#29 The Quick Fixx - Sam's synopsis

Quick Fixx's motto is "Good Food Fast," and I have to agree with it.

fried deliciousness

For once, Sandya arrived earlier than expected (sorry Sandya, but you know you have a reputation for being late...), so she had ordered some pierogies to tide her over until I showed up. They were filled with potato, cheddar and jalapenos. The filling was smooth and creamy, and the jalapenos weren't overwhelming (surprise surprise, I'm not a big fan of jalapenos). We also decided to get another appetizer once I arrived - the panzarotti poppers. These consist of fried dough balls filled with goat cheese, shallots and chives served with lavender honey. Yowza! These things are dangerously good, although I would almost call them more of a dessert than an appetizer because of the fried dough and honey components. You couldn't really taste the shallots or chives, which is too bad because I personally love both of those flavors, but the salty/sweet combo is really well balanced. And the lavender honey is absolutely delicious. I would love some for my tea. (earl grey. hot.)

a colorful pizza

For dinner I was feeling a flatbread, so I ordered the "retro pesto" - pesto, grilled chicken, fontina and red pepper crema. I really enjoyed the crust, very thin and crispy. The toppings were very good too, although the chicken was sometimes prone to fall off and wasn't the best quality, but definitely better than the standard grilled chicken as a topping you find at a lot of other restaurants. Also, for the type of restaurant this place is billing itself as, it was definitely on par with what I expected. Their pesto is also pretty flavorful, and I liked the red pepper crema, it had a little bit of spice to it which worked well with the dish.

see what I mean now?

The decor inside is really great too - it manages to feel cozy and neighborhoody while also capturing an overall hip urban vibe. I particularly liked the photo of a city block mapped out as a full circle - I think that photo pretty much captures the feeling you get from the restaurant (see my photo of the photo (PHOTOCEPTION) to get an idea of wtf I am talking about since I am terrible at describing this).

I had a bite of Erin and Sandya's meals as well (the smokey roman and gnocchi lasagna, respectively), which were equally delicious. Every now and then I have a craving for some hearty, filling pasta, and Quick Fixx is the perfect place to get this without having to shell out a ton of money.

whiskey and pickle juice

As an added bonus, we stopped at Bob and Barbara's afterwards for a pickleback - a shot of whiskey chased by a shot of pickle juice. It's a Philly tradition that everyone should try at least once - and we'll be back for the famed Philly Special soon, because you can't write a blog about South Street without stopping at Bob and Barbara's for the Philly Special.

The Quick Fixx
1511 South Street
Philadelphia, PA
(267) 273-1066

#28 Rex 1516 - Glennis's synopsis

Hi everyone! This is my first guest review for Sam and Sandya’s blog, and I am reviewing Rex 1516, a Southern-inspired restaurant located at 1516 South Street. We decided to go to Rex 1516 for Sunday brunch, and once inside, I couldn’t help but notice the amazing and unique décor this place has. Dark wooden tables and chairs are juxtaposed against cream and brick walls. Antique chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and black and white drawings are placed on the walls, giving the place a rustic but comforting feeling.

The waitress brought us the winter Sunday brunch menu (I am under the impression that they change the menu every season, which is definitely a reason for me to go back soon), and I discovered that almost every dish has strong hints of Southern/Creole/Mexican cuisine but with a unique twist. For instance, the traditional biscuits and gravy. At Rex 1516, you don’t get regular biscuits and gravy. You get everything bagel drop biscuits with sawmill gravy. Sam actually ended up ordering this (for more details, see her blog!), and I had a bite of it and was blown away. I kind of want to go back just for this dish.

On the Creole side of things, there’s the Shrimp & Grits. This dish is enhanced by the unique addition of roasted tomatoes and crispy pork belly, which undoubtedly adds some delicious flavors. Sandya ordered this dish, so check out her blog for more deets!

(Sandya does not have her own blog-post for this because Glennis is awesome and Sandya have nothing more to add. Sandya is also lazy and takes the opportunity, when guest blog posts occur, to not write her own. Thank you Glennis).

Shrimp and Grits - The deets are that this dish was amazing
and the best shrimp and grits I've had in a long time. The little
crunchy bits of pork belly were a fantastic addition.

I ended up ordering the Huevos Rancheros. This is traditionally a Mexican dish, but in true Rex 1516 fashion, there was a unique twist put on it. This dish consisted of crawfish etouffee sandwiched between two corn tortillas and layered with queso fresco, avocado, pico de gallo, lima crema, two fried eggs, and finally guacamole. Holy guacamole, this thing was delicious. The crunchiness of the tortillas contrasted against the smooth risotto-like texture of the crawfish etouffee, creating a delicious symphony of different textures and flavors. This dish was awesomesauce. And I would like to add that this dish was incredibly filling, and I almost didn’t eat the rest of the day. Until the waitress brought us the dessert menu…

Huevos Rancheros. Look at it. JUST LOOK AT IT!

So many layers of tasty, tasty goodness

Who has dessert at brunch? Apparently us. After we looked at the dessert menu, we realized that the unique twist that Rex 1516 put on their brunch menu is carried over to their dessert menu, and we liked it. They had “milk and cookies”. After reading more closely, I realized that Rex 1516’s version of milk and cookies is fried chocolate and pecan cookie dough truffles with a rum chata-spiked milkshake. Oh my god, I wanted, no, needed, to try this.

We decided to order just one milk and cookies to split between all five of us. Luckily, there were exactly 5 cookie dough truffles, so none of us had to fight to the death over the cookies (and we probably would have because they were that good). However, the real star of this dish was the milkshake, which all of us couldn’t get enough of. It was served lukewarm (which wasn’t as weird as you’d imagine) and it was soft and creamy and had hints of cinnamon. I really need to figure out how to make this at home because I want to drink it all the time.

We all left Rex 1516 happy campers. I will definitely go back, probably for dinner, to try some of their other amazing dishes. Overall, I’d highly recommend Rex 1516 to anyone looking for a great place to go for some delicious and unique Southern food!

Rex 1516

1516 South Street

Philadelphia PA 19146

267-319-1366

#28 Rex 1516 - Jason's synopsis

Find below Jason's review for Rex 1516! It's a bit lengthy, but we all know how much Jason is a fan of both length and girth ;)

Hello fellow Saunterers!

I have to say, I am a huge fan of brunch, so when Sam invited me to join her at Rex 1516, I was thrilled. I came to Rex with absolutely no preconceived ideas or opinions – I didn’t even check out their menu before hand! I just hoped it was going to be a great place to eat and boy was I satisfied. 

The restaurant is on the small side, probably seating at most forty people in the dining area at the front, with about a dozen more in the back at the bar.  The interior is very tastefully decorated with a darker, tavern like feeling.  The walls were decorated with numerous sketches from what I think was old London, a theme maintained throughout the establishment, including the bathroom, which was clean and nicely decorated. It definitely would have felt right at home in Old City. The lighting was a little dim for my tastes, at least for brunch, especially given the darker colors of the decorations, but that’s probably me just being snobby.  The bar was notable for having a beautiful cream-colored marble top. The tables and chairs were simple yet tasteful, arranged a bit cozily to maximize the limited space. All in all, the décor was very pleasing and definitely set a relaxed yet slightly refined mood for the meal. 

Our reservations were for 11am, which is when Rex opens for brunch on the weekends. I arrived early and was happy to note that there was already a small crowd of a half a dozen people hoping to get in early. By the time the rest of our party arrived some fifteen minutes later the restaurant was already quite busy, definitely a good sign. 

It was only when I began perusing the menu and talking with the rest of our group that I learned that Rex specializes in Southern style cooking. Anyone who knows me knows that my go-to brunch item is waffles, so after a quick scan through the menu I settled on their chicken and waffles entrée, although I must admit I was distracted by some very delectable offerings. In addition to their regular alcohol offerings, they had a special set of brunch cocktails that seemed especially enticing (at least to the drinkers at the table). As a non-drinker, I was slightly annoyed that there was no clear indication on any of the menus of what non-alcoholic drinks were available but was happy to have some hot tea after I flagged down a waitress. 

cock*ahem*tail

I cannot in good conscience give a review of this restaurant without calling attention to the most amusing ornamentation that adorned Sandya’s Bloody Mary. The drink comes with a piece of pickled okra that, along with a pair of small olives, was skewered in a manner that I can only describe as…distracting. Much amusement was had as we all commended Sandya for managing to enjoy her, er, cocktail with the offending fruit constantly getting in the way. I eventually relieved her of this burden, having expressed an interest in giving it a taste, but not before she first sampled the olives (salty!) and at least a small portion of the okra (just the tip). 

The wait time for our meals was reasonable given the size of our party and the general level of business. The wait staff was friendly and attentive, but nothing spectacular. In fact, our waitress couldn’t remember Sandya’s entrée and had to come back and confirm it shortly after taking our orders, something that I found a little out of the ordinary.  Additionally, Erin’s order of sweet potato home fries came as regular home fries, and Sam had to ask a second time for the milk for our tea – simple fixes all in all, and most likely due to early morning rush, but still things that one can’t help but note.  Aside from those small hiccups, everything went very smoothly and I had no real complaints from the wait staff who were quick to respond to requests and were friendly throughout. 

chicken and waffles

Finally…the food! As mentioned, I opted for the chicken and waffles benedict, which came with poached eggs covered in a creole Hollandaise sauce and home fries, priced at $13.  The presentation was very appetizing, the food was hot and, simply put, delicious.  The waffle was still warm and not too dry, with the barest hint of nutmeg or cinnamon. The chicken was lightly breaded and incredibly juicy; I am hard pressed to think of another time I’ve had such a perfectly cooked piece of fried chicken breast. The eggs were, in a word, perfect. What really made the dish, however, was the Creole Hollandaise sauce, which lent the entire dish a decidedly spicy and savory flavor. I was initially a little saddened that the dish did not have a lot of sweetness to it – something that I enjoy in my brunches to foil the savory and spicy – but I quickly fell in love with the dish and would strongly recommend it to anyone who has a taste for something spicy. The home fries were an excellent vehicle to mop up every last drop of the delectable sauce, which I did with gusto. 

biscuits and gravy

shrimp and grits

Other entrées that were ordered by our party included the Huevos Rancheros, Biscuits and Gravy, Shrimp and Grits, and Cajun Croquet Madame. Everything was similarly delicious and well presented.  I think everyone was torn between wanting to share their amazing dishes and keeping it all to themselves. There was not an empty dish when we were done and I can confidently say all were a hit. I will note that Sandya had expressed high hopes for her Shrimp and Grits, the restaurant’s signature brunch item. Having been unable to find a restaurant to top what she enjoyed at Devil’s Alley many years prior, she was elated to find that Rex’s grits were even better, something which I suspect she will come back and enjoy again in the near future. 

heaven on earth

Just when we thought we were done, our waitress surreptitiously dropped dessert menus for us. We initially lamented that we could not possibly eat more, but were incredibly curious of their first item, adorably titled “Milk and Cookies.” Unable to ignore a good mystery, we decided to order one for the table.  What came can only be described as a small taste of culinary heaven. Five golf-ball sized pieces of fried chocolate and pecan cookie dough truffles were eagerly pinched by the suddenly ravenous party who somehow managed to dunk said truffles into a small glass of rum-spiked milkshake without spilling any of it over the table.  The self-control was as notable as the richness and perfection of the dessert itself.  Did I say it was a taste of heaven?  Forgive me, I must still be dreaming. Something this delicious can only be described as the most perverse of sins. I will note that the desserts were a little on the pricey side but are large and rich enough to be shared, at least between two people. I would definitely recommend a taste. 

All in all, I was incredibly pleased with my dining experience at Rex 1516. The richness and quantity of food was very fairly priced – almost cheap compared to other brunch places I frequent that don’t quite match this level of culinary achievement. I will definitely be returning. I am also happy to note that they do have a complete gluten-free menu for both brunch and dinner, so don’t shy away from bringing all your friends – including me!

~Jason

Rex 1516
1516 South Street
Philadelphia, PA
(267) 319-1366

#27 Jet Wine Bar - Sam's synopsis

Jet Wine Bar is a delightful little nook on South Street. I call it a nook because it's fairly small inside, with maybe 10-12 seats at the bar and another 3-4 at the window, plus a few ledges for standing room. I've been here once or twice before, and always enjoyed my experience. 

This time, I opted for the flight of wine, which we all opted for - so we had 9 glasses of wine at the window; always a plus in my mind. For $10, you get a red, white and rosé. You guys, we are really terrible at actually taking notes on what we have, so I don't remember the types of wine we had to drink. I also don't know much about wine beyond the basics - aerate the wine to release the flavors, use different shaped glasses to enhance the tasting experience, etc. Whenever I taste wine, I just want to claim that it has an oaky afterbirth and see if anyone notices my subtle Office reference (fun fact! that quote comes from the episode "Dinner Party," which might actually be the most painfully awkward 22 minutes of television to ever air. I still have trouble getting through that entire episode). I used to be a big fan of white wine, but I am coming to enjoy red more and more, especially malbecs (see, wine words! I know things!). With my newly refined tastebuds, I would put the red at the top of the list, with the white wine a close second, and the rosé at the bottom of the list as an emphatic meh. It wasn't that great, but the white had a nice dryness to it, and the red was fruity but not too sweet. 

We decided to get some appetizers to share, but since I was starving I also ordered a sandwich for myself. They had an avocado BLT that you could add a friend egg to, so I was sold immediately. We also ordered mac n' cheese and brussels sprouts. Erin ordered a dish with mushrooms and some bruschetta, but I don't like mushrooms and the bruschetta had gorgonzola on it, which I am also not a fan of - so I can't comment on how tasty those were. I really enjoyed my sandwich and would say it was definitely on par with the one I had at Miles Table (go revisit that review for a description!). The mac and cheese was definitely hearty, but I felt like it didn't have enough flavor to it - it could have used a little more seasoning/spice to it - I actually think dill would work very well. The brussels sprouts were delicious - thoroughly cooked and not too bitter, with a light sauce. While I didn't have any of the mushroom dish, the pesto that accompanied it was to die for - a perfect blend of ingredients. 

I want to point out that we were originally going to go on a Thursday night, where they host a movie with free popcorn. Their calendar also boasts of Tuesday tastings, Wednesday DJs, etc. It was also was pretty evident that Jet is a local neighborhood hangout, but even as a non-regular the service and food/drinks were spot-on. I think I would go here more often, but it seems every time we try and come by, the place is full of regulars - which of course I can't fault Jet for - if you deliver great wine, food and service, you should have that many regulars.

the bike parking is a corkscrew!

Jet Wine Bar
1525 South Street
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 735-1116

#27 Jet Wine Bar - Sandy's synopsis

Ah, wine. I don't drink enough of it. Part of the reason for this is because I do not go to places like Jet Wine Bar unless it is part of the highly ordered prolonged bar/restaurant crawl for this blog. That, fellow south street fans, is a grave mistake on my part. For even though I have been to Tria at its many outlets, and I love Tria -  I believe Jet does a much better job of making wine accessible. It also does a better job of creating an atmosphere of casual elegance.

So what is it particularly that Jet does so correctly to facilitate a great place to drink wine. They have a fun happy hour almost every day of the week. My personal favourite is their Thursday night movie night from 9pm onwards. What really steals the cake for me are their $10 wine flights which are available every day (I believe). This is a great way to taste different kinds of wine without burning a hole in your wallet and makes it accessible to so many more people by not restricting to just a special on one day of the week (like Tria does. Now I love Tria's Sunday School and it accomplishes a similar thing, but being only on Sunday is very restrictive)

As you might've gleaned from the above photo of my wine flight for the night, the lighting is pretty dim in there. It's problematic for blogging purposes but not otherwise. You could still see people's faces very clearly so conversation didn't involve awkward squinting. Sam and Erin who were with me can maybe vouch for that. Infact, I think their lighting is very pretty, evidenced by this next, probably also horrible photo.

Another aspect of Jet Wine Bar is that their food is very good. We ordered some mushroom bruschetta, mac and cheese and brussels sprouts. Sam also ordered a sandwich for dinner. Everything was very tasty. I have a minor issue with the mac and cheese in it not being cheesy enough - but that is also because I like my mac and cheese to be creamy and cheesy enough to threaten instant blood clotting. Jet clearly wants their customers to leave in the same state of physical health that they came in and perhaps a slightly happier mental state.

So, yes, please go to Jet Wine Bar when you have those wine cravings. 

Jet Wine Bar

1525 South Street

Philadelphia, PA 19146

215-735-1116

#26 DELIcious Bites - Sam's synopsis

Normally I am a fan of silly puns, but the MEHness of this deli/mini-market completely overruled any delight I could have possibly obtained from their attempt at cleverness. 

just looking at it makes me feel ill

Yes, the signs advertised hot soup, but there was no hot soup to be found. It was really fucking cold, so hot soup would have been amazing. So, I settled on a prosciutto panini instead, since it's a nice, thinly sliced deliciously salty piece of meat. I emphasize the fact that it's salty and thin, because you generally don't need a lot of it to enjoy the flavor. So imagine my surprise when I get the behemoth of a panini you see to the right. Jesus christ no one ever needs that much prosciutto on a sandwich, and this is coming from someone who loves all things salt-flavored. I literally felt like I was going to die of a heart attack/dehydration after eating half the

sandwich [1) I hope everyone reads this sentence in Chris Traeger's voice from Parks and Rec and 2) I'm not sure why I decided it was a good idea to even eat half of this sandwich in one sitting]. There was also balsamic vinaigrette, mozzarella, roasted red peppers and spinach on the sandwich, but could you really taste it? Absolutely not. In addition, the sandwich was pricey ($12.99! Why did I think a $12.99 panini from a place called DELIcious Bites was worth it?), the service was somewhat slow given how empty it was, and there is no indoor seating. The only thing this place has to offer is that it has a pretty decent selection of eclectic food goodies from around the world, but like my panini, they seemed rather overpriced. I don't forsee myself ever stopping here again unless I am desperate.

some healthier options...

We made our way to Tangier for our usual Monday night quizzo fun times, and it was there that I finally obtained some hot soup of the french onion variety. Why I thought it was a good idea to continue loading my body with salt I'm not sure, but I needed to get the overwhelming taste of meat out of my mouth (LOLZ she said meat in her mouth, okay guys, that one was too easy so you don't get any points for making a dirty joke about it). Since I was running on the very dregs of my paycheck that was issued before Christmas (damn you grad school for only paying us monthly and before the holidays), I ate the second half of the panini the following day for lunch. Let's just say I literally felt ten times worse than when I ate the first half of the sandwich.

DELIcious Bites

1603 South Street

Philadelphia, PA

(215) 546-1860

#26 DELIcious Bites - Sandy's synopsis

DELIcious Bites is a grocery store with a deli on the corner of 16th and South. I was excited for their advertised hot soup. It was very, very cold outside and soup would've been very, very nice.

I was however very, very disappointed because that brightly coloured inviting soup sign was a lie. There was no soup. Instead we found overpriced panini's. Their panini's sounded good and Samantha can tell you what she thinks of them. I got a plain and simple grilled cheese. In order to minimize the plainness and simpleness, I asked whether I could have some prosciutto on there and was told that it would cost me $5 more. Man - $5 extra. How much prosciutto were they planning on putting on there? Well I declined their offer but Samantha will address any curiosity you have as far as how much prosciutto they meant.

The grilled cheese was fine, nothing really to write home about - two slices of white bread with 6 slices of american cheese toasted in a panini press. If panini's are not your thing, they have salads and sushi.

All in all, DELIcious bites was overpriced for mediocre fare. I will never be returning here for the food.