El Cafeito

1700 North 3rd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
(215) 278-2482
Website

Tucked away on lonely Cecil B. Moore is a little Latin-inspired cafe with colorful paint and a nice outdoor courtyard.

You can get a variety of sweets here, but I was looking for coffee and a sandwich.

Luckily they specialize in both.

A cafe con leche.

The Cuban sounded great, so I ordered both the breakfast version, served in wrap form, and the more traditional lunch version, served on grilled bread.

Although the menu didn't mention it, this came with ham (as it should), as well as pulled pork, scrambled eggs, cheese, and avocado. Not quite traditional, but certainly delicious. It was a bit dry, so ask for a side of their chipotle aioli sauce.

The traditional Cubano came on delicious bread, was nicely griddled with more pulled pork, pickles, yellow mustard, and Swiss. This actually came with a smear of the chipotle sauce, but lacked the ham that the menu lead me to believe would be included. Role reversal.

This was an awfully good sandwich, with a great ratio of ingredients, as well as careful construction. I would definitely get it again - but I would also make sure that ham slides its way into the layering.

I also ordered a highly recommended Domincano sandwich to go. I made it nearly an hour before tearing into it, but it did not fare as well as its Cuban counterparts.

Everything seemed to be in place, but unfortunately, there was something very off-putting about this sandwich. I narrowed it down to the salami. Either it was a brand I didn't like, or it had been sitting for a while. At first I thought it might have been the sweet plantain mayo, but I am relatively certain the salami was to blame. I had two independent sources verify my suspicions. Anyway, it comes with American, sweet plantain mayo, lettuce, and tomato on another nicely grilled roll. I wanted it to be delicious, because this place was great otherwise, but alas, I will have to try again soon.

It was a very laid back atmosphere, and everyone working was incredibly nice. I will definitely be back for the cafe con leche and a Cuban, but will be hesitant on the Dominican.

Editor's note: El Cafeito was this close to being 4 cheesesteaks, but the Dominican fiasco really left a sour taste in my mouth, so to speak.

Quince

209 West Girard Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 232-3425
Website

Quince is a Spanish shop that offers packaged goods, sandwiches, coffee, and imported gourmet foods. You know, from Spain.

They also have an awesome lunch combo.

As you can see, the interior is quite nice, and well kept.

They offer things like handmade Spanish pottery and entire legs of prosciutto. Which I am obviously a fan of – the latter, of course.

Unless you are eating at one of the tables they have set up outside, you will need to get your order to go. Which works out to be a hell of a boxed lunch, with a sandwich, bag of chips and an iced coffee for $8.

One of the things not to be missed is the dolmas. These are an excellent healthy snack food. I am addicted.

Grape leaves stuffed with rice, onion, dill, and lemon juice. Damn good.

The real star at Quince, which by the way, means this, are the baguettes. These sandwiches will take you back to that summer you spent in Spain, or at fat camp wishing you were in Europe, or make you feel like you have been to Europe. One of my personal favorites is the prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, roasted pepper, and pesto. Simple perfection. The salty ham is a perfect match for the billowy cheese, and the peppers give it a burst of freshness, while the pesto adds a punch of umami. The bread (Metropolitan bakery representing) is also fantastic, a tough exterior with a soft, airy inside (much like the author) makes for a perfect Euro-style lunch.

The other top pick, in my opinion (and there is some decent competition among these baguettes), is the Cambozola. My God, this cheese is good. A combination of brie and gorgonzola, this is a smooth, super tangy cow's milk cheese. It takes everything good about each cheese, and blends it into a singular masterpiece. At least for this sandwich. If you are ever planning a picnic, you would be a fool not to stop in here and grab some food. Reasonably priced, exotic, and classy, you will almost definitely get to make a move while sitting on a blanket in the woods if you get one of their baguette sandwiches, or two.

So this baguette is even more simple, and just as good. If not better. It contains a healthy spread of Cambozola cheese, walnuts, and a Vidalia onion and fig spread. It does not sound like much, but it packs quite a punch.

The mix of the sweet spread with the pungent sharp cheese and the fatty crunch of walnuts is too good to resist. This was a big surprise to me when it was recommended to me years ago by the owner. I thought there was no way something so simple could be so satisfying. I guess it goes to show I WAS wrong – that one time.

Quince is a fantastic place to have in the neighborhood, and definitely worth a trip, especially if you like Spanish style sandwiches, cheeses, meats, sides, or housewares.

Rosa's Deli

441 W Girard Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 763-9352

Just when I stupidly think I have my "new" Olde Kensington digs on lock down, Rosa's comes along and completely ruins my day. In a marvelous way.

So I guess Rosa's used to be called Rosa's Pretzel Bakery, but now they are Rosa's deli (don't worry, they still sell pretzels). When you walk in, you will be greeted by a tight, crowded corner-store style place. From there, you should walk to the back, stop acting awkward, and pick what hoagie you want.

The people working are extremely friendly, and you should probably get "the works" on whatever you order.

Also, I would order the large. A large Italian filled with Philly's own Freda meats will set you back a whooping $5.50. Just order the large.

This is a perfectly sized sandwich. Now I should warn you, that if you get the works, they are going to put mayo on your hoagie. While some purists may scoff at an Italian with mayo on, I scoff at their pretension. Perhaps they have never tried an Italian with mayo, they have no idea what they are missing. Where it is acceptable, I will order both oil AND mayo on my Italian, and I will revel in the indulgence that is my life.

 

 

Anyway, they slice to order your meat, and carefully construct the marvel of modern society that is an Italian. No sharp prov, no long hots (most overrated topping ever), just ripe tomatoes, diced onion and pickle (huge fan), some shredded iceberg and banana peppers. The roll is something else. It is similar to a Carangi roll, but I can't be sure of its origin. Either way, it was more than resilient enough to soak up the flavors as I walked home, and it became the perfect vessel for meat and cheese (and vegetable) delivery.

This was one of my favorite Italians I have eaten in a while. Although I love all of the many gourmet versions, this sandwich danced back and forth between genres, offering just enough delicious quality meat, and a roll that was easier to duck into than a traditional Sarcone's, all the while using extremely fresh ingredients and keeping the price at a a minimum. I am not 100% on their hours, but I will likely be back in the next couple days to begin the arduous task of eating around the menu. I will certainly keep you in mind when I am eating my heart out. Oh, on a separate and slightly related note, I will be the fat guy running the Philly Marathon this Sunday.