#44 Supper - Sandy's synopsis

I suppose it is weird to go to a place called Supper for brunch. However, I'd been to Supper for supper before and figured we would try something new. Their menu lives up to their reputation with creative twists on standard brunch fare. 

We started with the lemon meringue doughnuts which were delicious. 

So, I realize that the lack of photos really makes my reviews pretty small. Unfortunately, I lost my phone in the interim and hadn't saved the photos onto the cloud. So imagine soft fluffy doughnuts with a liquid lemony filling that oozed out when you take a bite. Heavenly. 

I decided to go with the Franklin benny for my main course. This is an eggs benedict with soft pretzels as the bread and scrapple as the meat, topped with a very mustard flavoured sauce.  It was good for a few bites but I think scrapple is too rich for me and I ended up not being able to eat too much of it. 

I would love to go back to try the other things on their menu like the skillet roasted mushroom toast and their bacon babka. I, ergo, leave this review a little disappointed at having ordered the wrong thing but encourage people to give Supper a try for brunch. 

Supper

926 South Street

Philadelphia PA 19147

215-592-8180

#44 Supper - Sam's synopsis

I am pretty sure Supper is called that for a reason. Not to say the brunch I had there was terrible in any way, it was mostly mediocre. I think my expectations were high - maybe because Supper has been one of the few hyped "fine dining" stops on the saunter, or maybe because they had an all-you-can-eat "old school" cereal bar that cost $8 (really? $8 for CEREAL?! I love cereal but I don't think I'd spend that much money on a few bowls when I could spend $8 and get half a gallon of milk and a box of Cheerios for that price). 

It was a hot summer day, but we had a reservation so we were seated immediately. The wait staff was friendly and our particular waiter made sure we had everything we needed. There are lots of large windows, so the inside is very sunny and there is a lot of light wood paneling everywhere. Random side note, I tend to change tenses all the time when writing these reviews. Sorry to my grammar-obsessed friends.

Anyways, I was able to have tea, earl grey, hot with milk and honey, so that was a plus. We decided to split the lemon meringue doughnuts as a brunch appetizer - this was an excellent decision. Despite my actual meal only being okay, these were amazing. Little fried dough balls filled with lemon curd, dusted with powdered sugar and crushed Nilla wafers. Heavenly. Everything about these were made to perfection - not too heavy on the sweet/tart balance for the lemon curd, not overly greasy fried doughness, etc.

I went for a frittata with cheddar and greens (kale + spinach). This came with a side of caramelized onion hash browns and toast. Everything tasted fine, but the frittata was too - eggy? It was a little on the spongey/dry side, and I was expecting it to be smoother. The hash browns weren't anything to write home about either, more like home fries and sadly lacking in caramelized onions. I would like to try Supper again for, well, supper, but I probably won't be returning for brunch - unless I can snag a few of those lemon meringue doughnuts.

Supper 

926 South Street

Philadelphia, PA

(215) 592-8180

#43 Sip 'N Glo Juicery - Sandy's synopsis

Here we are at the only dedicated juicery on South Street - Sip 'N Glo. Pure Fare had quite the selection of food for those not into the juices. Sip 'N Glo however is a one trick pony. 

From what I remember from Sam's thoughts on the place after we went there and upon reading her review - I'm going to let her do the most of the talking on this one because she is spot on.

Here are my 2 cents:

The place is cute enough on the inside with flowers and kitchy sayings on the wall. 

This does not excuse for the smoothie/shake/juice or whatever it is you call what I got. I got a vanilla, peanut butter concoction, which sounded delicious, but wasn't. I understand that these aren't meant to be milkshakes and so aren't going to taste great like milkshakes do. However, you really must be committed to what you think the benefits of these drinks are to warrant them costing close to ten bucks (with tax). As far as what Sip 'N glo thinks these benefits are, they sound real hokey. I'll point you to Sam's review for a more detailed explanation. 

Sip 'N Glo's saving grace for me is that perhaps, just maybe, their juices are better than their protein drinks. I doubt chlorophyll (an ingredient in some of these juices) is going to improve anything, but the juice they gave free taste samples off was really good. Perhaps their protein shakes aren't good but their juices could be. Since I'm rarely in the mood for juice, I will probably not be returning here.

Sip 'N Glo

932 South Street

Philadelphia PA 19147

267-273-0639

#43 Sip-N-Glo - Sam's synopsis

What kind of name is Sip-N-Glo? It's kind of pretentious, don't you think? Even more so than Pure Fare. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, but any place that sells expensive juice cleanses is already a bit hokey in my book. And while the people who work at Sip-N-Glo were very friendly, this place is pretty hokey. I mean, if you are trying to tell me that liquid chlorophyll will boost my red blood cell count, I'm really not going to take you seriously (just to be sure, I did a Pubmed search about liquid chlorophyll to see if I could find any reputable scientific evidence about its supposed health benefits - zilch).

ugh.

There are a variety of fruit smoothies, veggie blends and healthy, "immune boosting" beverages. I did have a sample of one of the monthly special fruit smoothie, and it was tasty - not overly sweet and a good blend of fruits. I for some reason decided I would try one of the healthy faux beverages. I immediately regretted this, and wish I had gotten the smoothie that I had sampled. For some reason, I decided a protein-infused chocolate peanut butter shake sounded good, even though I knew I was going to be eating a lot of food later. First off, this shake was pre-packaged by them, so instead of getting one fresh, I just got to grab one from the fridge. This may be convenient for people who have just finished an intense workout and want something quick, but I would have liked to at least sample it fresh. I don't think it would have mattered though, because it mostly tasted like cardboard and had a sort of chunky consistency. I had maybe 3 sips before I gave up - luckily Sandya's roommate Doug had just finished a very long shift at the hospital and this liquid sustenance was exactly what he was looking for, so my $8 did not go to complete waste.

Some people really enjoy veggie-blended beverages, and I imagine they are pretty good here. The fruit smoothie was certainly enjoyable. But the prices were extremely high (my beverage cost the same as the meal I got at Bap), and the totally-not-true health benefits listed for some of the drinks makes it incredibly unlikely that I will ever return here. Plus, if I want a great smoothie made with fresh fruit for half the price, I'll just hit up one of the many fruit carts in the city.

Sip-N-Glo
932 South Street
Philadelphia, PA
(267) 273-0639

#42 Subway - Sandy's synopsis

I didn't take any photos at Subway. I completely forgot to - probably because I wanted no memory of the experience? 

We went for breakfast and I got a bacon, egg and cheese. The bread was tasty. I also got a coffee with my food and it was awful. Subway coffee is one of the worst coffees I have ever had. We also got the hashbrowns - I prefer Dunkin' Donuts' hashbrowns. My stomach was not the happiest after this meal.

It was weirdly nostalgic to hear Hindu prayer songs in the background (our server was this cute little Indian lady). We watched some morning show on their TV while we sat and ate our breakfast - which made the experience a little more depressing. Morning shows talk about strange things. 

I mean, it's a subway, I don't have much to say about this. 

Subway

1100 South Street

Philadelphia PA 19147

267-519-8023

#41 Caribbean Delight - Sandy's synopsis

The battle of the jerk chickens! That was my intention when we went to Caribbean Delight for dinner - to compare their Jerk chicken with the one I had at Jamacan Jerk Hut. Would it be as spicy? Would I have an equivalent amount of stomach troubles?

Before I answer those questions (I'm sure you're dying from anticipation to hear about my stomach troubles), let me tell you a little about the place. Caribbean Delight is extremely colourful on the inside and not in a bad way. I really enjoyed the art.

You order at the counter and take your seat. I ordered the Jamaican coffee and the jerk chicken. Now they have three sizes for the entrees - mini, small and large. The small comes with two sides - I chose the mac 'n cheese and rice. This will end up being a decent amount of food and ergo you will have leftovers. Leftover for a very affordable price at that.

Let's start with the Jamaican coffee. When I was asked whether I'd want sweetened milk with my coffee, I knew I had made the right choice. Yes, I asked for the sweetened milk. Yes, the coffee was delicious.

And now for the entree, the ultimate test. The jerk chicken.

First impressions: It looked delicious and had a lot more gravy than the one at Jamaican jerk hut. 

Lets break it down by taste, spice level, and stomach issues.

Taste: I really liked Caribbean's delight's version of jerk chicken, however it was less on the jerk flavour and the gravy smothered out some of the jerk seasoning. Jamaican jerk hut's has less gravy and a much more intense flavour.

Spice level: Jamaican Jerk hut's is spicier by many degrees. To me that makes it tastier but if you'd like to enjoy some jerk chicken without burning your mouth (again, an enjoyable sensation to me), Caribbean delight's chicken will be your thing.

Stomach issues: The one you've all been waiting for. If you'll remember, I had major stomach issues after Jamaican Jerk hut. With Caribbean Delight, I had medium stomach issues. This made me sad. 

Before I sum up my thoughts, let me briefly comment on the sides. The rice was good, nothing fancy. The Mac'n Cheese was more your homemade, thickly compressed together "slice" of mac and cheese. This is was good, I mean, it's mac 'n cheese, but not how I prefer it. The plantains that came with it though were phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal.

So all in all, I don't think this was worth my tummy issues. Which doesn't mean it isn't good and you shouldn't try it out. 

If your stomach is not a wimp about Jamaican food and you prefer things less spicy with more gravy, Caribbean Delight will hit the spot. Make sure get the plantains and the Jamaican coffee while you're there. 

If your stomach is not a wimp about Jamaican food and you enjoy things REALLY spicy - Jamaican Jerk hut is your place. (Especially now, since that beer garden popped up next door to them).

Caribbean Delight

1124 South Street

Philadelphia PA 19147

215-829-1030

#42 Subway - Sam's synopsis

It's a Subway. What did you expect?

(On a side note, it greatly saddens me that stop #42 on our saunter goes to a Subway and not to some place that serves a pan galactic gargle blaster - if anyone knows of a place in the city that serves one, please let me know immediately.)

Subway
1100 South Street
Philadelphia, PA
(267) 519-8023 

#41 Caribbean Delight - Sam's synopsis

Caribbean Delight had until recently remained elusive to us - we tried to dine here at least twice, both times being foiled one way (unexpected closure) or another (airport delay). However, we did finally make it and it did not disappoint.

Caribbean Delight and Jamaican Jerk Hut are only a few blocks away from each other on the same street, which seems like a high local concentration for such a distinct type of food. I tried to do a quick search to see if this area is a neighborhood for Jamaican/Jamaican-Americans, but I couldn't find that detailed of information - I did learn that Philadelphia has the second-largest Jamaican-American population in the country, although this is an uncited fact on Wikipedia so you'll have to await further confirmation to find out if that's actually true.

I, of course, immediately
started singing "Barracuda"
by Heart in my head when
I saw this painting.

The inside of Caribbean Delight is painted with beautiful, colorful murals of Jamaican culture and history. It made for a very cheery experience, and I imagine coming in here on a cold, blustery day to eat a heaping amount of jerk chicken or chicken with brown gravy is a good way to beat the winter blues. I especially liked the bathrooms - "he's a shark" and "she's a barracuda," with respective paintings for each.

Since I had recently had the same dish - chicken with brown gravy - at Jamaican Jerk Hut, I thought it would be a great idea to order it here and compare. Overall, I would say the dishes are pretty evenly matched - you have the option of getting a small or large portion at Caribbean Delight (the small is already way too big - I don't even want to know what the large looks like) which is an added bonus. I think the gravy at Jamaican Jerk Hut was slightly more flavorful, but the meal at Caribbean Delight was still delicious. It comes with two sides of your choosing (another added benefit) - I got brown rice with beans and mac 'n cheese. The mac 'n cheese was in a nice casserole form - a nice mush of cheese and noodles (what more can you ask for?). The rice was a good vehicle to sop up the gravy and the chicken was very tender - my only complaint is that there were a lot of smaller bones/bone shards that made it a little annoying to eat at time. This was a small price to pay for a great meal - I had plenty leftover for lunch, and the leftovers held up. There were also plantains, which were what you typically expect for plantains. I can only sort of enjoy them, because they remind me too much of bananas (for obvious reasons). I ate too many damn bananas as a kid and now I really don't like them anymore, so that's a personal vendetta and nothing against the plantains served here.

Did I mention I love gravy?

If you want tasty Jamaican food, I would recommend either Jamaican Jerk Hut or Caribbean Delight - I suppose this could be turned into an East vs. West Broad battle, but both have their merits and both have tasty food that will leave you full and satisfied.

Caribbean Delight

1124 South Street

Philadelphia, PA

(215) 829-1030

#40 BAP - Sandy's synopsis

There aren't enough places in this city that sell Bi Bim Bap and I really love that dish. When I used to live in the 22nd and Chestnut area, I used to love going to Tampopo for their Bi Bim Bap. Keeping all this in mind it makes no sense that I had passed by BAP many times and didn't really want to try it. This is because I judged a book by it's cover - I was clearly not an attentive child and did not learn that lesson young. The cover really isn't that bad, I just dismissed it as equivalent to generic Chinese take-out.

 BAP is a small place with two tables and is really designed to get things to go, like the sign says. The interior is cute with a few knick-knacks on the wall and a dog in the closet. No seriously, there was a little dog in the closet behind our table that yelped a few yelps when we sat down. It quietened down though after a minute or so. I'm assuming someone knew it was behind there. 

Their menu is really basic, mainly consisting of four types of Bi Bim Bap - vegetable, beef, chicken and tofu. They also have some homemade ginger-cinnamon tea to drink. I ordered the tofu bi bim bap and the tea. 

The bi bim bap was very good and for a very good price. The tea, well, okay, before I say anything, I should confess that I don't really like a strong cinnamon taste in things. I did that thing that I do with hibiscus and order it because it "sounds" good and I think I should like it. I never do. So, suffice to say, I did not like the tea, but if you like some cinnamon with your ginger tea - you'll probably like it. 

So coming back to the bi bim bap - it had everything you'd want from the dish, bright vibrant colours to look at, a great tasting sauce, fresh vegetables, over easy egg and some protein.

If you are a fan of bi bim bap in general and are in the area, this is a great place to get your fix. BAP is a great addition to this neighbourhood bringing an affordable variety to the offerings immediately east of broad street.

BAP 

1224 South Street

Philadelphia PA 19147

215-735-0533

#40 Bap - Sam's synopsis

Bibimbap. It's a fun word to say. It's also a delicious Korean meal. Bap is aptly named, because the only item on the menu is bibimbap, with either veggies, tofu, chicken or beef. For those not in the know, bibambap is a dish with rice, vegetables, meat (or tofu), egg and spicy sauce that you mix up together and then promptly eat. There was an appetizer (some type of scallion pancake I believe), and a spicy ginger tea that I ordered, but that's it. 

looks pretty tasty, huh?

With such a sparse menu, you can imagine that the restaurant itself is pretty tiny. There were only two small tables to eat - most people get take out or order delivery. We luckily went in the middle of the day on a Sunday so were able to grab a table. The inside is bright and cheery, and the man running the place was very friendly. As an aside, they have posted on their wall some of their best/favorite Yelp reviews, which I thought was pretty cute. We sat down and the wall started barking at us - turns out there's a door behind a curtain, which presumably is connected to an apartment/room next door where a dog lives. After figuring out that the walls weren't haunted by angry pups, we waited for our food. I got the chicken, and it was delicious. The vegetables were very fresh, the rice a good consistency and perfect for mixing, and the chicken was tender and flavorful. The tea was very spicy with all that ginger - I imagine it is better when hot, and I think I would definitely order it in the winter as a pick-me-up or a way to soothe a nasty cold.

For a place with only one dish, you better make it pretty darn delicious - and Bap delivered. The next time I'm in the mood for bibimbap, I'll be calling them for some take-out.

Bap

1224 South Street

Philadelphia, PA

(215) 735-0553

#39 Ms. Tootsie's - Sam's synopsis

I had heard a lot of positive things about Ms. Tootsie's before arriving. Mostly that it was very delicious southern food. I was not disappointed - taste or portion-wise.

There were 4 of us attending and we all arrived at different times, but the wait for a Friday evening didn't end up being too terrible - about 45 minutes and we were seated around 8ish. The first, most obvious aspect of the restaurant was the DJ, whom we happened to be seated closest too. While I enjoyed the blast from the past (music played at 8th grade dances), it was a bit too loud to hold a decent conversation so that was one aspect I did not particularly enjoy. The inside was very nicely decorated - swanky yet refined (except for the blaring music). All the waitstaff were dressed in crisp white clothes, which added to the upscale feel of the restaurant. It's been awhile since I've been to a restaurant where they give you bread, so I was pleasantly surprised when a basket full of cornbread arrived. The cornbread was delicious - not overly dry and served with strawberry butter, which I'm pretty sure I consumed a good portion of compared to everyone else.

I ordered a red sangria as my beverage for the evening - a good choice. It was not overly sweet and there was a good amount of fresh fruit included. Since there were a good number of us and we were out on the town on a Friday night, we went for two appetizers - catfish fingers with fries and the mac 'n cheese crab balls. The catfish was tasty, but mostly like any fried fish I would expect. The fries, however, were absolutely fried to perfection with the perfect amount of seasoning. Highly addictive. The mac 'n cheese crab balls were too heavy on the crab side and too light on the mac 'n cheese side, so not my favorite. A bit too overwhelming.

For dinner I went with the smothered turkey chops - again, smothered implies gravy to me, which was totally the case. Because all four of us got entrees, we ended up ordering just about every side on the menu. Instead of reviewing them all, I will say that the collard greens were the best, and the candied yams were too saccharine for my liking. The portions were huge - I got two giant cuts of turkey and after appetizers and all that cornbread/strawberry butter I could barely eat my meal. I had a heaping take home container, which I reheated a few days later for leftovers. The gravy held up surprisingly well - it didn't congeal into a muck of fat and flour but stayed rather uniform. And in its prime (i.e. when it was served to me), the gravy was top notch. 

Ms. Tootsie's is a staple of Philadelphia, as it is well known for being one of the best spots for soul food in the city. I can't comment on the authenticity (you'll have to ask our guest Mike about that), but the swanky vibe and quality/amount of food was worth it for the slightly elevated prices. 

Ms. Tootsie's

1312 South Street

Philadelphia, PA

(215) 731-9045

#39 Ms. Tootsies - Sandy's synopsis

I was excited for Ms. Tootsies because soul food isn't something I eat too often. I had also heard very good things about this place and was excited to see if it lived up to the buzz. Ms. Tootsies seems rather small with about 4-5 tables, so expect to wait a little bit if you are putting your name down for the table. They do have an upstairs, but I couldn't tell if that was seating for dinner, or just the lounge area. I will say -  the wait will be worth it. 

Our wait was about 30 minutes, which wasn't too bad especially because it was a nice day outside. We got seated at the table nearest the door. Now, it wasn't too much off an issue, but this table was also closest to the DJ. He played some nice tracks, dont get me wrong, but it was a little too loud and thus a little too hard to hear people talk. 

The flipside argument to that is - we aren't here to talk we are here to eat! 

However, before I move onto the food section I wanted to bring attention to the fact that the bar seating was 90% working women. It was nice to see women in their professional gear taking up almost all of the bar space - speaking to the increase in women in the workplace and them finding a nice spot to have a drink after a long workday.

Okay, now onto the food. You get complimentary corn bread with strawberry butter to start with. Yes, strawberry butter. It was delicious.

We aso decided to get a couple of appetizers so we can try as many things as we could. We got the catfish fingers and crab mac 'n cheese. I unfortunately do not have photos for these and we should assume that is because I was too busy stuffing my face. Now the fish fingers we really really good. The mac and cheese was a little too crab tasting for me. I couldnt really get a sense for the mac and cheese which is personally what I was looking for. If you like alot of crab flavour however, this is your dish.

For the main course I ordered the fried chicken with the okra with corn and the rice with gravy for my two sides. 

This dish was fantastic. The fried chicken was tender and just the right amount of salt. The corn was sweet and delicious with the okra balancing things out. The rice was buttery and smothered in gravy. Simply delicious and comforting. The portion was large too and I had leftovers for two more sittings. The chicken re-heated very well. 

You end the night with a choice of Tootsie Pops to suck on while paying the bill. Sam gets credit for being the only who got the "Tootsie Pop because the place is called Ms. Tootsies" link. This was also my first experience having a tootsie pop - it was underwhelming. I wasn't as excited as I thought I would be when I reached the center. 

From what I could tell from around the table, I believe everyone enjoyed their meals very much. Thanks to Mike and Christian for joining us. I enjoyed my night at Ms. Tootsies very much and would recommend it to other people.

Ms. Tootsies

1312 South Stret

Philadephia PA 19147

215-731-9045

#38 Cafe V - Sam's synopsis

So begins our 7 days, 7 posts spree. The first one goes to Cafe Veg, a cute space in a seemingly out-of-place spot on South Street. Inside, the restaurant is very spacious and bright, with lots of windows and a cozy feel. We went for breakfast on a weekday, so there were maybe 2 other customers eating while we were there. One was a middle-aged businessman reading the newspaper, and the other was an older man from a nearby elderly home, telling us that running/biking was a good hobby and that we should drink a lot of water. Sometimes, it is nice to be reminded that total strangers are sometimes invested in small parts of your lives. The whole world is connected even if you don't realize it sometimes.

Since it was a week day, as I mentioned, it was not crowded at all. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive to our needs, but I will say, for there only being a few other people in the restaurant, it took far too long for our food to arrive. My food was on the lukewarm side when it arrived - I ordered two eggs (scrambled), toast (wheat) and homefries as it was a cheap option. To be honest, I was a little underwhelmed. This place definitely has the vibe of being a great, local undiscovered brunch champion, but it fell a little short in my eyes. The homefries were dry and the eggs were not that flavorful. I did try Sandya's peanut butter/bacon/banana sandwich made with french toast, and that was pretty amazing. I guess based on that this place is more hit-or-miss depending on what you want.

I would be willing to give Cafe V another shot, and maybe try a more adventurous dish - they did have a nice selection of both breakfast and lunch options. It's a cute, bright spot in an otherwise bleak part of the street.

Cafe V
1318 South Street
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 772-1318

#38 - Cafe V - Sandy's synopsis

FRENCH TOAST PEANUT BUTTER BACON BANANA SANDWICH!!

*deep breath*

I have been waiting a long time to yell that out into the interwebs. This is one of the things that Cafe V has to offer and even if it was the only thing, which it isn't, I'd be in heaven.

Firstly - I for the longest time thought Cafe V stood for Cafe Veg. I had no real reason for thinking this except my lack of creativity when it comes to food and the letter V. So, for the longest time, I had always disregarded it as a place I would not go out of my way to try. Not that I hate vegetables, but I rarely go to purely vegetarian places. 

So imagine my confusion when we went to Cafe V and I see bacon, amongst other meats, on the menu. I then shrugged and assumed that the Veg wasn't a strict thing. It wasn't until a week AFTER, I was walking by there, and I noticed on their chalkboard sign that the V stood for Victoria which makes a lot more sense. However, I cannot find evidence that the V stands for Victoria anywhere on the internet. I think we can be certain however that it does not stand for veg.

Now that my riveting story of confusion is over - lets get down to business. Cafe V is clean and white on the inside. It has a good number of tables to sit at and for the people-watchers amongst us, a lot of tables right next to large windows to stare outside off. 

Their breakfast menu has your standard offering of eggs, pancakes and french toast as well as the more creative offerings like the Benedicts and the aforementioned holy grail of breakfast sandwiches. Being a cafe, they also sell coffee and I enjoyed the roaster they were using (sorry, I forgot to look that up). They also have a lunch menu and all day menu with pizzas and sandwiches and the like. 

I don;t anyone will blame me for going straight for the french toast peanut butter bacon banana sandwich. It has so many of my favourite things all in one thing.

The saltyness of the bacon with the sweet of the banana and the sweet-saltyness of the peanut butter is a perfection of taste that is rarely achieved. 

You know I'm going to tell you to go here to get this sandwich. So, please go here and get this sandwich. Just writing this review about it is putting me in a good mood and making me want to go there and get this sandwich again.

Cafe V

1318 South Street

Philadelphia PA 19147

215-772-1318

Best of the West - Sam's picks

Sandya and I are no longer West End Girls (does that make us East End Boys?), so it's time for our thoughts on where we've been so far. All you naysayers said we wouldn't finish, and while we're not done yet, we have crossed the magical line that is Broad Street, which signifies a landmark in our epic quest to sample all the food-serving establishments on South Street. We're leaving Westeros and entering... Easteros? Maybe the whole thing is more like Hobbiton, since they enjoy second breakfast and we're indulging in the sin that is gluttony. South Street is our precious after all.

So, without further ado, here are my picks for some arbitrary categories that a grand total of two of you lovely readers suggested for us, plus a few we decided to include.

Winner - Best Chinese AND Friendliest Service: Fortune
Well, in terms of best chinese, all of the places we visited (Fuzhou House, Fortune and New South China) are all your standard "I need hangover food" spots. But Fortune had the most amount of flavor with the least amount of greasiness and saltiness you get with chinese take-out places.

Fortune also wins for friendliest service, because it's the one place that I truly remember what the service was like. Generally, that means the service was either really terrible or really great. In this case, it was the latter, merely because the woman ringing up our food was incredibly friendly and apologized a hundred times when she had to come over and ask us for $3 because she forgot to charge us for our beverages.

In fact, here is a quote taken directly from my Fortune review: "I would recommend ordering take-out from Fortune if you live in the area, as it is so far the best chinese take-out restaurant I've encountered with friendly service (n=2)."

It's almost as if I anticipated this.

Winner - Best Fine Dining: Pumpkin
This one was tough for me - it was a close call between Entrée and Pumpkin. They were both some of the best meals I've had so far on our journey, but in the end, Pumpkin had the best overall fine dining experience - ambiance, food, service and all.

DAT POPCORN

Winner - Best Bar: Ten Stone
Best bar is kind of a tough category for me - do I only consider bars in the traditional sense? What about the fancy restaurants that have a bar but where you probably wouldn't go for just one drink? In the end, I feel like Ten Stone is the best choice. It's hard not to be biased - I had a fantastic birthday here last year and it's one of the closest bars to my house. However, I do feel like their bar food is pretty fantastic and cheaper than other places - especially dat truffle popcorn with parmesan cheese. I think they have figured out a beer list that works well for being a neighborhood bar too - nothing too rare, but always something new to try and always a solid standard beer on tap. While places like the Cambridge may have a more eclectic beer list and some truly mouth-watering appetizers (see: pork belly crostini), their cost/enjoyment ratio is not as high as Ten Stone.

Honorable mention goes to Jet Wine Bar here, because of its great happy hour wine flight deal and the tasty food. However, it is on the smaller side space-wise and I am more of a beer drinker than a wine drinker - which is why it's not at the top of my list.

Winner - Best Dessert: Rex 1516

mmm... fried deliciousness

Any place that gets you to order dessert after a belly-filling brunch must be doing something right. And providing fried pieces of chocolate pecan cookie dough to dunk into a rum-spiked milkshake is one way to accomplish that feat.

Loser - Worst Overall: DELIcious Bites
Do I really need to say anything else that I didn't say in my review? Spoiler alert: This might also be the funniest thing I've ever written.

Winner - Best Overall: Miles Table
This was a pretty easy choice for me - when people ask what the best place I've been to far on this adventure, my answer is always immediately Miles Table. I think it's the best so far for several reasons: The quality-to-cost ratio is fantastic. The staff is very friendly (they gave us free empanadas!). The food is amazing. There are several different types of delicious dishes to choose from. You order at a counter and they deliver your food, cutting down on wait time. The location is great (South between Broad and 23rd is a hot area of town). The inside decor is welcoming and bright. The music selection is great. Breakfast is served all day. Seriously, do I need to keep going here? This place is fantastic.

So there you have it, a summary of some of the best (and worst) places we've been to so far on our journey. Sorry, I'm still not going to use a star based system, because that's even more arbitrary than my random musings. Although someone suggested I use cats as a rating system instead, which in theory could work, but I would probably give every place a 5 cat rating so I could always post 5 pictures of cute cats.

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