PhillyLunchBox

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.

Shanghai Surprise at 20th & Market

Chinese Lunch Cart
20th & Market St.
Philadelphia, PA

Ni Hao !!

I stopped by the Chinese food cart near the corner of 20th and Market St. on Monday. I've been going there for a couple years, and to me it's not only the best bargain for Chinese food in Philly, it's easily one of my favorite food joints period.

Mr. Lunchbox and I ended up at the Chinese cart after breezing past the John Kerry rally on the Parkway. Well, Kerry really smoked the office drones out of their cubby-holes at lunchtime - there were thousands of them out and about, craning for a glimpse of Kerry.

Even Slick Willie himself was there - back from heart surgery, looking a bit thin. A friend of a friend of a friend overheard a Secret Service guy say that Clinton told him that he was ready for some South Philly tookie, so look out at 13th & Tasker !!

(One good thing about the rally - at least those f-ing annoying and stinky campaign kids stopped bothering us every 10 seconds on the street with their "do you wanna help elect John Kerry" - I didn't see even ONE of those pains-in-the-ass during the 2 minutes we were at the rally!!!....Whew, that felt good.)

So, we're at the Chinese cart at 20th & Market. There's only one guy in the cart, he's from China, not sure what part, said he's been doing the cart for 17 years now. He pointed out (literally) that when he started with the cart, two of the tall buildings around us were only gleams in the eyes of their architects.

He doesn't have any menus to take with you - everything he sells is handwritten on his truck. He said that he used to have menus, but it was just too much trouble.

I asked him if he knew the Chinese city of Shenyang - I am going there in early 2005, so whaddya know about it? Either I couldn't pronounce the 'Shenyang' right, or I couldn't understand his English, or both, but he told me, "Whatever you do, don't go to Shanghai!". He chuckled a bit as he said it, and even the white guy behind us started laughing. It struck me and Mr. Lunchbox as funny too, so we let out a good laugh too as we took our food and skedaddled back to the office.

Well, I had the Mongolian Shrimp, which was awesome as usual. It was the small size which costs $2.95 and comes in a little white plastic box, a little bigger than a Big Mac box. I told him very spicy, and he delivered in a big way - I was sweating back at my desk as I ate it. The white rice calmed down the heat a little, but the spice really gives you a nice kick.

I am glad we ended up at the Chinese Cart. We almost didn't get there. Mr. Lunchbox totally flipped-flopped on our choice of cuisines - he decided in favor of Chinese food AFTER deciding against it!! He outfoxed even me...

I like that this cart guy works alone, and that he cooks everything on the spot. This means longer waiting times, sometimes as much as 20 minutes at the height of the lunch rush. But hell, I admire him - works his ass off in there, slinging fresh and delicious Chinese food to idiots like me, in all kinds of weather, year round, halfway around the world from his home, probably put a kid or two through college with his cart. He's won the hearts and minds of me and Mr. Lunchbox.

And Shanghai! Yes, I will surely take the Chinese Cart Guy's word for it and stay away from that place. His advice was one of the more cogent and relevant things I had heard during the last 6 months of campaigning from the two gents running for president. I would rather see our "Cart Guy" get elected. Maybe someday we can read all about it on the Internets [sic] (really sick!!)...