)
Pad Pakk Beef (Vegetables with Oyster sauce) (1)
Fried Tofu
Spring Rolls
White Rice (3)
Thai Iced Tea (2)
Soda (1)

My green curry was delish ("Kang Kewan" on the menu). I asked them to turn up the heat a little with the green Thai chiles, and they obliged – I had flop-sweat rolling down my face for a bit. I ate the whole thing, along with almost three dishes of white rice, so I was totally stuffed. It’s made with coconut milk which gives it some heaviness. The portion is deceptively big, so I think a couple could share the entire dish.

Bubs found the beef a little stringy, but she got along ok when the waitress brought along some extra oyster sauce, which was thick and very dark, with suggestions of – know what, I have no idea. But, it tasted great to both of us, right-on.

The place’s motto is "Where food and art come together." To see the art, definitely ask to be seated upstairs – the design of the space is a mix of large b/w photographs, Asian-theme sculptures (my fav was the keg-sized buddha head, striking), cool lamp shades, sturdy wooden maroon chairs, and the polished wood floors.

The ongoing photo exhibit upstairs is currently featuring the work of Ohm Phanphiroj. The website says Ohm’s clients have included DKNY, Levi’s, and Esquire. Looks like he was in Atlanta for a bit. The pictures at Chabaa Thai are interesting to look at. My favorite was of the old lady in a boat – such a weary, haunting look on her face. I tried to save that same image from Ohm’s website, but they’ve got the thing locked down so you can’t right-click on the image and save, oh well.

Do yourself a favor and get the Thai Iced Tea. I’ve had it before at other Thai places, but this was probably my favorite. It’s sweet and creamy, so don’t expect the ol’ watered-down Lipton tea mix job you get everywhere else. One of the guys in the mixed-gender, college-age foursome next to us literally shrieked "Whoa!" after his first sip.

Oh yea – Chabaa Thai is BYOB. Not sure if they’re getting a liquor license or not.

I almost forgot the comic relief moment: Ohm says that the "signs of Americanization are popping up everywhere" in Thailand. They were also alive and well at Chabaa Thai last night. Our college iced-tea guy asked the waitress, "Do they use chopsticks in Taiwan?". He apparently meant Thailand, so I guess he needs a geography lesson. But hell, at least he’s willing to try their food.

Well, by the time we left (at like 7:30), the upstairs was filled entirely with diners. Let's hope the public keeps coming back and helps this place stay around a while.

Bonte

Bonte
130 South 17th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-557-8510

Dear Bonte,

Close the damn doors!!!

We don’t mean close your business. Just close the doors, literally. It’s fucking freezing in there all of the time. Are you guys Eskimos or something?

Me and Mr. Lunchbox have been there at least half a dozen times lately, and every time we’re there either the front or back door is wide the f open.

We’re only asking because we care, care!! We love your shop – the La Colombe coffee, the wireless Internet access, the newspapers, the staff, the sandwiches, the marketing postcards people leave there.

It’s just that, we can’t keep coming there is we’re gonna freeze our nuts off every time we sit down and have a sandwich and coffee.

I even tried closing the back door myself last week, but the fucker wouldn’t even budge. Maybe it’s welded open or something, who knows.

I guess the cold does one good thing – it keeps the chocolate bars from melting. I bought two the other week – a regular and a dark chocolate bar. They’re like 3-something each, so we didn’t drop even a shaving of chocolate. But they’re worth it – our office mates devoured them in minutes...

Sansom Kabob House

Sansom Kabob House
1526 Sansom St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215-751-9110

Went back to the Sansom Kabob House yesterday. It's on Sansom Street, off of 16th St., when you get there just go downah-stairs and into what is easily one of our favorite Middle Eastern food places.

We got there at a little before 12, and there was only one person there – the guy who does the cooking. There's usually a super-nice gal who does all of the table-waiting, but she obviously wasn't there, so the guy brought us our menus, apologized for the wait, and hurried back to the kitchen.

Five minutes later, the woman came finally, along with her little daughter (I presume) who just lit up the place with her laughter and smiles – she spent the next 30 minutes walking and jumping around the entire place, talking to the customers, following mom, checking out the grills. That isn't something you see in many restaurants, at least in this country. Mr. Lunchbox thought it was annoying, but I found it refreshing – I guess I'll see you at the my-biological-clock-is-ticking party.

Anyway, my usual dish is the Qurma Chalaw. I get the version with chicken – it’s cooked with onions, tomatoes, green peppers, and spices – all served on a bed of basmati rice. The dish comes with the rice spread out thinly on a larger plate, with the chicken and the rest of the ingredients served in a bowl on the side. I like this setup, since it lets you dip bread into the bowl to sop up the juice from the sauce.

I love the lovely smell of basmati, something which it’s known for. Some friends of mine in Nepal even call it "wedding rice" because (yep) it’s served at weddings and other special occasions – it’s better quality than everyday rice, and a bit more expensive. It seems to be heavier on the stomach than other rices though.

One quirky thing about this place is that the plates are wide but very shallow. I’m not sure if it’s an Afghani cultural thing or what. When I first started coming here, I thought we were getting a huge helping of rice – but alas, it’s basically a thin layer of rice. Don't worry though, it’s definitely enough for lunch, it’s filling, just don’t go there expecting the huge-ass portions you get at places like Olive Garden or Maggiono’s.

After we finished our meals, we left the cash on the table and said goodbye to the folks running the place. It’s refreshing to go to a place and actually get smiles from the staff. The little girl was running around the back part of the place, so we didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to her though, oh well.

Interestingly enough, I noticed on the way out the door a magazine called the Executive Intelligence Review, laying on the counter near the door. The rag’s put out by Lyndon LaRouche. I sometimes see Larouche’s goons on the corner of 16th & Chestnut St., handing our literature and ragging on the current state of affairs in the world. They can be pains in the ass, especially when the sidewalks are clogged.

Know what though, Lyndon? Fuck ‘em – anyone who wants to give hell to W and his ass-wipes in DC is fine with me. Maybe I’ll even read that crappy magazine of yours the next time I’m in the Kabob House. Like Chuck D says, Fight the power!!

Mexican Post

Mexican Post
104 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone: (215) 923-5233

I went to the Mexican Post in Old City the other Friday night. No offense, but I find the place kind of tired. Not sure why, just seems kind of the same-old scene to me, like the place is just punching the clock. It’s not the staff – they’re very nice.

Maybe it’s the food. They have the usual lineup of burritos, enchiladas, refried beans or whatever that pile of stuff is called. But my taco and burrito didn’t come out hot at all, in fact it was barely luke warm, like it had been sitting back there for an hour. It was just bland. Aussie’s fajitas were kind of OK, but where was the sour cream? The guacamole? You’re kidding me, right?

The margaritas at the Mexican Post are good, no question. I’m sure that’s what keeps people coming back. I guess it can be a really laid-back, fun place to drink. There are a couple of tv’s that always seem to have ESPN on, so there's something to do during sips.

We've had more than a few 'happy' happy hours here over the years. Mr. Lunchbox and I have stumbled out of here several times. But hey, we still prefer to get trashed and laid for cheap at Tiki Bob's. Sniffing those beer caps just gets me bombed big-time.

Actually though, for really good Mexican food, I prefer some other places in Philadelphia – even the new chain in town Qdoba has much better food than at the Mexican Post – it’s just fresher and more tasty at Qdoba’s.

Oh – I didn’t see the waiter guy who has tattoos all over his arms. Is he still working there? He's nice, and the tats are neat to look at.

Cafe Spice

Cafe Spice
35 S. 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215-627-6273

I made it back to Café Spice this past Sunday night, after staying away for several years (see "Appetizer-Gate” below). Aussie and I enjoyed it, including the décor, the service, and definitely the food.

The restaurant is just too new and nice and clean to remind me much about my journey to India this summer. I knew we weren’t in India when I used the bathroom at Café Spice – it didn’t actually smell like the hell-holes I pissed in throughout Bangalore, the "City of Gardens." I don’t think that even Sai Baba (aka "Fred 'Re-Run' Berry") could perform a miracle big enough to clean that place up.

Ah, India. What a trip. The poverty, the blight, the beggars – and that was just the ride through North Philly on the way to the airport!!

Anyway, Café Spice. One thing’s for sure – the food is the real deal, it’s tasty, spicy Indian food, as good as anything I’ve gotten in India or Nepal – and I love the food over there, maybe my favorite cuisine.

My chicken biryana rocked, and Aussie’s Nalli Ka Gosht was delicious – and they even made hers less spicy, as requested. Her dish was lamb - the menu says "marinated lamb shanks braised on a slow fire with whole spices." She picked it clean, took us about an hour to get through what we could.

As is normal at Indian places, the entrees came with a cup of “yogurt,” which is used to cool down your mouth from the hot spices. It’s not the Dannon-type yogurt that westerners are familiar with, it’s more of a curd-like, creamy salad dressing thingy. I like it a lot.

Oh – Appetizer-Gate!! Back in 1999, a dozen of us from the office took a colleague out for a going-away lunch at Café Spice. We asked if they had some appetizers to start us out with. They brought out two plates of sampler food, tasted real good – until we got the bill: $40 a plate, a total of $80 for both plates. The sampler plates weren’t actually on the menu, so they charged us whatever they could.

Dicks.

A couple people in the group argued when the bill came. I’m not even sure if we ended up paying the full $80, I just went outside with everyone else, vowing not to come back there. The whole thing was major cheesy. It kept me away all of these years.

The bill this time was $40, for the two of us, not too bad for Olde City, but obviously a bit much compared to the Indian buffets around town - many of which, by the way, have food that's just as good as Cafe Spice's.

Hamburger Mary's

Hamburger Mary's
1716 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 568-6969

I just saw a review today for Hamburger Mary's in Philadelphia, done by the Philadelphia Daily News' Sono Motoyama. I had been to Hamburger Mary’s just last Tuesday (11/23), a few days after the review appeared. Sono gives a nice background on the restaurant, which started back in 1972 in San Fransisco.

Aussie and I found that the fries do indeed suck here, and there weren’t that many on the plate (in this case, that was a good thing). The burgers were absolutely tasteless, and greasy as hell to boot. Not sure if they’re always this bad, maybe it was the night-before-Thanksgiving-getaway syndrome or something, who knows.

I doubt if it was related, but we even had major stomach pains about an hour later as went to ride the train out of Philly. I even had to make a mad dash to a Septa men’s room before getting on the train. Without that pit-stop, I’m not sure that I would have made it through the 50-minute train ride with my bowels intact.

But alas, the service at Hamburger Mary’s was really nice, and the bill served in the red pump is a cute thing. I can see how the atmosphere would be kind of fun when the place is crowded. I’ve actually been by this place when the wait for lunch was over 30 minutes. Amazing.

But yea, if you want a great burger with even better fries, go to Monk's.

Dalessandro's Steaks

Dalessandro's Steaks
Henry Ave. and Wendover St.
Philadelphia, PA 19128
215-482-5407

My Aussie friend just HAD to have a cheesesteak last Friday night. Well, she got one – one car accident and a kitchen full of mice later, that is…

I’ve been going to Dalessandro's for over 30 years now, and I always loved their sandwiches. We’ve even had family friends who fed Dalessandro's cheeseteaks to their dogs on a daily basis. My brother and I would often stop by Dalessandro's after spending all day at the Walnut Lane Golf Course collecting golf balls, playing some holes, and just running around the woods. So there’s definitely some nostalgia at Dalessandro's for me.

So many people swear by Dalessandro's, and they're on the Best Of Philly list alot – but I’m afraid that, based on my visits the past few years, I gotta give them the Big “O” for overrated. Their cheesteaks are just so hit-or-miss – One weekend I’ll get a soggy-rolled, tasteless cheesteeak, but then other times I’ll get the real deal – a totally yummy Philly cheesteak, with the dripping cheese, fresh Amoroso roll, tasty sauce – and sometimes it’s even served with a smile.

Friday night, my pizza steak was somewhere in the middle – not bad, but not the Dale’s I grew up with. For starters - Where the hell was the cheese? It was so dry, even though it was pizza steak. The meat was just a pile of mush, not as tasty as it usually is, and the texture and look of it just weren’t too appetizing.

And what’s with the overkill with the hot peppers? We got them on the side, there were like eleven in the bag, they were hot as hell which I like, but we only had two sandwhiches. Are people really eating five or six hot peppers for each sandwhich? Their colons must love them.

I didn’t even get a chance to start eating my pizza steak until we were parked on the shoulder of Henry Avenue past Andorra Shopping Center, waiting for a cop to come to write up our fender-bender. After 19 years of driving with no accidents – not even one scratch – I got bumped on the side by a nice gent from Lancaster who was swerving to avoid an idiot making a left turn.

Well, I pulled over, made sure everyone was ok, called the fuzz, then watched Aussie sit in the car and calmly continue eating her cheesesteak hoagie. I took a bite of her sandwhich – so dry, hardly had any taste, not sure if it was the accident shock or what, but her sandwhich just sucked – So I decided to unwrap mine and dig in right there on the shoulder of the road.

I finished up my pizza steak at my house – but only after we walked in and found a couple of mice on the countertop eating the rat poison bait like it was a strawberry cheescake. Grossed out to the max, we retreated to the living room and finished up our Dalessandro's sandwhiches – and I even ate a hot pepper whole, what a rush...

David’s Mai Lai Wah Restaurant

David’s Mai Lai Wah Restaurant
1001 Race St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-627-2610

I stopped by David’s Mai Lai Wah Restaurant in Chinatown earlier this week. It hasn’t changed at all since I started coming here in 1997 (or thereabouts). I used to work around the corner on Market St., so David’s was always within shouting distance when I had the Chinese food jones.

I had the Chicken with Garlic Sauce, my favorite dish at David’s. Not as spicy as I remember it being back then, but still decent. My Aussie friend had the Shrimp and Mixed Vegetables (I learned from her that shrimp are always called “prawns” in Australia. But - When in Chinatown, do what the Chinese do, I guess, so it was skrimps all the way!!)

One thing I like is the display of ducks hanging in the window. I guess on one level it’s kind of gross, especially to vegetarians and animal people, but ya just FEEL like you’re in Chinatown when you see that. I’m not even a big duck fan – the only time I’ve had it was at Marigold’s Kitchen.

Another neat thing is the huge, round table at the back of the restaurant. I like sitting near it, because it always seems that the workers are always using it to do some type of prep work – like making wontons, or like tonite – to break the ends off of a huge-ass pile of string beans.

The owner David wasn’t there that night. He’s always so friendly, so accommodating, no matter how many people in your party, or how long you want to linger at the table. As usual, there were more non-Asians than Asians there – not always the best sign to some people, I guess, but there were still a bunch of Asians eating there during our 2-hour stay.

Citypaper actually had David’s as the Best Chinese Food in 2000 in its Reader’s Choice award. And it's still worth a visit these days too.

Franzone's Pizzeria

Franzone's Pizzeria
200 W Ridge Pike
Conshohocken, PA 19428
610-825-0323

I stopped by Franzone's Pizzeria in Conshohocken Saturday night, to pick up a pie with my Aussie friend. It's my favorite pizza, bar-none, and I wanted her to try it too. She did, loved it, best pizza she's ever had.

Well, while futzin' around the internets today, I found another right-on critique of Franzone's Pizza, on a message board devoted to Ben Folds of Ben Folds Five fame. The post was done by OneDown, there's not much I would add to his critique (except to tell him two words: spell-checker!!):

Theres this pizza place near me, its called franzone's. they have this pizza, its the normal diameter and thickness of a pizza, but something about it.. I could, and have eaten a whole large pizza. The crust is perfect, not too thin or thick...the cheese is a little greasy, but not too much or in a bad way, it goes down eeeeaaaaasy...oh, and the best part is the sauce it is so sweeet. the whole thing is fucking awesome.

I'm down with that, OneDown!!

Marigold Kitchen

Marigold Kitchen
501 South 45th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-222-3699

Mr. Lunchbox and I had dinner at Marigold Kitchen in West Philadelphia this Tuesday evening. It was a big blowout meal, shared by a group of folks in the food biz. Really enjoyable company, great food, unreal service and atmosphere – it’s what we call a home-run in the field of fine dining.

We tried everything on the wide-ranging menu. We ended up passing each plate around so that all seven of us there could taste each dish. We checked our coats and communicable diseases at the door, so it was full-steam ahead on the taste-testing.

My favorite flavor was the miso-braised beef shin which sat on top of some jasmine rice (along with some radishes). It came with the grass-fed strip steak, done medium-rare. I like red meat well-done, but I heard that it’s simply tragic to cook it anything other than medium-rare, which is cool, I liked the meat a lot this way on Tuesday.

The various wines brought by one of our dining companions tasted really good. I’m not sure if I can even usually tell the difference between great wine and horse piss, but on Tuesday I totally loved the wine there. And I’m still getting the hang of the swirl-and-sniff technique, so thanks to one of our companions for the illustration.

I gotta admit, me and Mr. Lunchbox didn’t have much to contribute to the culinary conversation during the evening. I mean, some of these folks breathe, sleep, and of course eat this stuff, and here we were, a couple of cock-punches snagging a free meal and getting a nice buzz off of some good vino.

I guess that in social situations like this, you just gotta talk about what you know, but somehow the topic of teen porn websites never came up, so we were kind of at a loss for material much of the time (“Oh yes, the halibut IS delighftul...By the way, anyone seen the latest spread on Teen Ass.com? Very tastefully done, I thought…”)

But hey, I guess we ain’t that bad here on the Box, because someone at the table at Marigold’s actually made reference to one of our recent reviews. Unreal – some people actually read the bs reviews on this site. Well, with him on board, that brings our readership totals to 9 people….(How am I doin’, mom??)

Anyway, one of my other favorite entrees was the duck breast – so tender and tasty, with foi gras rillette, radicchio, and roasted figs. I also loved the romaine salad, especially because they give you a 4-minute egg with it, I just love eggs, I could eat them at just about every meal.

The desserts were totally yummy. The lavender-honey ice cream was perhaps the biggest hit among all of us. It sat on top of a pignole cake with figs and lemon (whew, thank god I took a menu home, I would have never rememered these names!).

One of the nicest things about the evening was the host. This guy is awesome. He’s a young guy who recently was in the D.C. area. He explained to us about the history of Marigold’s, the location, his background, chef/owner Steven Cook, and of course the menu. It’s always refreshing to listen to someone talk about something they truly love – and it was so obvious that he loves food, wine, great dining experiences, his restaurant’s location, and of course Marigold Kitchen’s place in that world.

Marigold Kitchen is in a beautiful Victorian house, right on the corner. It's a quaint little area - although I did have a car stolen (my friend's) a few years ago that was parked near 47th and Hazel. But no worry - The atmosphere inside is especially warm and and relaxing, the lighting is soft - it seems like it would be a great date place. And they're having a prix fixe event on November 23rd & 24th: 7 courses for $45 per head, I think we might head back there for that...