Guest Post: Hamifgash

811 Sansom Street
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 925-3550
Website

This rating system is new and based on my experience, on a scale of 1-5, I think a 3 is fair, right?

"Glatt - Israeli - Turkish - Vegetarian Cuisine" - That pretty much sums it up, but what they also need to squeeze in there is "mediocre - diner-style - comfort foods." I guess because this is evident in the decor and demeanor of the collective staff, they don't feel a need to disclose that little additional bit.

One in our group is vegetarian, so every 3-4 weeks when we do our lunch-bunch, it's my task to find an establishment that has a variety of offerings to suit his dietary restrictions. I was in the mood for some Kabobs, so Hamifgash was our destination.

We started out with the baba/hummus plate appetizer with warm, fresh pita. Little did we know, this was to be the most redeeming quality of our meal.

I'm not sure if the pita is made in-house; it was soft, fluffy and grilled to perfection for the added outer crunch. I asked for a baba/hummus half/half combo (which isn't offered outright on the menu) and the server kindly obliged the request. The smoked eggplant puree was smoky and smooth, and was a nice complement to the garlic-y hummus. Next to D'Mitri's, this is some of the best I've had.

They offer a "Business Lunch Special" which includes choice of soup + special entree of the day. Today's special was schnitzel, and I wasn't in the mood for a cutlet, so I decided instead to get the shawarma - you can choose pita or platter and because I'd already inhaled my share of pita, I chose platter. It came out as a heaping pile of steaming rice topped with an abundance of pulled chicken and a sad side of soggy, wilted house salad.

Now, if you're in the mood for some Turkish cuisine that's more reminiscent of Chinese take-out, then this is your best bet. The shawarma was tender and flavorful, pulled from the spit and then sauteed on the flat-top to add a nice crisp to the edges of each little piece. Accented with well-cooked chunks of garlic, it was too close to teriyaki stir-fry for me - not that I didn't like it, it was quite good - but it was oily and better suited for a comforting hangover-cure on a Sunday, when I have no desire to leave the couch. The rice was nice.

My vegetarian friend had the falafel and said it was not great. "Mama's is way better." I tasted a little piece and yes, I can't imagine having to eat all of those too-dense, under-flavored, deep-fried balls; not to mention that same old, soggy and over-dressed salad accompaniment. Stick with Mama's, for sure.

The third dish was the Hamifgash Kebob - ground lamb and spices. Again, a very heavy dish, the lamb patties were pretty well seasoned, but too dense and heavy for a business lunch. If you're looking for pita & baba/hummus for take-out in center city, definitely go here. Otherwise, you'd better plan on running a 5K to make yourself feel better after eating any other dish (gut-bomb) at this Kosher diner.

This salad bar is NOT free - yet another negative. It costs $$$. I think. We were too intimidated to ask.

Chap's Pit Beef

5801 Pulaski Hwy
Baltimore, MD 21205
(410) 483-2379

I wanted to get the Camaro out on the open highway while I had it, and as I had never been to Baltimore, I figured now was as good a time as any to check it out. By this point, I had been driving it for only three days, and I already knew it was going to be tough to give back. There's just something so awesome about having all of that American muscle at your beck and call when you want it. I quickly warmed up to the interior, after my initial hesitance, mostly because of trepidation about blind spots. I grew comfortable driving the beast, however, and it turns out that the longer front windows let you check for cars quite handily. Also, the growl that this thing emits when you start it is great. Everywhere I went I was repeatedly complimented on it, from the gas pump (which surprisingly wasn't hit that hard) to the parking garage (I couldn't leave this baby on the street in Baltimore). The thing I kept realizing is that it's an incredibly fun car to drive. So I packed up and hit the road, on a mission to see Inner Harbor and eat pit beef.

Chap's shares a parking lot with a strip club, and pit beef with angels. I mean, it is amazing.

Not much to look at from the outside, like a good meat place should be. I am not there for the ambiance.

You get in line, order your food, and it comes out the side window. A variety of sauces, peppers, horseradish, and pickles are offered for free at a serve-yourself bar.

I went with the "Raven" and (as much as it pains me to say) the pit beef with cheddar. Both of these sandwiches were just mind-blowing. Simple, perfection. The "Raven" came on a long roll, and consisted of corned beef, turkey and pit beef with provolone. You get to chose how your pit beef comes out, I went medium rare and was loving it. Salty, tender and meaty, this sandwich really packed it in, I honestly considered a siesta in the Camaro before hitting the town, but powered through the food coma.

The beef and cheddar was another winner. It was exactly what someone would think they are going to receive if they went solely on information provided by the Arby's commercials, and believe that to be actual, real, edible food. Tender beef, cheddar cheese sauce and a kaiser was a powerful combination. I can't recommend this place enough. It's worth the drive alone. Just go hungry, and know what you want. Also, shut the door behind you or they will be certain to yell at you.

Man, I hate Guy Fieri.

I got lots of other pics of Baltimore, so scroll down to see them. And go eat some pit beef.

Why can't Philly have about 100 of these trash boats? They are amazing, and we could keep them busy for decades. Win-win.

There was a live band and dancing at the Lexington Market, which is basically what you would get if you crossed Reading Terminal Market with The Gallery.

Stick to pit beef, Baltimore.