• Brian Freedman digs the vibe at Chinatown’s Erawan, where he writes “the space is comforting and warm, the walls a peach-sherbet tone,” and “service follows suit with enough friendliness and delicacy to set it apart from many of its more abrupt Chinatown neighbors.” A “sneakily delicious” shrimp roll and “almost glutinous” fishcake show signs of “solid technique,” but the “floating vegetables” in the coconut soup were “devoid of much flavor.” [PW]
• At the La Marqueza truck, parked near Community College of Philadelphia’s campus, Adam Erace learns that the “sick” (in a good way) breakfast sandwiches with “nuggets of spicy chorizo buried in fluffy, cheesy scrambled huevos (eggs) like chili-pepper land mines” nullify hangovers. Fresh pineapple in the al pastor burrito balances the pork’s richness with “with its kisses of acid and sugar.” [Citypaper]
• Phyllis Stein-Novack, sister Sandy and Edward brunched at the “charming” Fitzwater Café, where Stacey DiPlacido-Guokas was recently appointed executive chef. Though the mugs of Lacas coffee were “a bit weak” and a “folded and puffed” Swiss cheese and ham omelet was “tad overcooked,” everyone “enjoyed brunch enormously.” [South Philly Review]
• Kelly White vedges out at Circles Newbold, and discovers the “heat was just right” in the Massaman Curry with Tofu, and the Pad Thai with Tofu was “by far the most exciting and challenging” she’s ever encountered. The “expertly grilled” Seitan Satay is on par with the legendary seitan at recently shuttered Horizons. [Living on the Vedge]
