#52 No. 1 Chinese - Sandy's synopsis

Next stop on this block of many restaurants is No. 1 Chinese. As with most American Chinese places, I wasn't expecting anything too radical. I think the best verdict one can give to most american Chinese restaurants is a binary one - good or bad. So, lets see which way the thumb rises shall we?

The inside of No. 1 Chinese is similar to the other Chinese restaurants we've been too on South Street - clean with a few tables and the menu (with pictures) on the wall. In addition to that menu they also had this train station type menu which was easier to read and looked cooler. Yes, I am clearly easily pleased. 

NEXT ON PLATFORM A1, THE EXPRESS TO FRIED SCALLOPS!
ALL ABOARD!

I like ordering things that are not common menu items or things I've never seen before. I had apparently never heard of lemon chicken, so that is what I went for. So as we waited for our food, I tried to imagine what my dish would look like. This is what I was expecting...

Okay, so maybe my imagination or my paint skills need a little upgrading. Maybe both. The gist of it is that I was expecting some chicken in a sauce with lemon slices on it - something light and healthy looking. Well, this is what it really looked like. 

So, deep fried chicken was a little far from my expectations. To say I was disappointed....would be a stretch of the truth. Look at all that fried chicken...

I was a little wary of the yellow coloured syrup that comes with it but I'm an all or nothing kind of gal (am I?), so bottoms up it was.

The chicken still looked appetizing and it also tasted very good. The batter was fluffy yet crispy and the yellow syrup was a lightly flavoured lemony concoction to drown the chicken in. Surprisingly this also tasted good re-heated the next day - less crispy but still delicious.

Upon leaving No. 1 Chinese, I noticed that they had a photo of the lemon chicken up on their wall...

I'd argue that also doesn't look like the real thing and I'm very glad I didn't see it before ordering because I probably wouldn't have ordered it. 

So all in all, based on the one dish I had, this place was good - a definite thumbs up.

No. 1 Chinese

639 South Street

Philadelphia PA 19147

215-574-9639

#52 No. 1 Chinese - Sam's synopsis

I particularly like the number 52 because Meowth's Pokemon number is 52 (don't even try to argue with me about the new numbering system - why would you reorder Gen 1?!?) and if you know anything about me it's that I am pretty much obsessed with Meowth. Don't even get me started on that bitch Meowzie (MEOWTH YOU DESERVE SO MUCH BETTER).

Gahh he's so fucking cute

Meowth is based on the maneki-neko, which are often found in Chinese restaurants despite their Japanese origins. So there is a link to this after all, and while I didn't see a lucky cat statue in No. 1, I think they must be channeling one because they had a lot of customers come in for take-out. While we were getting ready to leave, a woman came in who was clearly a regular and knew the wait staff and even said something along the lines of "I was having a bad day, but getting food here always cheers me up." It may not have been exactly that, but something along that sentiment - which I still haven't decided if that's a good thing or a sad thing. So, in spite of my initial hesitation of this being a really crappy Chinese restaurant, it was encouraging to see that a lot of people found the food tasty enough to come get take out or even be regulars. 

But is the food really worth being a regular? Well, I was definitely pleasantly surprised at the quality of it, let's say that. The first test is if I like their wonton soup, because wonton soup is one of my favorite comfort foods. Salty broth + thick noodle-like goodness = happiness. I enjoyed their wonton soup, the broth was definitely flavorful and salty, and the quality of wontons were pretty good for what I was expecting. The noodle part was a little bland, but I've certainly had worse. For dinner, I got cashew chicken, which was pretty flavorful and not overly salty or greasy. I always like the mix of vegetables and crunch from cashews/celery, and this had a nice mix of that. The rice was also very good - the right amount of fluffiness/moistness (I feel like a lot of times the rice gets really dry). It made for a nice lunch the next day too, so thumbs up for good leftovers.

The inside of the restaurant is a few tables and lots of empty boxes, but I have to add that while we were sitting there, we could hear the television in the background, and the cooks were watching something ridiculous. I think that one or all of the following happened: 1) aliens came and abducted people 2) a woman was kidnapped 3) children were merrily playing outside. It led to a lot of unnecessary giggles.

If I lived a bit closer or were in the area, I'd definitely order from here when I was craving Chinese, so I totally get all the people coming in for pick-up. But it's not enough to merit going out of my way to return again.

No.1 Chinese Restaurant

639 South Street

Philadelphia, PA

(215) 574-9639

#51 Dickey's BBQ - Sandy's synopsis

Dickey's BBQ is a chain restaurant offering reasonably priced southern barbecue fare. That is not necessarily a bad thing, especially when you add in the charming, friendly people behind the counter - this place was a genuinely pleasant dinner experience. 

Most people who came into dickey's, while we were there, got takeout. There are a few places to sit and enjoy your meal if you choose to, but you will probably be far more comfortable eating  in your own apartment as Dickey's isn't really built for a sit down dinner. 

As for food, they have daily specials, which are extremely good deals on their most popular items. The special when we went was their pulled pork with a choice of a sausage, 2 sides, a roll and a large soda for approximately $8. 

As you can see that is a decent amount of food. For my sides I got my standard mac and cheese for side#1 and fried okra for side#2. 

Everything on that plate was delicious and their sauces are also very good. I liked the mac and cheese even though is was a little on  the artificial side. The okra was really good - I really like okra and when you deep fry that stuff - definitely a win.

Don't expect the creativity of Percy street BBQ here. I don't think it is fair to compare the two. However, it is fair to compare this with Phoebe's BBQ the other budget barbecue place we have encountered on the saunter. Dickey's has more space and friendlier service and better deals for the budget conscious. I think Phoebe's has slightly better food, but if you tag on the fact that Dickey's is 5 minutes from my house, my pick is pretty clear. 

So head on down to Dickey's BBQ for a great meal and staff that will leave a smile on your face when you leave.

Dickey's BBQ

650 South Street

Philadelphia PA 19147

267-273-0364