1334 Walnut St., Philadelphia, 215.985.4155
A coworker and I had been trying for weeks to get together for lunch. Finally, our schedules allowed for it. She's not the most adventurous, having once dragged me into an Olive Garden for one of the worst meals I've had in years. If you can't do soup and salad well, you can't do anything well. So fat chance I was letting her pick the spot.
Sahara Grill is nearby and had good reviews so I thought I'd help my friend push her boundaries a bit. I was pleasantly surprised. A very small space with over a dozen tables. The staff was friendly enough, nothing over the top or rude. And the meal came out quickly. My friend and I both ordered the falafal with hummus platter ($9), so the opportunity to try a variety of items was off the table. But, it came with a small salad and hot pita wedges. Be sure you have your breath mints. The hummus is kicking, in a good way. About six falafal balls, crispy fried and soft inside. And the real test...my friend loved them! Even the salad was flavorful.
The place filled up for lunch, which I tend to take as a good sign. I would definitely go back, maybe even try it for dinner with a friend on a casual night.
Showing posts with label Sleeper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sleeper. Show all posts
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Siamese Princess
36 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, 610.896.2755
Based on how it looks from the outside, the Siamese Princess is not a restaurant you would normally walk into on a whim. A neon OPEN sign in the window is never a good sign. It has the potential to be intimate, but the small and narrow room is brightly lit, tables have vinyl coverings and black aluminum chairs. Fresh flowers on each table is a thoughtful touch, but the decor overall is pretty tacky and generally lacking warmth. Needless to say, we had pretty low expectations for the food. But, it was surprisingly good, and inexpensive (Prices range from $4.95 to $16.95, and 10% off if you pay with cash.)!
We started with the Tom Yun Goon soup- shrimp, lemongrass, mushrooms in a broth and spicy enough to make your mouth numb. The traditional chicken satay on skewers with peanut sauce did not disappoint. The three large chicken breasts could have been my whole meal. For entrees, we had Bold and Spicy Shrimp (Clearly, there's a theme here.), sauteed shrimp, lemongrass, basil, mushrooms and hot chili peppers. A few too many capers, but fresh vegetables were crisp. The sauce was just spicy enough. The Green Chicken Curry came with a side of white rice, had julienned vegetables and was also spicy, but they can dilute it for you. It could have had more chicken, but overall it was fresh and really good.
The staff of two were friendly. We didn't have to wait long at all for our food, but that could have been because it wasn't crowded, even for a Saturday night. People don't know what they're missing! I overheard the diners next to us, evidently frequent visitors, talking about sending friends there who also loved it.
This restaurant will be getting a return visit!
Based on how it looks from the outside, the Siamese Princess is not a restaurant you would normally walk into on a whim. A neon OPEN sign in the window is never a good sign. It has the potential to be intimate, but the small and narrow room is brightly lit, tables have vinyl coverings and black aluminum chairs. Fresh flowers on each table is a thoughtful touch, but the decor overall is pretty tacky and generally lacking warmth. Needless to say, we had pretty low expectations for the food. But, it was surprisingly good, and inexpensive (Prices range from $4.95 to $16.95, and 10% off if you pay with cash.)!
We started with the Tom Yun Goon soup- shrimp, lemongrass, mushrooms in a broth and spicy enough to make your mouth numb. The traditional chicken satay on skewers with peanut sauce did not disappoint. The three large chicken breasts could have been my whole meal. For entrees, we had Bold and Spicy Shrimp (Clearly, there's a theme here.), sauteed shrimp, lemongrass, basil, mushrooms and hot chili peppers. A few too many capers, but fresh vegetables were crisp. The sauce was just spicy enough. The Green Chicken Curry came with a side of white rice, had julienned vegetables and was also spicy, but they can dilute it for you. It could have had more chicken, but overall it was fresh and really good.
The staff of two were friendly. We didn't have to wait long at all for our food, but that could have been because it wasn't crowded, even for a Saturday night. People don't know what they're missing! I overheard the diners next to us, evidently frequent visitors, talking about sending friends there who also loved it.
This restaurant will be getting a return visit!
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