Cafe Olé

147 N 3rd St
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 627-2140

If you are looking for a healthy and reasonably priced lunch or breakfast (or both) in the Old City area, Cafe Olé has you covered. I have been inside quite a few times to get coffee and chai (both are excellent), and when I would look at all of the people eating, I made a mental note to come back and try it. And then, I forgot. Well this time I remembered, and the little coffee shop/cafe did not disappoint.

You order at the counter, and they either bring it out to you or they call your order out. I got a hybrid approach.

I was looking for something healthy(ish) so I tried the Mediterranean platter, which came with a generous portion of tomato cucumber salad, a mix of green and kalamata olives, seasoned feta, hummus with a delicious pool of olive oil in the middle, and two dolmathes, as well as two freshly grilled pieces of pita. A generous portion for the $8 price tag, even by my standards. All of the components were fresh and savory. I managed to turn a healthy lunch into a borderline gorge-fest by eating everything on the plate, in addition to the two pieces of pita. No surprise there.

 

I also had to try the whitefish salad platter, as whitefish salad is a new favorite of mine after being introduced to it by this guy. This whitefish platter, which they mistakenly put in a to-go container (probably because they thought I shouldn't eat any of it after having ordered my first platter), was delicious. The salad itself was fresh and creamy, while the briny capers really tied it all together. They were out of everything bagels (it was in the afternoon), so I just threw these things on a toasted plain, and had at it. I would definitely go back for this one as well.

 

 

Cafe Olé fills a gap in fresh, affordable, lunches without having to go to a sit-down place and be at the whims of an often aloof Old City server. I really think I will be eating here quite a bit, especially because I have not tried the Shaksuka yet.

Tony A's aka Tony Roni's

200 West Ridge Pike
Conshohocken, PA 19428
(610) 825-4700
Website

I have heard time and time again that one of the best cheesesteaks around is located in Conshohocken. Last week, I even saw it in a CNN article. To be fair, the author does not live in Philadelphia, and he recommends three of the "best cheesesteaks around," none of which are actually in Philadelphia. So naturally I was highly skeptical. For example, didn't everyone stop with the Dalessandro's fever quite some time ago?

So anyway, I was visiting Conshy and I decided that I HAD to try a Tony A's. That's all well and good, except when I got to the location provided, I was dismayed to see a local chain, Tony Roni's had taken over. As it turns out, Tony A's is now Tony Roni's, but when I called and asked if it was Tony A's or Tony Roni's, the girl who answered said, "well it's the same thing." I was thoroughly confused, but decided to order some cheesesteaks anyway.

As you can see from the pictures, this place did NOT look like the hidden cheesesteak gem I had envisioned. It looked more like a Bravo pizza.

 

I decided to go with one chicken cheesesteak and one regular cheesesteak. I was actually sharing these, because I had just come from breakfast, where I made quick work out of a plate full of creamed chipped beef, and I didn't want to press my luck.

My first reaction was that the roll was different than anything I was used to. The second was remembering that I forgot to ask for extra cheese. The third was excitement when I saw that lack of cheese would not be a problem.

This was a healthy portion, and they really tucked quite a bit of meat into this roll. I must admit, this is a pretty near-perfect cheesesteak. Well-seasoned meat, ample amounts of cheese, and a fantastic roll for the job – it soaked up what little excess grease was around, all while holding up (with a good chew) nicely.

Next up was the chicken cheesesteak. Normally I am not a huge fan of chicken cheesesteaks, but this one was awfully tasty. Again, the abundance of cheese and well-seasoned meat paired nicely with the soft but chewy roll. Another winner.

You can read all about their story here, but I'll make it known that this store is the Original Tony A's/Tony Roni's – call it what you will...

Both sandwiches were above and beyond my expectations for Tony Roni's. I would be interested to see if all of the outposts of this store put out the same quality product. This is the first chain-cheesesteak I can wholly endorse, but I still think that the CNN author needs to visit some of the real Philly cheesesteak gems.

Yummy Lan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House

131 N 10th St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 923-2222

One of my favorite places to eat in Chinatown is Nan Zhou, the hand drawn noodle house I have been frequenting for a long time. I read about Lan Zhou opening over on Midtown Lunch a while back, and had finally made my way over – it's just so hard to steer away from my original favorite. Also, I hate that it's called "Yummy" Lan Zhou. Much like I hate when people say "nom." That's fine to say if you are eating fish sticks dipped in ketchup and are five years old. However, as you are likely neither a child nor the Cookie Monster, I hope you feel the same way.

They offer a table-side condiment bar to spruce up your order, always a plus in my book. They also one-up the original Nan Zhou with a container full of pickled cabbage on every table. Mixed with a little soy, vinegar and chili sauce, it was a quick snack while waiting for my noodles.

I stuck with two of my favorites, the pork with soy sauce and the peanut sauce noodles. These two are great because they are cheap, and they really let the noodles shine. Plus, I am hardly ever looking for a soup. That being said, they give you a small bowl of broth alongside the noodles that aren't served already swimming in it. Though it was kind of bland on its own, with a bit of sprucing up (some cabbage, vinegar, and chili), it was quite tasty.

The pork with soy sauce was delicious. It was different than what I am used to, not as salty, but the flavors and richness of the pork pervaded the GIANT bowl of noodles, creating quite a cohesive dish. The peanut sauce noodles were another winner. This is such a simple and incredibly cheap ($3!) bowl of comfort, I can hardly pass it up on every trip.

It's best to add a little bit of chili oil to the mix just to give it a bit of burn, and you will be well fed, without breaking the bank. The peanut sauce is thick, rich, and oily, which helps it coat the noodles and allows for maximum nutty flavor in each bite.

I can't say for certain which place is the better noodle house. Both have very tender and delicious hand drawn noodles, but Lan Zhou might edge Nan Zhou for value, if for nothing other than the extra broth and cabbage. They are both dirt cheap (my bill was $12 with tip), and each is worth a try for yourself.

Tinta y Cafe

276 Southwest 8th Street
Miami, FL 33130
(305) 285-010
Website

I was briefly in Miami, and I wanted to see what sandwiches they had to offer. I heard about Tinta y Cafe, and was interested to get a more authentic Cuban experience than is available in Philadelphia. When I walked in and saw the warming trays of empanadas, croquettes, and more, I knew I was in for a treat.

This place is a perfect little cafe, serving an incredible café con leche and a variety of small bites and sandwiches. Everything in this place was clean and well thought out.

I started with the ham and cheese croquettes (las croquetas), which were a steal at $.85. They were served with saltines, but no cracker was necessary in the devouring of these bites of joy. They were packed with diced ham and gooey cheese, and had I not otherwise ordered a significant amount of food, I would have eaten a dozen or so.

As it took approximately five minutes for my food to be prepared, I could not resist grabbing a chicken empanada to nosh while I waited. I have serious problems. The empanadas were incredible, and another steal at $2.25. Packed with well seasoned shredded chicken, I could also have eaten a (half) dozen of these.

Finally, it was time for some sandwiches. I say finally not because they took a while to come out, but because I was salivating thinking about them – even though I had already eaten what the average person might call "lunch." The first sandwich was based around their cilantro mayo, and included chicken, Spanish salami, Manchego, and caramelized onions. All of the sandwiches come on pressed bread, and are delicately assembled. This first one was incredible. It was the perfect balance of salty, crunchy and savory. Basically the trifecta of good sandwiches. The sandwiches are also served with a side of addictive plantain chips.

Last, but certainly not least, was the best Cuban I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying (or should I say 'eating'). The El Patria came with ham, pork, cheese, pickles and mustard. The standard Cuban components. However, between the bread, the quality of the ingredients, and the perfectly executed preparation, this was the best Cuban I have eaten. The cheese was nicely melted, the meats were all extremely tasty and the pickles looked like they had been sliced with a razor blade.

I really wish this place was in Philly; it would serve a niche that has been overlooked, namely casual Spanish-inspired sandwiches done with a creative flair. I know there are some SIMILAR places, but nothing I have seen that has executed like Tinta y Cafe.

Mike and Emma's

I recently wrote about Mike and Emma's hoagies, but I had to return for a cheesesteak.

Same great lady working, who I wish would adopt me as an illegitimate grandson. This time she was joined by (I am assuming) her husband (Mike?) and son (total speculation). It was lunch time, so the kitchen was madness, but they worked together in a perfect balance of order and chaos.

I went for a standard, cheesesteak, fried onions, salt pepper and a little ketchup. It was cooked to order and ready in about 3 minutes.

I have to say, this was one HELL of a cheesesteak. The meat was tender, well cooked, and had no gristly pieces to be found. The meat was not finely chopped, but was thinly sliced and lightly chopped. I was a fan. The cheese was on the bottom (I prefer a good mix), but it still contributed to the creaminess, which is the entire reason it gets the invite to the party. The onions were probably my favorite part. Just cooked perfectly, and well spread throughout the sandwich. I am not sure of the bread company, but it did a great job holding up to the generous portion that was packed into it. They lightly steam the bread, as it lays on top of the steak and cheese pile on the flat top. This helps warm it up, and melt the cheese.

This is a perfect example of a cheesesteak done right. No matter your allegiance, Mike and Emma's remains a contender.