Circles

Bit of a hiatus the last couple weeks due to some personal matters that had to be attended too. Sadly, my lovely Grandmom Peggy passed away, leaving a gaping void in a lot of hearts. She was an incredibly sweet and generous woman, who loved to cook, eat, and was a fan of this little blog. I will miss her terribly. Thanks to her and my Grandpop, we were able to travel to Thailand for our honeymoon, using their timeshare for our week in Ao Nang. An experience of a lifetime that vastly expanded my culinary horizon, and instilling in me an even deeper love for travel. 


Every time we make Thai food at home or seek out the latest greatest takeout spot for green curry, I think back to our amazing trip there, and ultimately of the people that made it happen for us. Thank you, Grandmom Peggy, for everything you've done for us. Hope you're eating well, wherever you are. Love you. 


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Ok, onto the food and my new favorite Thai place. Circles has been open for over a year now, but buried deep in south Philly (15th & Tasker) it's not exactly getting a lot of foot traffic. After a Craig Laban review a few months back, the place has been receiving considerable buzz, and it's well earned. 


Don't let the team of round eye servers fool you. The kitchen staff are off the boat from Thailand, and they have brought the flavors of their country with them. When the servers ask if you want it "Thai hot", be wary. This is not the dumbed down version of spicy you get at a normal Asian restaurant that thinks you can't handle the real stuff. You will have steam shooting out of your ears by the end of the meal. But you can't stop yourself from practically inhaling the perfect rice noodles, and brightly flavored beef salad that's placed before you. 


The spring rolls were crisp and without a hint of grease. Filled with a nice mix of cabbage, carrot, bean sprouts and optional chicken, they were nearly as good as the ones we made during our class at BaiPai cooking school. A sweet plum sauce for dipping on the side and you've got a perfect appetizer. Some of the best I've had in Philly. 

chicken spring rolls w/ plum sauce

The essential beef salad, served "Thai hot" and tasting of the bright flavors of lime, cilantro, mint and scallions. This instantly brought me back to dinner on the beach in Ao Nang. Those utterly unique tastes each shine through on their own, but become an incredible symphony when conducted properly. Your taste buds will be singing, while your lips are tingling. 

thai beef salad

The star of the show and the measuring stick for any good Thai place is their Pad Kee Mow. This is the best version I've had in the US. Paper thin slices of pork, hunks of broccoli, julienned carrots, sliced peppers, mixed with super wide rice noodles, all soaking up an incredibly flavorful garlic-y sauce. Mix in a very healthy portion of spicy peppers and some fresh basil and it's like you're eating on the streets of Bangkok, just with better hygiene. Absolutely incredible. 

pad kee mow w/ sliced pork

By the end of the meal, with the chili sweats in full force, we needed a cool down. A tall glass of Thai iced tea (basically black tea with some spices, sugar & milk) helps more than the ketchup and mustard for Harry & Lloyd. This is one of those meals that you can't stop eating, even though your mouth is on fire, reminiscent of the best stuff at Han Dynasty. 

thai iced tea - you're going to need this

Lucky for us, they are opening a second location right on 2nd street in Northern Liberties. I've been working on my own Thai recipes at home, but with food this good down the street from us, it'll be hard not to pick up the phone for take out. The new location is scheduled to be open in late May or early June, according to the waitstaff at the South Philly locale. Can't come soon enough for me. 

Food Baby Rating:  Triplets!

Circles - Contemporary Asian Cuisine

1514 Tasker Street

Philadelphia, PA

267-455-0785

267-687-1778 (take-out or delivery)

http://circlesnewbold.com/

Nan Zhou

Noodles! Finally the legendary hand drawn noodles from Nan Zhou in Chinatown. I've heard so much about this place that it's become something of an obsession of mine. I've been scouring the google calendar for a chance to stop in for the last few weeks. A hung-over Saturday morning seemed an appropriate opportunity - what better cure for a headache and bloodshot eyes then a bowl of noodle soup and some dumplings? 

pork dumplings

Nan Zhou lives up to all the hype. The food was spectacular - some of the best Asian I've had in Philly. Impossibly tender dumplings, made fresh that day without frozen won-ton skins, filled with a lusciously sweet and savory pork mix were irresistible. 

sliced beef noodle soup

The sliced beef noodle soup was exactly what I needed to calm a rumbling belly and sooth a pounding head. They should sell this at CVS. Similar to really good Pho, the rich beef broth warms your inner Asian soul, with a mound of delicious shaved noodles that are nearly impossible to eat without splashing some soup around. Float some super thin beef slices and a healthy portion of cilantro on top and you've got a bowl of heaven for $5.75. 

cold sesame noodles

Thanks to Han Dynasty, my love of sesame noodles has reached Single White Female stalker proportions. "I just want to be with you. We were meant to be together!" But these things are definitely good enough to take the chance of being slapped with a restraining order. Nan Zhou's are as good as Han's, if not better. The cold dressing is similar, but the simple preparation style brings the amazingly flavorful and absurdly long noodles to their rightful place as the best in the city. I haven't tasted every noodle in Chinatown, but I'm confident that these will not be bested. These are the reason Marco Polo brought pasta back to Italy. 

I have no idea how you make a noodle this long. I think this plate might just be one big noodle. Whatever they are doing back in that kitchen, it's something special. Our entire lunch cost us $26, with tax & tip. And there were leftovers, lots of them. And they got better after a few days in the fridge. I can't believe it took me this long to get here. Nan Zhou will be on the regular rotation from now on.  

Food Baby Rating: Twins! 

Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House

1022 Race Street

Philadelphia, PA 19107

(215) 923-1550

Pagoda Noodle Cafe

Dinner and a movie on a Wednesday night! I am such a good husband. Granted, dinner consisted of cheap dumplings and noodles and we had free passes for a screening of Haywire, but it's the thought that counts. Tucked away under a parking garage off second street in old city and right next door to the Ritz East theater is the Pagoda Noodle Cafe. Offering movie goers a cup of hot tea and a taste of dumplings, noodles and other southeast Asian dishes before a film, it's the perfect spot for a quick meal before the show. 

The menu covers a fairly broad range of food. Dumplings and buns, noodles and stir fry, Chinese, Thai & Vietnamese all make appearances. This is not the restaurant for that one amazing dish or THE place for pho. It's the restaurant for a mish mosh of familiar flavors, cheap prices, and a bowl of warm noodles and broth on a cold January night.

Steamed juicy buns - Shanghai style $8

Loyal readers will know my affinity for soup dumplings. Those perfectly wrapped little parcels, encasing a piping hot portion of pork broth just waiting to see the light of day and then the bottom of my stomach. Pagoda's version also had a little ground pork meatball inside along with the broth. What a thoughtful surprise! They are not the best I've had in the city - that distinction goes to Sakura Mandarin - but these were certainly not bad. In fact, I don't know that I've met a soup dumpling I didn't like. The trick with these is to use your chop stick to poke a little hole in the side, drain the broth into your spoon, allow to cool from its near molten state, and then slurp that back. The dumpling comes next, soaked thru from the inside out with all that pork goodness. Mmmm. For a dollar a piece, you can't beat these for value. 

pat tai  w chicken- $10

The wifey chose the Pat Tai (pad thai noodles) for dinner. They are listed on the menu as being hot and spicy. These were anything but. They tasted just like regular pad thai noodles, which is perfectly fine with me. Not sure why they get the chili pepper flag on the menu. No earth shattering revolution in the preparation - nicely flavored rice noodles, chunks of chicken and tofu, and enough left over for lunch the next day (they always taste better the next day). 

roasted pork and shrimp dumpling noodle soup $7.50

I picked what is becoming my usual at Pagoda Cafe - the roast pork and shrimp dumpling noodle soup. If it sounds like a lot to put into soup, it is. Thick slices of pork, roasted in the oven, cut on the bias, and ringed with an almost pink seasoned outer edge. For the life of me I have no idea what they're using on that pork. I do know that it's tasty though. The shrimp dumplings are full pieces of medium sized shrimp, wrapped in a won-ton skin and quickly steamed. They may even be cooked thru just from the steaming hot broth. Bits of scallion and onion float around and huge pile of rice noodles is the buried treasure at the bottom of the bowl. This is ridiculously substantial for $7.50. 

Pagoda Noodle Cafe is not fine dining. It is not an authentic taste Shanghai, Bangkok or Beijing. It IS a very affordable meal in an otherwise expensive neighborhood.  It IS super convenient for a quick meal before a move at the Ritz. It IS one of our favorite rituals in the gloomy winter months. Dinner and a movie, on a Wednesday! 

-T.Kaso

Food Baby Rating: Only Child 

Pagoda Noodle Cafe

125 Samson Walkway (next to the Ritz East)

Philadelphia, PA 19106

215.928.2320

http://www.pagodanoodlecafe.com/