Archive for the ‘South St’ Category

LAZARO'S

Thursday, August 25th, 2005

lazaro's

First off, we gotta say that Lazaro's slices are huuuuge, even by our standards. They're also pretty tasty: our only complaint is that the sauce is way too sweet. But otherwise, the pizza is very good, especially for Philadelphia.

All size pies have eight slices. A small plain [read: cheese] starts at $6.50 and gourmet pies start at $8. The first tier gourmet pies include the BBQ Grilled Chicken, Eggplant & Tomato and Hawaiian [Pineapple & Ham]. We haven't had any of their gourmet pizzas, nor their calzones or other offerings which include six vegetarian sandwiches, four of which are slightly different variations of the veggie burger, but we have been back twice for their plain slice– which says a lot for us. Of course, we were really, really hungry both times. We'll have to give Lazaro's a try sometime on a fuller stomach.

Picky would put Lazaro's right up there with NYPD's and Two Red Boots's slices. Lazaro's is not really a destination– if you order, order takeout as there are only a few stools to sit on inside. Picky would like to amend this post and say that he's had enough of this sweet sauce after a couple trips. For the first couple of bites, it's good, then the sweetness is just too much, no amount of garlic powder can help. NYPD is king!

Messy ***
Picky * 1/2

The final word: Big, sweet slices.

1743 South St
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 545-2775
Mon – Th: 11am – 10.30pm
Fri – Sat: 11am – 11.30pm
Sun: Noon – 9.30pm

TEN STONE BAR AND RESTAURANT

Thursday, August 4th, 2005

ten stone
Ten Stone is a loud, smoky pub/sandwich place that seems to cater to young people. The menu offers some nice variations from typical pub fare, with choices like fondue and 3 cheese risotto fritters. We tried the fritters, and they didn't really taste like anything– but we give Ten Stone props for originality, and we both enjoyed the accompanying tasty horseradish sauce.

Their sandwiches were good, but both of us were desperately trying to recreate an orgasmic past sandwich experience – and Ten Stone's portabella mushroom and goat cheese could not live up to the similar sandwich at Sotto Voce on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Similarly, their pulled pork came up short when compared to other juicy masterpieces Picky has experienced.

The main bar area is spacious. A good sized U-shape bar with a slab of slate displaying the daily brews on tap. Tables line the main room which can get crowded quickly. During the nice weather, tables are set up all around the exterior of the building. There's a seating area directly behind the bar which is good for a gathering of twenty or so. To the side, there's a darker room with a pool table and a plasma flat panel television. This deep room which runs the length of the bar is a great spot to watch sports or get a little space between the more hectic bar area and yourself.

On its face, however, the food is pretty good. And they always have a good selection of local brews on tap and bottled.

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

The final word: Good, if you don't make comparisons.

Ten Stone Bar and Restaurant
2063 South St.
Philadelphia, PA
215-735-9939
Mon – Sat: 11:30am-2am
Sun: 10am – 2am (kitchen closes at 1am)

PICO DE GALLO

Thursday, August 4th, 2005

pico de gallo

Heavenly, savory Mexican food in a tiny, cramped overdecorated place. This was seriously some of the best Mexican food we'd ever had, but our visit was dampened by the service (one harried waitress serving the entire restaurant) and the litany of extra costs added to our bill.

Forget the standard Mexican restaurant free chips-and-salsa, you can't even get water for free here. There's a dollar-per-person beverage minimum, and even though it's B.Y.O.B, there are glass fees and corking fees. Sides, like a dollop of sour cream, also cost extra. However, if you get around all that, this is some seriously good food. You can even rent out the whole restaurant for a suckling-pig dinner, if you call 24 hours ahead. Not many other places where you can do that around here. . .

Update [June 2005]: Messy returned for an out of this world portabella mushroom, cactus and homemade cheese burrito. She was pleasantly surprised to discover that she was offered two baskets full of chips and that the beverage minimun was no longer enforced.

Messy ****1/2 [upgraded from ***]
Picky **1/2

The final word: Too much of a hassle for us to be regulars.

Pico de Gallo
1501 South Street
Philadelphia, PA
Mon – Thu: Noon – 10pm
Fri – Sat: Noon – 11pm

MY THAI

Thursday, August 4th, 2005

my thai

Totally unassuming from the outside, My Thai is classic "I know this cute little Thai place. . ."

The interior is romantic, with low lighting, an exposed brick wall, tapestries and couples everywhere. Unfortunately, the food wasn't that amazing. Maybe our expectations were too high. We had a misunderstanding with our waiter over Thai iced tea, and he got a little snappy with us, but he was happy to vegetarianize Messy's dish.

The Pad Thai was unremarkable.

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

The final word: Cozy and cute datespot. Ambience wins over food.

My Thai
2200 South St
Philadelphia, PA
215-985-1878

GIANNA'S GRILLE

Thursday, August 4th, 2005

gianna's grille

Recommended by our vegan buddies, Gianna's has everything from the classic Philly cheesesteak to a vegan chicken salad, not to mention their extensive array of sugary, cholesterol-free vegan desserts. The vegetarian specialties are many, and all are available veganized.

The inside of the restaurant is slightly cramped, but if you don't want to make the trip over there, their delivery is super quick and eco-friendly via bicycle. With plenty of food for the meat-eaters and reasonable prices, this place is bound to please everyone. Both the vegetarian and meat versions of the BBQ chicken cheesesteak are just sublime.

Messy has systematically sampled all of the vegetarian specialities, and would recommend all of them except the "Chicken Run." Picky was not as impressed [read: revolted] when he tried the vegetarian meatball sub which he insisted doesn't taste anything like real meatballs. But Messy found it to be one of the best subs she's ever had.

Messy ****
Picky ****

The final word: Gianna's appeals to the greasy foodie in all of us, and this time, it's vegan friendly.

Gianna's Grille
507 S 6th St
Philadelphia, PA
215-829-GG4U [4448]
Sun & Mon Closed Tues-Thurs 12-8PM Fri & Sat 12-9PM