Pho Street

204 Baltimore Pike
Springfield, PA 19064
(610) 544-3934
Website

Delaware County is not synonymous with Vietnamese food, but Pho Street is the best argument I have tasted so far to try and change that. Located in (what could only be) a former diner-y looking building, this place has tons of booths in which to sit and wait for some damn good food.

They have the usual accompaniments. Which makes me very happy. Any condiment I can get my hands on...

I decided to start with a shrimp summer roll. I love the way this feels "healthy" even though I generally and thoroughly douse it with peanut sauce.

The shrimp were plump and fresh, the rolls were soft had not developed the "skin" that can occur when exposed to the elements. A nice blend of vermicelli, herbs, and lettuce added to the fresh factor. This was a great summer roll.

Because I detest pho, I did not order it. Instead I ordered Hu Tíeu Tom Thit (pork and shrimp noodle soup). Instead of a beef broth, this is a soup with a very flavorful pork/chicken/shrimp combo broth that is the very definition of soul soothing. As is usual for pho-like but non-pho soups, it was served up in a large bowl and included sprouts, jalapeno slices, cilantro and some lime garnishes.

Before I get too into the soup, I will say the pork banh mi was my favorite part of the meal. The BBQ pork was thinly sliced, tender, and the sandwich was obviously constructed with love.

The fresh jalapeño peppers bring the heat, but I didn't find it overwhelming. This was probably due to the cooling cilantro and pickled carrot mixed with the "house special zesty sauce" (spicy mayo) and buttered roll. I have eaten this one a number of times, and it always satisfies. It also doesn't hurt that it rings in at a whooping $5.49.

The soup had a broth that was better than many I have eaten, even those in the non-pho category. So much depth of flavor, like the bones had longer to roast and the maker truly cares about the product.

Once doctored up with some of the aforementioned condiments, it had the heat, the salt, and I crave out of a huge bowl of (chicken) soup for the soul. I basically transformed it into a sort of Tom Yum flavored soup with the fermented hot sauce and I would rinse and repeat as long as Pho Street is around.

If you aren't near Mac Daddy Boulevard, you can also get your fix in Bryn Mawr. Which helps ease the sting of my limited Asian-food options in the 'burbs.

Imli Indian Kitchen

769 E Passyunk Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(267) 858-4277
Website

A recent invite to Imli on Passyunk meant a dinner out with some local food writers, and a chance to eat somewhere I haven't been. The result was some of the best Indian food I have eaten in the city, and putting some faces to names of the Philly food scene.

Imli greets you with a waft of delicious Indian aromas, and the bright interior is quite inviting. As a bonus, they are BYOB, so you can match some big wines with big flavors.

We were brought out the samosas first, these were large, deeply fried and packed with flavorful curried potato, peas, and served with mint tamarind sauce.

The butter naan was another crowd-pleaser. Nicely browned, and the perfect vessel to scoop up the remnants of the various sauces.

The rashmi kebab presented charred chunks of chicken with sugar threads on top for effect. Served on romaine with red onion, this dish was visually appealing, and interesting, but it was lacking any discernible flavor profile.

The chicken Seekah kebab packed more memorable flavors, including I believe coriander, and garam masla. The textures were nice on this minced tandoori dish, with tender meat and crunchy specks for contrast. It was a sort of chicken sausage, but not really.

Kalmi kebabs were yet another tandoori favorite, with tender chicken thighs.

The baingan bhurta, an eggplant dish stewed with tomatoes, offered a rich repository for wayward naan.

My favorite dish of the bunch was probably the shrimp aachri, cooked in  rich spices and loaded with snappy acidity.

Lamb korma was right up there, though it did not photograph quite as well. If it isn't apparent by now, I got to taste just about all of it. Pure sensory overload.

Let's be honest, there isn't much Indian food that photographs well; it's too bad most dishes look like a thick, monochrome soupy blob. However, looks can be deceiving and the flavors here at Imli really surprised me.

Chicken tikka masala had the smooth consistency that makes it an intro to Indian food winner. The rich gravy perfectly suited the tender chicken morsels.

Basically, you will be hard pressed to not have a good time at this place, no matter what some of the finicky reviewers may say. I really loved the food, and would put it above Tiffin based on my experiences that night. As always, your mileage may vary.

Bocci's Steakhouse & Comedy Cafe

1400 S Christopher Columbus Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(484) 466-5260
Website

I was recently invited to a night of comedy and food at the somewhat newly opened Bocci's, which is located right next to the Riverview theater in South Philly. I couldn't remember anything being in this location, right next to Warmdaddy's, and I am always interested in some jokes, so it was an easy yes. I later came to know that many years ago, this used to be a Friendly's...

Bocci's used to be located in South Jersey, but relocated to this spot due to the owners of the real estate loving the food at the Jersey location. They had a giant wall wrap when to walk in to let you know this place was about the comedians as well as the food.

Bocci's history is laid out on the back of the menu. It is nice to see the mission statement and know that there is some family history and passion behind the place.

This place is a BYO(!), so I brought a six pack of IPA (Troeg's) and got ready for some food. The first thing up was the crab fries. These were different than most, in that the "crab" is actual snow crab, not a shake of Old Bay. The drawn butter centerpiece really pushed it over the top. I was quite surprised with how good these were. The fries stayed crispy, the sweet snowcrab was not out of place, and the butter indulgence was unlike any fry experience I have had.

The fresh parsley BASICALLY makes this a salad.

These disappeared so quickly, I could have eaten another order. The fries had a slight battery coating which kept the outsides crispy while the insides stayed hot and steamy and fried to perfection.

The seafood platter came out after. The shrimp were my favorites by far. Crispy with a nice paprika and light cayenne seasoning, they were like the soul food version of Dmitri's pil pil.

The crab cake was tasty as well. Not too much filler, and a generous portion.

I was not a huge fan of the whiting, but I am generally a shrimp guy anyway.

They also offered three sauces - hot sauce, cocktail, and mustard. Kind of a "chose your own adventure" for your seafood plate.

The shrimp and grits were no joke. The shrimp were nicely plumped and tender, and the grits had just a touch of butter. My fondness for butter aside, they had a great creamy texture and were rich, even for savory grits.

After the previous courses, I was starting to fill up on these.After the previous courses, I was starting to fill up on these.

The cabbage side was totally delicious. Vinegary and tender, I could eat a lot of this stuff. It reminded me of my Polish roots and had the salty flavor and perfectly wilted texture reminiscent of one of my favorite halushki dishes.

The T-Bone was the final entree. The crust on the steak was fantastic. Look at those beautiful char marks.

It was a bit overcooked for my taste (I like to see some pinkish-red in the center), but the meat was surprisingly tender, and the char added so much flavor. It can be difficult to get the maillard reaction to work with a thinner cut of meat.

At this point the stand-up comedy was starting. Holy shit, open mic night was hilarious. I was deliriously full, and thought I might bust a gut laughing. Make sure you check the schedule and see what is going on. There were so many performers, and almost all of them were on point.

I was literally ROTFL most of the night and was surprised to discover so much hidden comedic talent right here in South Philly.

As if this wasn't enough of everything, the dessert came out last. Belgian waffle with cream cheese drizzle and vanilla ice cream. It was so damn good. I didn't think I could eat one more bite, and this whole thing disappeared.

Crispy, perfectly executed waffle with a drizzle of love. Seriously go check out open mic night (or any of the shows here) and prepare to hurt with laughter, and some good food made with loving care.