A Taste of Philadelphia's Ethnic Melting Pot by Kardia Yazmyne Williams

Sakeya Lounge

2010-08-31T20:21:00.000-07:00

Tequilas by Kardia Williams

2010-07-31T05:09:00.000-07:00

My taste buds headed south of the border and journeyed to Tequilas, an authentic Mexican restaurant. This restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and is housed in an old Victorian brownstone. If the decor doesn't wow you, the food definitely will. My mother and I chose the 3 courses for $30 special. Once our orders were placed, we were immediately served complimentary chips and salsa. Our salsas consisted of a mild tomato and onion based salsa and also a spicy salsa. Also served with the chips was something I can only describe as a spicy, pickled vegetable medley, that consisted of carrots and peppers. I've never had anything like it before and it was very tasty.

For an appetizer, I started off with Queso De Mariscos, which is melted Chihuahua cheese over lobster and crab meat. It is served with flour tortillas. The portion was so generous that I didn't know how I was going to eat 2 more courses. If you love cheese as much as I do, you will love this.

My mother's appetizer was very interesting. She had the Flautas de Rabo which is 4 crispy tortillas stuffed with oxtails and served with tomatillo sauce. The presentation was very beautiful and judging from her empty plate, I will assume that she enjoyed it.

If we thought our appetizers were beautifully presented, we couldn't believe our eyes once our entrees arrived. My entree, Molcajete de Pollo, was served in a blazing hot lava rock! Molcajete de Pollo is chicken breast covered in a tomato, garlic and chile salsa. It was served with guacamole, beans, rice and corn tortillas. This dish is very flavorful and I love wrapping my food in tortillas!

My mother had Camerones Rellenos, which is shrimp stuffed with Chihuahua cheese and wrapped in bacon. This exotic dish was served on a banana leaf with Mexican rice and vegetables.

The owner, David Suro, is very friendly and offered us their signature drink, the Rose Petal Margarita. The restaurant makes their own tequila, and this drink features a tequila that is distilled with roses and served with real rose petals in the drink itself. The glass is even rimmed with crushed roses and hibiscus! The gentle flavoring of the rose was very unique and the tequila was extremely smooth.

After eating all of this, how did we ever find room for dessert? For our last course I had a light and airy chocolate mousse cake and my mother had a traditional Flan.

Luckily, this restaurant is only 2 blocks from my home, because with such a tasty and exotic menu and friendly owner, I will be coming back very frequently.

Divan by Kardia Williams

2010-06-30T19:07:00.000-07:00

Last week I visited a Turkish Restaurant, called Divan. Divan is an adorable and quaint restaurant located in South Philadelphia. As soon as my friend and I entered the tiny space, we were immediately grinning from ear to ear. Divan has a very hip, fresh and trendy vibe, partly because of it's youthful staff and owner , but is at the same time, extremely cozy. We were greeted by a tall and very good looking waiter, who suggested that we try an Ankarita, which is a Turkish Margarita, (which by the way was only $3.50). The Ankarita differs from the traditional margarita because they substitute fruit juice for lime juice or sour mix. It was so good, we chugged them down and ordered several, back to back.

We decided to start our meal off with the sauteed Shrimp Appetizer, that consisted of shrimp and mushrooms and Turkish spices. This delightful starter was a generous portion and very flavorful.

The stars of the show were our entrees, Tavuk Sis Kebab and Adana Kebab. The Tavuk Sis Kebab, is chunks of chicken, char grilled with Turkish spices, with a side of rice, a slice of grilled pita bread and an onion salad. For someone who is obsessed with red onions, I was in onion heaven. The chicken was so delicious and juicy and the yogurt dipping sauce was icing on the cake! The Adana Kebab is chunks of lamb, char grilled in Turkish spices, also served with pita, rice and onion salad. Let's just say that we both cleaned our plates, (and my friend never cleans her plate!).

The staff is super friendly and the owner came to our table and introduced himself. We had a wonderful time. We shall return very soon!

Vietnam Palace by Kardia Williams

2010-05-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I visited Vietnam Palace. This restaurant is aptly named because they serve meals fit for kings. The interior of the restaurant has a very tropical theme. There is bamboo lining the ceiling and plenty of plants and flowers. There is also a huge waterfall centerpiece with an etched glass image of a woman in the bar area. Very exotic.

I started with two appetizers, Steamed Dumplings and Charbroiled Meatballs with Vermicelli Noodles and Peanut Sauce. Steamed dumplings are always a favorite of mine whenever I visit Asian restaurants. The dumplings were served with a delicious dipping sauce that had small, spicy pepper flakes in it. It was a wonderful combination of sweet and spicy.

The meatballs deserve a paragraph to themselves. They had a wonderful smoky, grilled flavoring and were lightly drizzled with peanuts. A strange combination, but it works because they were absolutely delicious!! I also have to mention that this is an appetizer but has the portion size of an entree. The meatballs are served with a side of vermicelli noodles and a peanut dipping sauce that is also lightly drizzled with peanuts and a small salad. Can't wait to go back, I'm hooked!!

After two appetizers, I managed to still find room for my entree which was Broken Rice with Charbroiled Shrimp. Just like the meatballs, the shrimp had a nice smoky flavor, and were served on a bed of rice, with a tangy dipping sauce and also included a wonderful salad.

I ended my meal with their Coconut Ice Cream and it's actually served in a real coconut shell! Vietnam Palace was a wonderful dining experience and I can't wait to go back again.

Penang by Kardia Williams

2010-04-30T16:51:00.000-07:00

Last week I headed to Penang, which is a Malaysian restaurant located in Chinatown. Although the restaurant was chilly inside, (your guess is as good as mine as to why the air is on, on a cold, rainy day in April), the piping hot dishes offered were meant to warm your tummy. This Malaysian hotspot offers a very diverse menu for the daring and the not so daring. You can have your choice of Chicken Feet Casserole if your palate is feeling adventurous or Curry Tofu with Rice, if you'd like to stick with something more familiar. I enjoy a variety of exotic delicacies, but this time I decided to stick with the familiar.

I started off with the Homemade Roti Canai, which is an Indian pancake served with a curry chicken and potato dipping sauce. Let me just say that it was pure heaven! It is very similar to another "pancake" appetizer that is served at Rangoon.

My companion had an entree called the Nasi Lemak. The Nasi Lemak is a hodge podge of coconut rice, anchovy, curried chicken and hard boiled eggs. The anchovy gives the dish a slightly fishy, but very interesting flavor that is very different from anything I've ever had, (in a good way). I simply love hard boiled eggs, so they won me over with that one.

When I ordered my entree the waitress asked if I wanted a half portion or a full portion, so we could share. I told her a full portion and that I planned to have the entree to myself. She gave me a confused look and trotted off to place our orders. Once I received my food I understood the reason for her facial expression. My Penang Kari Ayam, which is chicken served in a thick, coconut sauce, was clearly meant for more than one person, but I enjoyed every moment of trying to finish it!

All meals are finished with complimentary oranges, but I decided I wanted to finish mine with something I've never had before, Fried Ice Cream. I have always wanted to try this dessert but never knew of any places that served it, so my eyes lit up when I saw it on the menu. I was not disappointed . Penang serves their Fried Ice Cream , (which happened to be filled with coconut ice cream, joy!), with fried bananas and a raspberry dipping sauce, (double joy!).

Penang is very popular and gets packed, so be prepared for a little wait, (there was actually a line out the door when I was there). You are going to love your experience there, just remember to bring a jacket.

Kaffa Crossing by Kardia Williams

2010-03-31T10:13:00.000-07:00

This time around I decided to journey through East Africa to Ethiopia. I ended up at Kaffa Crossing. Kaffa Crossing is a quaint Ethiopian restaurant, located in the University City area of Philadelphia. Inside you'll find students sipping exotic coffees and teas while working on a laptop, and professors chowing down steamy plates of food. Part coffee shop, part restaurant, Kaffa offers a delicious variety of authentic Ethiopian coffees and cuisine.

Even the dining experience is authentic. No silverware is used (unless, you're clumsy and you ask for it). Entrees are served on injera, which is an Ethiopian bread that resembles a porous sponge.

Ethiopian dining etiquette requires that you tear pieces of the injera and use it to grasp the food, in order to eat it. The interesting thing about it is, your fingers never really get messy, because if you do it correctly, the injera protects your fingers perfectly. Of course, my little, uncoordinated mother required a fork, poor mom! Their menu features a variety of dishes ranging from vegetarian to lamb and many more. This time around, I opted for the vegetarian combination, which included chickpeas, lentils, a wonderful salad, and the best greens I've had in a restaurant in a very long time.

Service is a one man, (or woman) show, because there is only one waiter, he or she seats the guests, makes the drinks, and works the cash register, along with serving the food. Needless to say, service can be a bit on the slow side, but the wonderfully flavored dishes and friendly service more than make up for it!

Chima Brazilian Steakhouse and Tierra Colombiana by Kardia Williams

2010-02-06T12:45:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! I am back with more delicious tales to tell! This past January I had the pleasure of visiting Chima Brazilian Steakhouse and Tierra Colombiana.

Chima Brazilian Steakhouse

Chima is a Brazilian, (obviously), steakhouse that has several chains across the country. If you are a vegetarian, stay away! This restaurant is strictly for the carnivorous. They place so much emphasis on meat that even the bread has meat in it. You are offered an endless and generous sampling of 15 different types of meat, (yes, I counted),by the "gauchos", which are the food runners that amusingly run from table to table slicing slivers of meat. You are given a “token” that sits on top of your table which is red on one side and green on the other. Flipping your coin on the green side is a subtle way of saying “where’s the beef?!”, and the gauchos will continue to load your plate with meat. Flipping it red means, “I’ve had meat overload, no more please”. Of course, once you’ve loosened your pants, and decided you’re ready for round two, they are always happy to start serving you again. Aside from the variety of meats that you are sampling, which includes everything from Filet Mignon, to Pork Loin and Swordfish, there is also a massive buffet. The buffet offers an endless variety of various salads, fresh veggies, rice, soups and of course, what else but more meat! Chima has a very festive atmosphere. Although the wait staff and restaurant appear to be very formal, what's missing is the stuffiness. It is a very warm and lively atmosphere. So go with an empty stomach and make sure you’re wearing pants that are two sizes too big. You won’t be disappointed!

Tierra Colombiana

Here’s a restaurant that is off the beaten path. Located in North Philadelphia, Tierra is both a restaurant and nightclub. The downstairs restaurant offers both a Columbian and Cuban menu. I am totally obsessed with the Churrasco Argentino, which is an Argentinean style skirt steak. My meal, which included yellow rice and red beans, was to die for. The sweet flavor of the side of plantains complimented the slightly tart and spicy flavor of the steak. My dinner was so delicious that I actually went three days in a row and ordered the exact same thing. Service from the wait staff is flawless. After filling your belly, you can go upstairs to the nightclub and burn off all the calories you’ve eaten, dancing to reggeaton!
Well that’s it for now. I don’t know where I’ll be going next, but you know if it’s good, I’ll be writing about it!

by Kardia Williams

2009-12-05T12:19:00.000-08:00

Philadelphia is starting to rival New York City with its high caliber restaurants and large variety of ethnic groups. These groups have lent their hand in raising the bar for the city's restaurant scene. There are a plethora of ethnic restaurants just waiting to be discovered. Here are some of my favorites:

Rangoon
This is a Burmese restaurant located in the Chinatown section of Philadelphia, on 9th Street. The country of Burma is located in close proximity to India and Thailand, and because of this, Burmese cuisine borrows flavors from these two countries along with infusing their own unique flavor. My favorite dishes are The Chicken Mint Kebab,(not quite sure why it's called Kebab as there are no Kebab skewers involved), with it's delicious blend of tomatoes and spicy seasonings and the Beef Salad, which has a wonderful blend of seasonings that will please any palate. I am also obssessed with their coconut rice.

The three ladies that own the restaurant are super friendly and are eager to help patrons select from their vast menu. On a cold winter day, don't forget to ask for the Burmese hot tea, which is so sweet and delicious sometimes I have by itself for dessert.

Lemongrass
A small and quaint Thai restaurant located in University City on 36th Street, this is where I go when I need comfort food of the non traditional variety. Their Chicken Mussaman Curry, with it's thick Coconut broth, full of hearty portions of carrots, potatoes and chicken, served over rice, has soothed many sad and tearful days. They also serve an appetizer called Tulip Dumplings, which are the best steamed dumplings I have ever tasted.

Tandoor
A tiny Indian buffet restaurant on the University of Pennsylvania's campus on 40th street. What this restaurant lacks in looks it makes up for in it's absolutely delicious and fresh food.

This is just a small tour of the delicious possibilities that Philadelphia has to offer.

by Kardia Williams