Taco Riendo

1301 N. 5th St
Philadelphia, PA 19122
(215) 235-2294

Taco Riendo is hands-down one of the best places to get Mexican food in Philadelphia. They are authentic without (usually) having to chew through cartilage, and they are reasonably priced to boot. There are a few things to remember when ordering, however. Rule numero uno: Get the elote. This is Mexican corn at it's finest. A nice char on the kernels, ample cheese and cayenne, and a sufficient layer of mayo.

 

Rule numero dos: skip the Al Pastor. Go for the chorizo instead. Or better yet, the choriqueso. Sausage and cheese. Yes. They make an awfully mediocre Al Pastor and an awfully good chorizo. Trust me.

Al Pastor above (go here or Que Chula es Puebla for the best around), and choriqueso below.

Rule numero tres: you might want to skip the tacos, unless you are okay with a minimalist presentation. I have eaten around the menu here, and I have to defer to the enchiladas (mole especially), tostadas and tortas. Burritos are okay, but nothing spectacular. Surprisingly, the shrimp and fish dishes are quite good, and the shrimp tostadas are like a fresh salad on a small order of nachos. A great summer dish that will fill you up without making you too full to drink some beers (they are BYO) with your meal. The shrimp are a bit spicy, and come perfectly cooked, nestled in between refried beans, lettuce, cheese and fresh pico. Definitely one of my favorites on the menu.

Basically, if you are above the best in Mexican (geographically speaking), AKA El Jarocho and Los Gallos (RIP Los Jalapenos), Taco Riendo is one of the better bets. Just be mindful of what you order, and the fact that they don't take cards nor $50 or $100 bills, even if you are vocally irritated and it's 100 degrees out. 

Kong

702-704 North 2nd Street
Philadelphia PA
215-922-KONG (5664)
Website

Kong has a Thursday night special, where all of the dumplings are $.50. You have to order three at a time, but it is still one heck of a deal. $15 for 30 dumplings (if you order every variety offered, like me). You can't beat it. I finally got around to checking it out, and it was pretty good. Not mind blowing, but taking into account the price, it's a sweet deal. If I were to do it again which I probably will at some point, I would go straight for the pork three ways, the sweet potato, the duck confit, and the Mongolian lamb. The others were okay, but I would have to say these were the standouts. The pork had crispy pieces of Chinese bacon scattered on top, and were just delicious. The Mongolian lamb were served in a crispy wonton, and had a drizzle of hoison that complemented the lamb nicely. The sweet potato were so buttery and savory that they tasted like dessert dumplings. Which was okay in my book. And the duck dumplings were rich and fatty, just as I would expect. A nice treat was the Kong rice ale on draft, crafted by Great Divide. It was delicious with the "rustic Hong Kong style street food" served there. I also liked the sushi style paper order form, where you just check which items you want. Overall, I was pretty happy, and the dumpling special was a real treat. Pictures and the menu items in full below. Sorry about the low light, but it's an "intimate" space.



THURSDAY DUMPLING THROWDOWN MENU

Edamame and Tofu
Spinach dumpling wrapper, pan fried

Curried Vegetable
cabbage, edamame, asparagus, shiitake

Three Way Pork
Chinese bacon, braised pork, ground pork

Sweet Potato, Bacon and Green Apple
maple-soy dipping sauce

Mongolian Lamb
pickled eggplant, toasted pine nut, fried

Beef, Potato and Cabbage
ground beef, grated potato, scallion

Shrimp and Pork Wonton
ginger and scallion

Chinese Duck Confit
with leeks and cabbage

Chicken and Shiitake
soy braised chicken and shiitakes

Philly Cheesesteak
Beef, caramelized onions, mascarpone

(curried vegetable)

(pork three ways)

(sweet potato)

(Mongolian lamb)