Monday, June 30, 2014

Best of the West - Sandy's picks





Having arrived at Broad street, we figured we would help distill down the west half of this journey into one post - guided by suggestions from our readers.

Friendliest service
Nominations: Roberto's Cafe, Philly Cupcake, New Tower Pizza, Fortune

The lady at Fortune was very, very sweet. The staff at Roberto's were were just an instant pick me up. 
The ladies at Philly cupcake helped me out when my ovarian cyst decided to become the size of an orange. 
(However, considering Philly Cupcake doesn't exist anymore, so I think it would be unfair to give this to them).

The friendliest of them all however are the guys at New Tower Pizza. They're always happy and chatty and even when I know they are lying to my face about that milkshake machine they claim to be getting - I can't be mad at them.

Winner: New Tower Pizza


Best Chinese
Nominations: Fuzhou House, Fortune, New South China

Hands down Fortune. They are one of few places in center city that have a vegetarian version of General Tso's. I did taste Sam's Moo Goo Gai Pan and was a fan. I by far do not think this is the best Chinese food in Philadelphia or anything. However, I remember them pleasantly and ergo they are better than the other two options west of Broad on South.

Winner: Fortune

Best Fine Dining
Nominations: Ants Pants Cafe,  So Crepe, Rex 1516, Pumpkin, Entree

This was a tough category. The food at all the nominated places was phenomenal. However, I think the best "fine dining" experience I had (considering ambiance and food) was at Pumpkin. Their ever changing menu guarantees a unique, creative experience. The ambiance is familial and cozy yet sophisticated. 

Expensive enough to make the imaginary fine-dining cut-off and worth every penny, Pumpkin is my winner for this category.

Winner: Pumpkin

Best Bar
Nominations: Jet Wine Bar, The Cambridge

The Cambridge has good cocktails and is another notch in Philly's, already saturated, English Gastro-pub hat.

However, Jet Wine Bar has wine flights - which are rare. I really liked the post-work day crowd and they have a bunch of creative happy hours during the week. I think you can get the experience that The Cambridge would give you and many pubs in the city - but not the one you would get at Jet Wine Bar.

Special Mention: Bob and Barbera's - Pickle-backs are a thing of heaven.

Winner: Jet Wine Bar

Best Dessert 
Nominations: Rex 1516, Magpie Pies, Miles Table, So Crepe

Another tough category for me - again, all of these places have phenomenal dessert and should be given a try if you can. 

However, the one I still remember my face melting in happiness from was the  dessert we had after brunch at Rex 1516. We had their Milk and Cookies which was fried chocolate and pecan cookie dough truffles with a rum-chata spiked milkshake. It was a creative spin on a simple concept and it blew my mind.

Winner: Rex 1516

Worst Overall 
Nominations: DELIcious bites, Indian restaurant, L2, My Thai

It would be unfair of me to give this to Indian Restaurant because, being Indian, I'm biased and more critical. L2 and My Thai were okay but neither did illicit the level of disappointment that DELIcious Bites did. Over-priced boring food. A complete waste of my time and money.

Winner (er... Loser?): DELIcious Bites

Best overall
Nominations: Miles Table, Rex 1516, Pumpkin, So Crepe

Everything we had at Miles table was amazing. Great food, great dessert, great atmosphere and on top of  it very affordable. A very pleasant surprise and great South Street addition - Miles Table, you are doing everything right.

Winner: Miles Table


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