1st Ward Sandwich

100 Morris Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
(215) 551-8000
Website

Only 4 years after I moved out of Pennsport, the neighborhood starts to look more appealing. Don't get me wrong, I prefer the old school Philly neighborhoods before gentrification, but there's something to be said for that stretch of time in-between when the mix of old and new struggle to find balance. The 1st Ward is one of those newcomers who has all the appeal of an up-and-coming neighborhood joint and so I went in with high hopes.

The decor is pretty basic, but it's tastefully bright and welcoming for being on Front Street right under 95. They have a clean presentation style and serve the sandwiches on cutting boards. Everything seems pretty good so far. Their menu is small, think of a pseudo-Paesano's style set of options, but fresher; well, not fresher but maybe healthier?

I went with the fried oyster po'boy and my friend tried the schnitzel. I was somewhat surprised to see my po'boy come out on an Italian seeded roll. I understand the 'fusion' they're going for here, but I think maybe this was taking it too far.

It comes served with "fried Chesapeake Bay's, spicy mayo and lettuce-tomato slaw." This sounds good but the execution definitely fell short. The slaw wasn't a slaw at all, it was more of a large-chop which made it sort of difficult to eat. The oysters were small, sort of heavy on the breading, but the flavor was there. Actually, for looking so wet, the whole thing was kind of dry and literally had no resemblance to a po'boy (and believe me, I've eaten my way around New Orleans enough to know the truth).

I mean, just call it an Oyster sandwich.

My buddy's schnitzel boasts, "thinly pounded pork loin, greens, fried egg, grain mustard on a butter roll." First off, there was no butter roll in sight. It was the same long seeded Italian roll. Which is fine, but again, let's just call it like it is. Another very dry sandwich. Weakly seasoned all around. Meh. I don't need to say more.

But hey, the fries were awesome. I asked if they had any aoili sauces for dipping and the cook said, "you mean like mayonnaise?" and I sadly replied, "I guess." She proceeded to spoon mayo out of the jar into a little cup for me. What about that spicy mayo that was on my oyster sandwich? Throw me a bone here people. Maybe they've worked out the kinks, but I don't expect I'll ever go back to find out.

Mid St8 Taco

West Shore Farmer's Market
900 Market Street
Lemoyne, PA 17043
(717) 737-9881
Website

I was over in Central PA for a weekend and decided to try out the West Shore Farmer's Market. This place is like a JV version of the Reading Terminal Market, but it certainly boasted a whole lot of different kinds of food. It was surprisingly good, and I won't go into details, but I ate at three places within an hour. My favorite was Mid St8 Taco, which had all kinds of flair, and even better tacos.

This gentleman on the right is hitting the complementary salsa bar. On the left is their fresh tortilla making stand.

This salsa bar was pretty great, with pickled peppers, onions, fresh salsa, and limes.

I decided to try the fried fish, short rib, and chorizo potato tacos.

The chorizo and potato was garnished with onion, garlic, and cilantro. I am always a fan of the fatty, greasy chorizo providing color and flavor to potatoes. These can be somewhat mushy, but the onion provided some textural crunch. Also, the fresh tortillas were fantastic. It is hard to beat fresh when it comes to taco wrappers.

The braised beef special was another great taco. Tender shredded beef with a hint of spice. The crispy ends (always the best part) added some texture and a healthy amount of flavor. A very good taco as well.

The fried fish was perhaps my favorite. It held achiote marinated and roasted wild atlantic cod with cabbage, pico de gallo, creme and shaved radish. I loved the variety of flavors involved with this. The cod had a nice heat and was perfectly fried. Radishes and cabbage gave fresh crunch, and the crema cooled everything down. It was a great taco de pescado if I do say so myself.

The color on the cod was brilliant. Who would have thought great tacos would come from the middle of the state? I guess if you knew the chef attended the Institute of Culinary Education on a James Beard scholarship, you might have had an inkling . . .

Ben's Chili Bowl

1213 U Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 667-0909
Website

Sometimes there is a landmark (or two) that you feel the need to eat at because it's (they're) famous. Ahem. Other times the place is a landmark AND it's just that damn good. We are dealing with the latter in this case. Ben's Chili Bowl serves up the finest half-smokes you have ever seen. Not fancy, not expensive, not for those on blood pressure or high cholesterol medication. It can be both a bit stressful, and a bit greasy. I love it.

This is a tight space to wait, and you need to find the line and get in it. The bar is the best place to sit, as usual, and you can check out all of the action. While you stand in line, you get a glimpse of the food to come. It will definitely make you re-adjust your order.

Look at these BEAUTIFUL half-smokes on the flat top. Having to watch these brown is no mistake on their part. I doubled my original estimates.

This encased meat maestro was working this grill like he was born in the kitchen.

The menu is small and sausage/chili focused. ALTHOUGH you could order a veggie burger if you wanted. Although they may laugh you out of the store. And I wouldn't blame them.

The bag is a throwback to simpler times, much like the food.

A tidy meal, this is not. Below is an order of chili cheese fries, and a chili cheese half smoke (one of two I ate). The fries left a bit to be desired, but they stayed surprisingly crispy throughout the seconds that made up their short lives.

The star, by far, was the half smoke with chili. Good lord. Half beef, half pork, coarsely ground and smoked. This is comfort food at its finest. Charred on the grill, smothered and covered, this beats about any hot dog around.

The snap on this sausage casing adds a perfect texture to offset the soft chili and bun. The combination of salty, smokey, fatty, and crispy makes for a sensual overload. This is not fancy, but your taste buds will be wearing an overcoat made of grease. This may be the best and/or only thing worth going to DC for . . .

...well, partial take back: Rumor's (an Eagles bar) will be another repeat on my list for next time.

Kinzer's Station Tavern

3572 Lincoln Hwy East
(Route 30)
Kinzers, PA 17535
(717) 442-8799

Kinzer's Station is located off of Route 30 on the way to Lancaster. I have wanted to stop in here for years, and had planned on it in the spring, but they were closed for a stretch due to a fire. They are back up and running, and I made a Sunday pit stop on the way home from a weekend road trip.

The joint is owned by a really nice fellow named Mike, a South Philly born-and-raised transplant, who bought the place almost sight unseen to get himself out of the city and into a slower-paced lifestyle out in the country. That's my kind of country living: owning a bar/restaurant with Philly originals all over the menu.

They allow smoking, which would have been annoying, but there was barely anyone there, so it wasn't too bad. Bud heavy was the drink of choice.

The food is nothing fancy, Philly area bar food done well. I had a cheesesteak and wings, two of my usual go-to choices.

The cheesesteak was quite good. The meat was well seasoned, and had plenty of cheese spread throughout. The roll was fine but not great. Being there on a Sunday right when they opened, I didn't expect it to be from the same day. Let's face it, I wasn't firing on all cylinders either. For being a day or three old, the roll was still okay.

Pretty well chopped, the meat didn't have any annoying gristly or fatty bites.

One thing you will notice, is they certainly do not skimp on the meat. I was a big fan of the both the quantity and quality.

The wings were also solid. I asked for the cooked extra crispy, and they sure were. The fat was nicely rendered out, and the skin retained it's crunch while I worked my way though them. It did not take long. This is a solid pit stop on your way to/through/from Amish country. A great roadside dive with Philly food done right. I hope to make a stop on a Friday night to get a real feel for the crowd. If I ever get to, I'll report back.