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.

When we first entered this faux Mexican fast food joint, we were pleasantly surprised to see an extremely vegetarian friendly menu listed on a gigantic chalk board to the right of the entrance. In addition to the standard Mexican fast food fare, the menu boasts items such as the Santa Fe Tofu burrito, the Totally Veggie burrito and a Faux Beef burrito.

We started off with a Quesadilla Especial: a flour tortilla loaded with melted jack cheese sauteed onion and fresh jalepeño served with sides of salsa, sour cream and guacamole. You can add chicken to that as well. The quesadillas turned out to be pretty mediocre: they were lukewarm and the cheese wasn't fully melted. The guacamole was similarly unremarkable. Messy opted for the Faux Beef burrito, and it was delicious. Picky went for the Chicken Mole burrito, his favorite item to order at the Mexican fast food joints, and he wasn't disappointed. The hot sauce they provided was a mild chipotle sauce. Picky prefers one that is near-burning, yet still tasty. He was surprised that there was not more of a selection of hot sauces in an establishment with so many varieties of burritos to choose from.

We took a seat in the back of the place. Most of the walls have pices of Isaiah Zagar's (the guy behind the Magic Garden on South St) artwork which is all for sale. The exorbitant prices for the artwork clashed quite a bit with the feel of the place. It was quite a sterile environment, with typical fast food furniture and a strong cleaning fluid smell. Maybe next time we'll get take-out — those burritos were big, filling and good.

Messy: **3/4
Picky: ***

The final word: Good non-authentic Mexican food — better than Chipotle/Qdoba.

Santa Fe Burrito
212 South 11th St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-413-2378
Mon – Sat: 11a m- 9pm
Sun: Closed
Delivery Hours: 4pm – 8pm
Delivery Radius: 4 blocks with a $10 minimum

Picky's had two gigantic burritos, one grilled steak and one chorizo, and both lived up to the hype. The burritos are gigantic, but not overstuffed, just enough to fill you up plus another bite or two (at least for our apetites). There are good, fresh chips served with two kinds of spicy salsa: salsa verde and chipotle. The guacamole, which comes with cheese sprinkled on it, is a cooling companion to spicier dishes, but it can make for awkward eating, as the chips are placed on top of the guac, not underneath. In addition to the standard fillings, the vegetarian burrito has huge chunks of avocado and occassional peas, which make for a pleasant surprise. It's BYOB, but if you don't want alcohol there are plenty of drinks to choose from, including all kinds of flavors of jarritos and Coke in the original glass bottles.

The ingredients are all pretty cheap: iceberg lettuce, American cheese, but it makes for an authentic, filling but not overwhelming, not greasy meal.

Above is a shot of one of their burritos ordered for take out. This one is Picky's steak burrito. They pack up the burritos nicely in aluminum foil for the heat and some parchment paper to hold. They're also kind enough to include small containers of their homemade spicy salsas.

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

The final word: Delicious, authentic and affordable Mexican food.

908 Washington Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-465-1440
7 days per week, 7am-Midnight

A hole in the wall serving dee-licious Mexican food with attractive indie-rocker art school students behind the counter. It's very affordable and you'll definitely be full (perhaps too full) for under $10. The specials are probably their best deal, but don't shy away from their à la carte chalkboard menu.

The bean burrito was one of the best Messy's ever had. But stay away from their chili con carne, there's not much to it at all. And best of all, you can eat at a sit-down Ms. Pac Man console table. What could be better than gooey Mexican food and Ms. Pac Man? Nothing.

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

The final word: A great bet for cheap yet satisfying Mexican food. . . and Philly hipsters.

Taco House
1218 Pine St
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 735-1880

Our first meal in Philly took place at the Qdoba Mexican grill, a national fast food chain. In fairness to us, we didn't know it was a national chain – we'd never seen one before.

Messy was completely overwhelmed by the process of moving through the line while various people slapped condiments on her nachos and vegetarian tacos, leading to the inevitable result of said condiments ending up on Messy's face. Generous portions, fair prices, but one could definitely find a better deal (and better food) at a more authentic sit-down Mexican restaurant.

One thing Qdoba does have is Picky's favorite hot sauce, Cholula.

Messy **
Picky ***

The final word: Not that great, but who cares when you're totally exhausted from moving all day?

Qdoba Mexican Grill
1528 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA
11am-10pm Daily

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

Inspired by a Mexican Elvis Impersonator, El Vez manages to stay true to neither Mexico nor Elvis. The décor is like a more like a polished Hard Rock Café, complete with a gold bike in the middle of the bar. And, if you are looking for overstuffed burritos oozing out cheese and topped with huge glops of guacamole and sour cream, you’ll probably want to head somewhere else El Vez specializes in fancy-pants pseudo-Mexican, and offers minimal selection for vegetarians.

For an appetizer, we shared the delicious "Nacho Mama" (a perfect example of El Vez's strange attempt to hybrid the corniness of an Elvis impersonator with bourgeois cuisine). Picky's meal was also outstanding, but Messy’s portabella mushroom tacos left something to be desired. El Vez is known for its killer guacamole, but since we couldn’t bring ourselves to shell out $12 for it, you’ll just have to check that out for yourselves. While you're there, be sure to commemorate your experience with a souveneir black & white strip from the photo booth. [Note, you don't have to eat there to use the booth.]

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

The final word: Not the place to go if you're looking for cheap Mexican.

El Vez
121-123 S 13th St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-928-9800
Mon.-Thu. 11:30AM-3PM, 5-11PM; Fri. 11:30AM-3PM; 5PM-midnight; Sat. 5PM-midnight; Sun. 4-11PM. Bar to 2AM daily

Messy unable to grade due to messyness
Picky **1/2

The final word: Good food in a fun environment, especially if you can avoid spilling hot sauce all over your meal.

Adobe Café
4550 Mitchell Street
Philadelphia, PA 19128
215-483-3947
Hours: Mon-Wed 4pm-10pm; Thu 11:30am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am-1am; Sun 11:30am-10pm