I was welcomed into the sparkling clean joint by these two lovely ladies with trays full of bagels, cinnamon buns, berry laden treats and chillers, their version of the Slurpee. I got there after 2p and just about had the run of the place to myself. I met Braden Young, the Sales & Marketing Manager for the region, who welcomed me to the new outpost of the franchise.

The display case was stocked solid with fresh donuts.

The famous 'original glazed' (190 calories) had several spots along the counter. They had regular flavors as well as some featured donuts with lots of calorie counts. I guess they have a pretty bad rap so it's like saying "not as bad as you'd think!" as you browse the selections and your brain thinks of the trips of the gym it'll have to remember to take.

But let's get to the magic. You've all seen the view from the store side, but I got to take a peek on the other side of the counter and in the mini glazing factory which is the heart of Krispy Kreme. Racks of donuts line the walls on tall baking carts on wheels. The donuts are put onto the wire rack conveyor belt which transforms the plain donuts into something else. The donuts are warmed up (they're traveling left to right in the photo above) before the glaze is applied. I could tell you the exact temperature the donuts need to be in order for the glaze to hold, but I'd have to kill you (and then you wouldn't be able to have any Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

They travel about 2' to the glaze dispenser. The glaze itself is heated to a scalding temperature (once again, I could tell you the exact temperature, but…) in order to adhere to the donut. I was told that if the glaze wasn't a certain temperature and the donut wasn't a certain temperature, the glaze would just glide off and wouldn't that be a shame. The glaze is pumped from a vat below the wire belt (recycling the dripped off glaze) via a tube and it's pumped to a wide surface from which it glides in a solid sheet of joy onto the awaiting donuts. Here's the moment where the angels sing in unison.

I had to fight the urge to grab the donuts right there. I knew exactly how hot the donuts and glaze were. I wanted to do it. But I didn't. The manager standing 1' to my right would not have been happy. He probably would've intercepted my hand and jostled my camera from my grip on the process, knocking it into the vat of glaze. Mmmmmmmmm glazed camera, delicious. So here they are, the nearly finished donut. They had another 20' or so of rolling along the conveyor belt to cool down.

Back on the other side of the counter, I took a closer look at a few offerings, like these minis. I haven't been inside a Krispy Kreme in awhile and don't remember the minis. It's probably been a solid 10 years actually. Me and my friends used to hit up the Krispy Kreme somewhere in VA on our way back from this huge club in SE DC called Nation. The club closed down sometime around 5a or 6a. We'd pile into my buddy Austin's car to ride back to our apartment just outside DC in MD in between Bethesda and Rockville. We drive by the Krispy Kreme looking for that neon sign. If it was on, we went in for some burn the top of your mouth off goodness.

This monster was a little intimidating. A Cookies and Kreme doughnut. Good god. Crumbled Oreos. So wrong and so right at the same time. I resisted the urge to cash in my two tickets for a pair of those.

I filled my freebie bag with an original glazed and a yeast-raised banana caramel donut. I also got a Very Berry Chiller which I happily chugged on my walk home. The syrup magically didn't come apart from the ice. I have no idea what kind of mad alchemy goes on inside that churner machine, but this is one of the very few times I've had an iced drink where the syrup didn't completely separate from the ice. Color me red—and pleasantly surprised.

Here's a closeup of the banana caramel donut I took home. It was dense and delicious. The banana wasn't overly syrupy in flavor, but there were no pieces of actual banana in sight.

It's exactly what you expect from a Krispy Kreme if you've been in one before. If you haven't, well, you should try it out. And random fact: Krispy Kreme is certified Kosher, how about that?

Last, but not least, they're having a Grand Opening Celebration with some giveaways. Be the first person through the door at 6a on the 4th and you'll win one dozen original glazed doughnuts per week for a year. And be sure to snag a paper hat if you see one around. Wear it like you mean it.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
41 S 16th St
267.548.5516

As we were seated, one of the dining room managers came by to fill our waters. Picky knew a friend of a friend was one of the managers here. He took a stab at his name and he hit. We joked about our mutual friend for a bit and talked about what looked good on the tantalizing menu before he had to get back to his duties and mingling with his guests. We put in our order with our server and before long, a stream of antipasti and bruschetta flowed forth from the open kitchen steps to our table. But it was much more than we had ordered. Our new friend had sent along a few extras.

Imported bufala ricotta and black pepper [$8] and mortadella mousse [$6].

Sal's old school meatballs with tomato potato [$8]. Little bite-sized irregularly-shaped meatballs were supple and juicy. We had to take them down in two-bite portions to savor them just a little bit more.

Coppa with hazelnut honey [$8]. Fact: hazelnuts make just about anything better.

Polenta with brown butter [$5]

Fried lambs tongue with salsa rossa [$7] (pickled red onion). The lamb wasn't overly lamb-y which can be a problem for many. The the acid from pickled red onion draped across the row of tongue would help play down the lamb-y flavor for those who are lamb-averse.

Grilled smoked mozzarella with pickled vegetables [$8]

Bucatini alla "matriciana" with pork jowl, chili flake and pecorino [$14]. For Picky, this was the star antipasti for the night. A springy al dente sprinkled with clouds of finely grated pecorino was the perfect vessel to gather the hunks of hearty jowl with little bits of arrabiata kick from the chili flakes.

Gnocchi alla romana with oxtail ragu [$14]. Picky is a real oxtail lover. It's in many Korean dishes which he loved eating growing up. This was, sadly, just not as flavorful as he hoped it would be. It got a little lost amidst the other wonderful plates.

Bufala ricotta ravioli with spring asparagus [$14]. Similar to the doppio ravioli from Vetri's largest outpost, Osteria which we enjoyed two years ago. Messy, who did not partake in the meatier offerings of the evening, ate almost all of this by herself. It was absolutely delectable, but a little rich for one person. Next time she won't be so greedy!

"Tartufo al bacio" chocolate and hazelnut semifreddo with amarena cherries [$10]. This hard-shelled dessert was attacked and destroyed by the three of us. We didn't hold back as it tried to keep its delicious contents from our forks. Picky stabbed it once through the dome and we were rightfully rewarded with a near-dreadfully rich chocolate hazelnut mixture that made you think Nutell-wha? for a moment before digging in to find the small, sour amarena cherries blissfully floating throughout.

Vetri's tiramisu. Perhaps Picky's biggest pet peeve when it comes to food is messing with the classics. Vetri, it seems, feels the same way. This tiramisu was probably the best tiramisu Picky has ever had in his life. Growing up just outside of NYC, he was fortunate to have sampled many a fine tiramisu, but this one rules them all. The biscuits were moist and dense like a great cupcake, not the heavy density of a pound cake. Heaps of cocoa powder drizzled off the heaping marscapone to the plate awaiting sly improper finger-to-plate manners. This was Messy's favorite dessert of the three, and she wished she had been greedy in this instance — next time, she'll order one all for herself!

Head chef's [Brad Spence] grandma's rice pudding w/balsamic — a 100 year-old recipe. Messy and her friend both enjoyed this one tremendously, although Messy found it less enticing than the tiramisu. Picky passed on this one; he's never been a fan of rice pudding and even this delectable couldn't sway him.

A shot of the open kitchen at Amis from our table. The feel of the space is lively. It's loud, but the kind of loud that makes you feel alive, not the shouting-at-your-tablemates kind of loud. The larger tables on the Waverly Street side fill up with large groups and after a few bottles, they contribute a lot to the soundscape of the place, but it's not unwelcome. While the space doesn't have that homey feel of Osteria, it does have a wonderfully laid back trattoria feel, which is was Vetri and Co. were going for after their pilgrimage to The Boot. With their Monday industry late night events, this space will garner a strong following. With it's approachability, it's already gaining cult-like neighborhoodie approval. And hopefully it'll stay just enough under the radar of the out-of-towner crew (in Picky's NYC, they were called B&T, bridge & tunnel), and you'll be able to get a spot in here without too much trouble.

Amis
412 S. 13th Street & Waverly
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-732-AMIS (2647)
dinner
M-Th: 5pm-11:30pm | Late night menu: 11:30pm-1am
F & Sa: 5pm-12:00am | Late night menu: 12:00am 1am
Su: 5pm-10:30pm | Late night menu: 10:30pm-12am
lunch
M-F: 11:30am-2pm
No lunch on Saturdays
brunch
Su: 10am-2pm

For his entree, Picky opted for his standby at Korean restaurants: dol sot bibimbap, the hot stone bowl of mixed rice topped with a fried egg. The bowl is crazy hot and you mix in the hot pepper paste – he asked for a second plate of it – and the rice gets nice and crispy and the veggies cook down a bit while in contact with the scalding hot stone bowl. This is a shot of the dish before the paste is added.

Messy really wanted the jajang myung, buckwheat noodles in brown sauce with freshly chopped veggies, but they were all out, so she opted for the tofu chige, soft tofu soup in spicy broth. It ended up being a little too spicy for Messy's still-adapting-to-Picky's-heat-tolerance-after-seven-years palate. She added in the bowl of rice to bring down the heat to a more approachable level. Although she found it a little too tofu-heavy, the dish did well to warm her up for the rest of the afternoon of errands about Center City.

Here's a shot of Picky's halfway mixed bibimbap after adding in the hot pepper paste. He gobbled this up quickly and had plenty of room to have about a quarter of Messy's soup.

A shot of the empty restaurant as we were about to leave. By that time, it was when they were getting ready to change over to the early dinner crowd. Usually, there are much more people in there.

Messy ***1/2
Picky ***1/2

The final, final word: Authentic, spicy Korean food at a nice price.

2034 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 569-1200
Mon – Sun 11am – 9pm

LA CIGALE
113 S 18th St
(215) 569-1970
La Cigale was always my favorite place to go to reward myself. When the CityPaper asked me to write something for culture shock, La Cigale was the first thing I thought of. (Okay, that's a lie — the first thing I thought of was the terrible television shows I love to consume, but then I thought about what I wanted appearing in print next to my name and went with La Cigale instead.) I love the environment, there's always sort of jazzy music playing and pretty French girls who make a mean panini. There are two paninis that I could never get enough of – the St. Tropez (mozzarella, tomato and basil pesto) and the Golf Juan (brie, tomato and tomato paste). The soup and 1/2 sandwich combo is so good, particularly when the soup is tomato-cheddar or something creamy like that. It never seems to be crowded here at lunch time, but if it is, there is seating upstairs where you can hang out and drink coffee for hours, if you wish.

KENNEDY FOOD GARDEN
1901 John F Kennedy Blvd
(215) 977-9655
This might sound weird, but Kennedy Food Garden (essentially an expanded convenience store on the ground floor of a residential building) makes some of the best sandwiches in Philadelphia. If you have coworkers with similar food tastes, it's a good idea to split a sandwich here. The sandwiches are huge, and they're not that great left over. My favorites are the health sandwich and the barbecued vegetarian cheesesteak. The health sandwich (which is probably not all that healthy, but is definitely delicious!) is an overstuffed sour dough hoagie containing romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, avocados, sprouts, feta cheese, and in my case, lots and lots of mayo — oh my God, is it good. Another favorite option here is the brie and herb sandwich (which comes with cucumber, romaine, tomatoes and olive oil on a baguette) but you have to really like brie or else you will end up talking at least half of it off. This place can get a little hectic around lunch time, and I don't recommend eating in if you prefer a tranquil atmosphere. However, they do cater, and while I never sampled their catering, I would recommend it based on their sandwiches alone.

LE BUS
135 S 18th St
(215) 569-8299
Le Bus also makes some of the best sandwiches in Philly, but whereas Kennedy Food Garden serves up overstuffed hoagie-type sandwiches, Le Bus has more of the artisan variety. These are still big enough for two meals, and the ones I get are around $6. My absolute favorites here are the Lebanon sandwich and the chilled mango soup. The farmer's breakfast sandwich is also really good. The cons about Le Bus are that it gets really hot in the summertime, it's usually crowded, and there is no seating. One tip: no matter what sandwich you get, and how strange it seems, ask to get it toasted. I had a couple of sandwiches at Le Bus that I found unimpressive until someone in front of me in line turned me on to toasting. They just toast things a teeny bit, so the bread gets a little crunchy and the cheese starts to get a tiny bit melty, yet somehow, the things that are supposed to be crisp and cool remain that way. Even though I don't eat chicken, the curried chicken salad on raisin bread here makes my mouth water. Someone, please eat it and think of me!

DI BRUNO BROS.
1730 Chestnut St
(215) 665-9220
You have to be careful at Di Bruno's because it's not cheap. It is however, really good, and there are all kinds of samples if you go at the right time. I always try to hit Di Bruno's a little early, because the lunch crowds can get insane and people totally gobble up the cheese samples and sometimes they are not replaced later. The sandwiches available at the deli counter are delicious and even though they cost about $7 a piece, I always turn them into two meals. The upstairs prepared food is also heavenly, particularly the house of cheese panini, the hummus and the bruschetta. I haven't had as good luck with the upstairs salad bar or the soups. Also, the downstairs prepackaged salads and wraps are nothing to write home about. However, it's always fun to stop in just to look around at all the fancy foods and try some cheese or olive oil.

TAMPOPO
104 S 21st St
(215) 557-9593
Tampopo's bento box is the honestly the best healthy but still filling lunch option around. It really blows other Japanese restaurants out of the water. We've reviewed Tampopo and Tampopo II before — and I can guarantee, they are both worth it. Once in a long while, I get a hankering for a vegetable (a strange break from my normal 24/7 craving for all things bread and cheese related) and on those rare occasions, a noodle-y-vegetable-y dish from Tampopo is just what the doctor ordered.

THE WRAP SHACK ON THE SQUARE
120 S 18th St
(215) 569-1666
The new, fancy Wrap Shack is quite different from the original Wrap Shack. I only spent a few months working in proximity to the new Wrap Shack and during that time, I felt obligated to try all of the vegetarian wraps. I ended up with three favorites: the Thai peanut popper, the Bean Burrito and the Pizzabella. The Pizzabella (portabella mushrooms, pizza sauce and cheese) was an extra favorite for me – I would order it on a spinach wrap, and it would satisfy my pizza cravings while simultaneously providing me with the vegetables I usually avoid. I don't recommend the salads here, I got one once and it was heavy on the lettuce and light on everything else (however, if you can't tell by now, I am a vegetarian with an anti-vegetable bias). Also, the service was kind of hit or miss, but I chalk that up to working out the original kinks of opening up the new location.

TOKYO LUNCH BOX
1705 Chestnut St
(215) 564-3306
This place is not amazing by any means, but there is one item I always order when it's cold or rainy or I don't feel well: the tofu soup with the udon noodles. It costs about $6, and is huge and chocked full of spinach, mushrooms, tofu and scallions. Make sure to ask for the red spice at the check out counter, otherwise it's kind of bland. My only complaint is that the soup is never hot enough. I used to always have to take it back to work and nuke it. The rolls at this place are okay, but they are actually better at the fresh sushi place inside Liberty Place. I can't really speak for anything else here, but man, that soup. . . I miss it.

HOT TAMALES
1805 John F Kennedy Blvd
(215) 557-9009
Many times in the last three years, I had less than five dollars in my pocket, and these were the times I would head to Hot Tamales. If you are looking for authentic Mexican food, head elsewhere (this place rocks a BLT burrito!). But if you need something cheap and fast and filling, there aren't too many options like this one. I always get the refried bean burrito or the hummus burrito. The lines can be really long at peak lunch hours, but they usually move quickly, so know what you want before you get to the counter. Also, there is a guy who works there who has the coolest voice, it is like it was made for calling out orders: "Two beef tacos, side of guac to go!"

LEON'S LUNCH CART
18th & Chestnut Sts
Leon's lunch cart is on the northeast corner of 18th and Chestnut. I understand lunch carts are very specific and people develop unshakeable lunch cart loyalties. I am loyal to Leon, and his (presumably?) father and daughter who are so fast and friendly and make coffee just how I like it. I tended to go to Leon for breakfast rather than lunch, as lunch carts aren't usually bastions of vegetarian options, but over the last few years I have consumed about a million cheese hoagies from Leon and I've never been disappointed. Across the street on the northwest corner of 18th and Chestnut is a great fruit salad cart. The fruit has always been fresh every time I've had it, but I will be honest in admitting that I tend to go for gooey egg sandwiches over fruit salads pretty much every time I have the chance.

If you want to attend, please give Taylor a shout at taylorhigh24 (at) hotmail (dot) com.

We were seated along the pale green wall by the west-facing windows. The top portion of the walls used to be smoke stained from the tall candles which formerly occupied the decorative shelves. The candles have been replaced by decorative pieces and the walls repainted a uniform pastel which makes for a pretty hip, minimalist decor.

Picky had a Joe's Smoked Mozzarella Sandwich (with crispy prosciutto, tomato, arugula and garlic vinaigrette) for $7.50. There was nothing spectacular about the sandwich, but then again, nothing has to be spectacular with prosciutto — when it's good, it's just good. And this was good. Unfortunately, it wasn't as big as Picky normally likes his sandwiches. Perhaps he's been spoiled by Philly's gigantic "half" hoagie servings.

Messy had the three cheese and tomato panino, which was very large and very delicious ($7). We had wanted to try an appetizer (Tria has a great selection of bruschetta on the menu), but our waitress must have forgotten or not heard us. (We didn't bother to complain or press the issue – it was really loud in there.) All in all, we were quite satisfied with our tasty lunch.

Messy ****
Picky ***

The final word: Delicious simple snacks and sandwiches, even for the wine-ignorant.

Tria Cafe
123 S. 18th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 972-TRIA
Mon – Fri: Noon – Late Night
Sat: 4:00 pm – Late Night
Sun: 4:00 pm – 12:30 am

We grabbed two menus and were directed to the lunch section – the prices were about a dollar cheaper than the dinner menu for each dish. After looking through the lunch menu (eight choices of which two were marked specifically vegetarian), we both opted for a favorite standby: dol sot bibim bob. Mixed veggies served atop white rice with sesame oil and Korean hot paste all served in a sizzling hot stone bowl. Messy opted for the vegetarian option which, to her surprise, did not come with the usual egg on top. Upon a second look at the menu, she decided that the tofu option for $1 more would've been the better choice. The wording on the menu is slightly confusing. Although the tofu dishes are vegetarian, the "vegetarian" choice does not include tofu. Messy found this variation on bibim bob to have its pluses and minuses. She enjoyed the little beans that had been cooked into the rice, but she did not care for the large pieces shitake mushrooms which were prominent in the dish.

Picky opted for the beef version. There wasn't much beef. He second guessed his selection as well and thought he should've gone for the galbi or bulgogi both being meat-centric dishes. But the lure of the sizzling stone bowl is hard to pass up for Picky when it's an option on the menu.

Korean cuisine is known for the side dishes called panchan. When at a sit-down Korean restaurant they'll constantly refill your small side dishes. At Giwa, you only got three sides, which were yummy, but insubstantial. And the thing is, there are other yummy Korean restaurants with comparable prices where you get a whole lot more. All in all, Giwa was good, but if you're looking for more ambiance and more side dishes, you might want to head to Pastoral or Miran.

Messy ***
Picky **1/2

The Final Word: Good Korean food in a fast-foody atmosphere.

Giwa Korean Food
1608 Sansom Street
M-F 11 am -8 pm
Sat 12-9:30 pm
Closed Sundays
215-557-9830

Way back during restaurant week, we decided on a whim to get a day-of reservation somewhere. . . anywhere. After a few calls to some fully booked restaurants, we got lucky at Loie Brasserie and Bar. So we got dolled up and strolled over to the restaurant just north of Rittenhouse Square and were seated promptly in a rear booth. The booths have nice high backs which kept the noise from the booth behind Picky's back to a minimum. It seemed as if we were seated right under an AC vent though as we were both cold and feeling a draft for the duration of our meal.

Our server pleasantly assisted Messy in picking out a glass of wine – she went with a sauvignon blanc – while Picky went with a bottle of Anchor Steam and a glass. Our two drinks along with a couple glasses of water came out quickly, but our appetizer and entree took some serious time to make their way to our table. Picky noted that the water tasted like the glasses hadn't been rinsed properly, still chalky, so he nurssed the Anchor Steam throughout the meal.

Messy started off with the summer soup sampler consisting of espresso cups full of golden tomato gazpacho, roasted beet borscht and a classic vichyssoise served atop a folded napkin on a rectangular plate. Having seen vichyssoise on numerous menus but never tried it, Messy knew she had to take a chance. Now Messy knows why she never tried it: cold, creamy leek soup is not that appealing. It was, however, more appealing than the other two soups. The golden tomato gazpacho tasted very much like salad dressing, and the beet borscht — well, honestly, what was she thinking ordering a cold pureed beet soup?

Picky went with a gratinée lobster gnocchi with zucchini, tomato and toasted bread crumbs which was served in a half-inch high by four-inch in diameter circular tin. The lobster chunks were delicious, but the portion was laughable. The gnocchi was fine, but it wasn't anything special.

When the entrees arrived, about half an hour after we were through with out appetizers, we both stared in disbelief at Messy's heirloom tomato tarte tatin with fresh buffalo mozzarella, baby greens and basil pistou. When Messy first saw the choice on the entree menu, having no idea what "tarte" or "tatin" means, she was expecting something somewhat substantial — maybe an heirloom tomato stuffed with cheese with a side salad and some crusty slices of bread. Not so — It was all of two slices of tomato and a little drop of mozzarella underneath a small pile of sprout-like greens. It was, basically a serving barely passable as an appetizer masquerading as an entree. However, it might have been the best two slices of tomato and cheese Messy has ever had in her life — it was seriously delicious. Unfortunately, she ate it in all of three or four bites and was left to ogle Picky's completely incomparably-sized meal.

Picky wisely went with an entree with the size clearly labelled on the menu: steak frites: 10 oz. delmonico steak with house-made mushroom Worcestershire, pommes frites, and roasted garlic aioli. The steak came out just as he ordered, medium rare, which was a good way to start out. [Picky's had too many burgers and steaks come out overcooked so a simple correct temperature of meat always makes him happy.] The mound of frites was larger than Messy's entire meal from start to finish. The platter came with a small crock of mayonnaise dipping sauce which was not to Picky's liking so Messy took it for herself as she dipped away with the frites while Picky opted for the plain ketchup. The steak was delicious and a decent size. The mushrooms were a nice texture, not rubbery, not slimy, just right.

For the final course, Messy went with a chocolate-hazelnut cheesecake with blackberry coulis which was easily the largest portion she had all meal. It was very good, but quite rich and too much for her to eat all by herself. Picky kindly volunteered his fork to help out. Picky wanted the crème brulée, but they were all out by the time we ordered so he opted for a puff pastry with custard filling instead. The pastry wasn't easy to cut. It took some effort to get all the way through it each time, on the slightly mushy side as if it were sitting out all day.

Messy **1/2
Picky ***

The final word: Don't expect to go home full, but do expect some good eats.

Loie Brasserie & Bar
128 S. 19TH STREET
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103
PHONE: 215.568.0808

Asia on the Parkway is located, unsurprisingly, right on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which is both good and bad. The location is certianly convenient, but the overall feel of the restaurant is kind of weird. The inside is huge, extending into a more private area away from the large windows facing the Parkway. As soon as we walked in, looking perplexed over the choice of doors, a gentleman offered to seat us.

We noticed that there were drink specials, but we opted to just drink water. We began our meal with the fried vegetable dumplings. There were six pieces in all, and they were over fried with thick skin. It came with yummy dipping sauce and plenty of it — we didn't run out, and both of us are enthusiastic dippers. Our server provided a knife when the dumplings came out, no chopsticks to be seen, but Picky noticed they were available upon request.

When it came time to order our meals, Asia on the Parkway accomodated Messy's request to have her pad thai with tofu instead of the beef/chicken/shrimp choices listed on the menu. It tasted really yummy but it should be noted that Messy felt sick the next day, which may or may not have been related. Picky opted for the mango chicken which also came in a "Thai" version. It arrived on a big plate and served on top of a banana leaf with a cup of white rice on the side. Yummy without too much sauce, a good balance of mango, chicken and rice. As a garnish, the dish was crowned with two halves of mango skins.

We were poured some hot tea before our meals arrived and the server was very prompt to refill our tea mugs and glasses of water whenever they teetered on half empty. We went for an early-ish dinner before 7p and the place only had a few other tables of customers.

Messy ***
Picky ***

The final word: Predictable Asian fusion dishes with prompt service.

Asia on the Parkway
1700 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 1st fl
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 988-9889/0728
Sun – Th: 11am – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 11pm

We've been to Jamaican Jerk Hut twice, both times for outside gatherings on beautiful days. Although the inside of the restaurant is somewhat cramped, the patio and garden are spacious and welcoming. On our first visit, we were served free chips and some kind of spicy mango salsa-esque dip.

There aren't a ton of vegetarian options on the menu, but Messy lucked out on the first try with a delicious and just-spicy-enough vegetable Roti. She also had a super-strong, authentic ginger beer. (They also offer the less intense, and less expensive, bottled kind– but the homemade version is worth it.) On our second trip, Messy had just a vegetable pattie as a snack, but it was sadly mediocre. On second thought, Messy realized she should have ordered a side of cornbread instead — one of our group gobbled down three giant pieces. The side menu at Jamaican Jerk Hut offers plenty of smaller snacks, like bread baskets and fried plantains.

Picky had a jerk chicken breast — a large helping of chicken served with some nice and spicy Jamaican jerk seasoning. A bed of delicious rice and two sweet plantains joined the main portion on the plate. All of the items were served atop a steamed banana leaf. On the second visit, he tried a beef pattie which came out just about instantaneously. It too was nicely spiced. Just a little kick to add a little extra flavor to the treat. It's a good size as well. A good fulfilling snack if you've had a little to eat beforehand and are headed over with a six-pack to meet some friends who have already started munching.

Both of the groups we went with brought along beer, which our server gladly placed in buckets of ice. (There is an uncorking fee, and a 20% gratuity was included in the price for a large group. We didn't mind the extra charges that much, since we have no spacious garden of our own in which to entertain large groups of people.) Members of both groups enjoyed the jerk chicken and jerk shrimp, although some people found the jerk shrimp too spicy. The seafood cerviche did not receive such high praise. All in all, the quality of the food did not matter so much as the great atmosphere.

Messy ***1/2
Picky ***

The final word: A great outdoor space, especially in the summertime.

1436 South Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146
215-545-8644
Mon – Th: 11am – 11pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 3pm
Sun: 5pm – 10pm