Too Sweet, Too Sour – George’s Lunch Truck

April 23, 2013
George’s Lunch Truck, Philadelphia PA
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Western Omelette W. Cheese
Steak & Egg W. Cheese
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George’s Lunch Truck is one of many food trucks serving generic sandwiches and hoagies, not only along the food truck row in Drexel but all over University City.

The Western Omelette W. Cheese would have been better with fresh peppers rather than banana and sweet peppers. They were a little sour with the flavour dominating the sandwich a little. The ketchup was way overshadowed, as was the savoury taste of the ham. The egg offered substance but no flavour. 

The Steak & Egg W. Cheese was decent, though, despite the steak being a tad tough. There could have been more meat as well. The eggs wrapped nicely around it but there needed to be more filling than bread.

The Fastest Enchiladas – Lucky’s Mexican Spot

April 22, 2013
Lucky’s Mexican Spot, Philadelphia PA
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Spinach Enchiladas Rojas
Chorizo Burrito
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I have not seen enchiladas or chorizo at other Mexican food carts so I thought I would give it a try at Lucky’s Mexican Spot. I figured their slightly higher prices are justified by the quality since they have been in business forever right beside Mexi-Philly. In the end, I do not think it made much of a difference.

The Spinach Enchiladas Rojas was basically spinach inside soft corn tortillas, grilled, and covered with a rojas sauce that had a nice spice. The sauce soaked into the tortilla so that both the tortilla and the spinach became mushy and soft. I liked the spinach but it was missing texture. It was served with rice and beans, both of which were generic but okay.

The Chorizo Burrito was quite greasy from the chorizo, which was spiced and a little salty. There was not much other flavours going on. The rice, black beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, and sour cream were all generic. It was quite a large burrito but not as tasty as I thought it would be.

Black and White – Capogiro

April 21, 2013
Capogiro, Philadelphia PA
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Fior di Latte Gelato
Ciocolatto Scuro Gelato
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A meeting at Capogiro will not be complete until you have had that small bite of creamy gelato. The Fior di Latte, or simply milk-flavoured, was lightly sweetened, creamy, and just very refreshing in the creamiest way. The Ciocolatto Scuro – dark chocolate – was not very sweet and had a strong cocoa taste. It was just as creamy, though!

Fresh but Mediocre – Wawa

April 19, 2013
New York Chicken N’ Rice, Philadelphia PA
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Ham, Egg White & Cheddar Multi Grain Muffin Sizzli
Turkey Sausage, Egg White & Cheese Bagel Sizzli
Homestyle Chicken & Noodles
Iced Caramel Macchiato
Diet Peach Iced Tea
Mocha Muffin
Apple Fritter
Coffee Roll
BBQ Chicken Quesadilla
Pizza Cheesesteak Hoagie
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Wawa had some great offers this past month, one of which was the 2 for $3 sizzlis. It is a good solution for a quick and decent breakfast.

The Ham, Egg White & Cheddar Multi Grain Muffin Sizzli was not too bad. The ham was not as flavourful as I would have liked but the egg white made it a lighter option. The cheddar was also a little bland. Overall, this was a very light sandwich.

The Turkey Sausage, Egg White & Cheese Bagel Sizzli was not as light since the sausage was quite flavourful in a very generic way. The egg white was nice with the melted cheese over it. The bagel was actually dense but chewy, toasted nicely.

The Homestyle Chicken & Noodles was very creamy. The pasta was of course way soft and overcooked but that is the way it should be for something like this. The cream was light with carrots, peas, and celery in it. The chicken was a little dry on the inside but eating everything together made up for it. 

The Iced Caramel Macchiato, which I got with skim milk, was very refreshing. The caramel flavour was strong and good. I did find the coffee, syrup, and milk all separated though. Some parts were milky while others were either bitter or sweet. 

The bottle of Diet Peach Iced Tea was the sweetest peach iced tea I had ever had. It had a good strong peach flavour but was just overly sweet. That made it not the best solution to thirst on a hot summer day. 

The Mocha Muffin was average, with cream on the inside and only a light coffee taste. The texture was good, moist and dense, but it was mostly chocolate rather than coffee. 

The Apple Fritter was very bad. The outside was over-baked and almost hard. The inside was dry and there were barely any apples or cinnamon sugar. The middle was still raw, which was very surprising considering the first bite was quite hard. 

The Coffee Roll was better, with a nice sugar glaze on the top. The cinnamon was distinct and the dough was soft and slightly chewy. There were a few spots with a lot of glaze but did not taste very sweet, which I thought was odd. 

For dinner, the BBQ Chicken Quesadilla had way too much of Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce. It overtook the flavour of the salsa and cheddar and pepper jack cheeses. The chicken was okay but a little bland. 

The Pizza Cheesesteak Hoagie was not very good. The marinara sauce was not very good, and the steak was a little dry. The roll got soaked and it did not have much onions inside either. The provolone cheese was very bland and I could not taste it at all.

Wawa’s food seems to be a hit or miss. Most of it is quite fresh but not all of it taste as good as it looks. 

Late Afternoon Comfort Food – New York Chicken N’ Rice

April 19, 2013
New York Chicken N’ Rice, Philadelphia PA
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New York Chicken & Rice
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After coming back from New York and walking back to my room, what better late lunch to get than the famous chicken and rice of New York. In the late afternoon, only these food carts are still open.

The New York Chicken & Rice was the first time I had it served in an aluminum container. The chicken had good seasoning but was a tad dry. The rice was an odd bright orange colour but did not taste very different. I did not like the white sauce drenching the salad. Over the meat and rice, that would be okay, but not over salad. 

Martial Arts Food – Kung Fu Hoagies

April 18, 2013
Kung Fu Hoagies, Philadelphia PA
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Meatball Bánh Mì
Veggie “Shrimp” Fried Rice
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I have had my eye on the colorful cart otherwise known as Kung Fu Hoagies for quite a while. Serving up vegetarian Vietnamese street food, they have a small menu of a regular bahn mi and two noodle soups (spicy ramen and pho). 

The Meatball Bánh Mì was actually quite delicious with three tofu meatballs, vegan ham, fried onions, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeños, spicy red sauce, and vegan mayo. The roll was crispy and tough on the outside but soft on the inside. The flavours were certainly traditional and some tht I had not tasted for some time. I do feel that for $5 this was overpriced. Food trucks and especially food carts are supposed to be cheap, even if these are vegetarian and vegan ingredients.

The special was the Veggie “Shrimp” Fried Rice, which had vegetarian shrimp that were incredibly chewy. It also had carrots, green beans, and onions with scallions to top it off. I wish there were more vegetables and maybe even some eggs. However, the rice was cooked to a nice texture and had the smoky grill taste that added to the otherwise bland flavour. I would suggest to add either seasoning sauce or the spicy sauce on this.

I do not think I will be back anytime soon but the guys serving the food were nice. This is a great option for vegetarians and vegans but if you are neither, go somewhere cheaper.

Piling It On – Papa John’s

April 17, 2013
Papa John’s, Philadelphia PA
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Garden Fresh Pizza
The Works Pizza
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The Garden Fresh Pizza was loaded with fresh vegetables. Only the olives I did not like and carefully picked out. The rest – green peppers, onions, baby portobello mushrooms, and tomatoes – were all great with gooey mozzarella. I would have liked more cheese, but the crust was amazing as always.

The Works Pizza is similar, without the tomatoes but with pepperoni, Canadian bacon, and Italian sausage. The pepperoni is way too greasy but had a nice flavour, while the sausage was juicy and very flavourful. The Canadian bacon did not add much but then again, it was not overly oily like the others. 

Quick Indian Fix – Nafi Food Express

April 17, 2013
Nafi Food Express, Philadelphia PA
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Combo over Rice
Chicken Tikka Masala
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The owner of Nafi Food Express is very friendly and served me with a smile. He also let me get a can of soda for each platter rather than just the Combo over Rice, which was nice and much needed.

The Combo over Rice was decent, with lots of tender chicken and lamb over fragrant rice and a good amount of white and hot sauces. I liked the cucumber in the salad on the side. There was also a nice seasoning on the meat.

The Chicken Tikka Masala was cooked to order, with tender chicken and tomato chunks in a creamy tomato sauce over rice. The rice got a little soggy. However, I loved the creamy tomato sauce with just a touch of spices. The chicken was great and the tomatoes added to the flavour.

If you are craving a little Indian food, this little cart on Market is open till the late afternoon and will make everything to order so it is piping hot. 

Monterey in Ireland – New Deck Tavern

April 16, 2013
New Deck Tavern, Philadelphia PA
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Monterey Chicken
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A club hosted a dinner at New Deck Tavern, an Irish casual restaurant on the Sansom Strip. I was glad to have the chance and try something. The atmosphere was relaxing and slightly antique-looking. The menu has something for everyone, from Irish traditional plates to your usual burgers, salads, and generic pub fare.

My Monterey Chicken was a little dry but thankfully, the BBQ glaze, applewood smoked bacon, and cheese on top made the bland chicken breast flavourful and somewhat juicier. The cheese was a blend of aged cheddar and Monterey jack, which had a nice combined flavour. The rice pilaf was decent and not too greasy while the vegetables were simple but a nice side to go with the dish. Overall, it was a decent meal in a relaxing atmosphere. 

Fairly Satisfying – Pure Fare

April 16, 2013
Pure Fare, Philadelphia PA
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Grilled Veg & Provolone Sandwich
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I was in near the Rittenhouse Square area and happened to pass by Pure Fare. Not a vegan or a vegetarian, I do appreciate healthy, high quality foods, so naturally (pun not intended), I went in and took a look.

My Grilled Veg & Provolone Sandwich, which had teff bread, was actually quite decent. I loved the roasted peppers, Portobello mushrooms, and broccolini. It was National Mushroom Day so what’s better than some juicy, chewy portobellos? The provolone cheese had a nice, mild flavour. What I really liked was their own roasted pepper spread. It was slightly tangy and creamy, pairing well with the gluten-free bread and vegetables. I got my sandwich half off because it was day-old; otherwise, their foods are not exactly cheap but the quality is certainly good.