A recipe: Take two historic cities. Add one part thriving ethnic communities, one part large student population, and one part old-time Yankee (or Quaker) frugality. Mix. What do you get? A budget vacation rich in colonial history but easy on the wallet, featuring a myriad of international restaurants catering to the most parsimonious yet discriminating of eaters. In short, you get Philadelphia and Boston, where it is more than possible to order a filling meal of appetizer and entree or entree and dessert for just $12 or less.
WE’LL START with the City of Brotherly Love and Abundant Cheap Eats. Though you should be able to dine inexpensively most anywhere in Philly’s Chinatown or along popular South Street, you will do far better - we confidently assert! - for both quality and cost at the selections that follow:
DELILAH’S AT THE TERMINAL
(12th and Arch Streets, open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Entree, iced tea, and dessert from $10).
This first one up is a knockout, serving sensational southern fare in the heart of one of Philly’s most fascinating tourist sites: Reading Terminal Market. In continuous operation since 1893, the Market is a must-visit — a sort of edible United Nations, if you will, where the city’s numerous ethnic groups meet to turn the proverbial “melting pot” into a brimming stockpot. Within the space of a few feet, you’ll see Amish farmers and Thai immigrants, old-world German butchers (Siegfried Maldener with his famed weiss-wurst) and New Age vegetarians. Nearly all the planet’s food is represented here: tacos and nachos; brick-oven pizzas; souvlaki; Chinese stir-fry; fast-food sushi; traditional New England specialties such as chowder and fresh oysters; high-priced international gourmet tidbits-and of course, hoagies and cheese steaks galore.
But topping them all is Delilah’s, a little nook off a crowded aisle with table service, a counter for take-out, and the best down-home cooking we’ve had north of Virginia. All the specialties are available in sandwich form ($5.25), but I’d recommend splurging on a platter ($7.50). That way, you get a hunk of Delilah’s perfect corn bread (not too sweet, not too gritty) and a choice of seven delectable side dishes, including an uncloying version of candied yams; truly cheesy macaroni and cheese; collard greens without a hint of bitterness; or a bright yellow potato salad crammed with crunchy carrots, onion, and chopped egg. Of the entrees, the chicken dishes are supreme, especially the crisp and remarkably light fried chicken and the tangy chopped chicken barbecue. Finish your meal here with a section of peach cobbler ($3) or mosey down to the Dutch Eating Place on the other side of the Market for a hot apple dumpling ($2.40) served by demure, friendly young Amish women in traditional hair bonnets and Laura Ashley-esque dresses.
MARATHON GRILL
(1339 Chestnut Street, 1818 Market Street, 1611 JFK Boulevard, 121 South 16th Street, 20th and Market Streets; hours vary by location, more information at www.marathonrestaurants.com. From $10 for soup, entree, and coffee, tea, or soda).
The IKEA of Philadelphia restaurants, Marathon Grill is a group of slick, airy eateries, starkly designed in blond wood, black-and-white formica, and brushed metal. In this sandwich town, where wedging food between pieces of bread seems to be de rigueur in even the nicest restaurants, it’s not surprising that many of the options here come between two slices of baguette, sourdough, or “rustique country roll.” But there are also oversized salads, dinner platters, and un-Mexican “fajitas” (we’ll explain below) to round out the menu.
With a chain of five large restaurants, the key to good food is ingredients and training. Marathon boasts consistently fresh, high-quality produce, fish, and meats; and whoever is teaching the grill chefs their trade is a certified genius. At each location, the grilled selections are cooked to perfection, tender and juicy in the center, the outsides transformed into nice smoky shells. So order at will — we’re sure you’ll be pleased with the pepper-crusted or Cajun-rubbed tuna steak ($9.50); cowboy-style Cajun chicken ($7.50); the honey-mustard-glazed chicken with swiss cheese and mushrooms ($7.50); or any of the daily specials. Don’t make the mistake of ordering a starter salad-each entree comes with a generous helping of caesar salad (and herb-laden rice). Instead, request a bowl-sized cup of their daily-changing, always-winning soups ($3.50). For dessert, try one of the surprisingly rich fat-free frozen yogurts ($2) or a big chocolate-chip cookie ($1.50). The only dishes we’d avoid are their “urban” fajitas, which are, in truth, wrap sandwiches and tend to be a bit dry.
SAMOSA
(1214 Walnut Street, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. lunch, 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. dinner, Saturday and Sunday lunch begins at 12 p.m. $4.95 lunch buffet, $7.95 dinner buffet, both including as many helpings as you can handle of soups, salads, entrees, desserts, and spiced tea).
One of us is from New York where the Indian restaurants are cramped and crazy, strung with Christmas lights year-round, festooned with tinsel and elaborately muraled. So we were a bit suspicious when we first came upon Samosa. An austere, near banquet-size restaurant with large plate-glass windows, an abundance of hanging plants, and just a few subdued lights twinkling way in the back, it was almost elegant and soothingly quiet. How good, how authentic could it be? Our worries abated as soon as we took in the crowd with its many sari- and turban-wearing diners, and took our first bites — absolutely delicious.
Although strictly vegetarian, Samosa offers up enough tasty options to seduce even the most confirmed meat-eater. On our last visit, we had the choice of piquant lentil or tomato-cauliflower soup, two satisfying cheese-laden stews (spinach- or pea-based), a mixed lentil dish, fried vegetable pakora, a tasty potato-eggplant curry, naan bread, and a refreshing rice-pistachio pudding (kheer). This came with the fixings for a mighty nice salad. While none of the dishes was particularly spicy, there was an entire section of the buffet devoted to diced jalapenos, hot sauces, peppery pickles, and other condiments for those who prefer a bit of fire with their food. A terrific find, centrally located.
ALYAN’S
(603 South Fourth Street, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday and Saturday. A full meal from $9).
Off lively South Street, from the front Alyan’s seems like one of those faded, forgotten restaurants soon to be out of business. Walk inside, though, and you find yourself in an exceedingly pleasant place with Middle Eastern music thrumming softly in the background and a crowd of young customers (not visible through the window) happily devouring generous helpings of grub. The food here is as good as Middle Eastern gets, with an excellent, garlicky baba ghanouj ($3.75), tangy hummus ($3.75), and crisp, nongreasy falafel ($4). For a main course, try the perfectly spiced lamb shwarma platter ($8.50); flaky, aromatic spinach pie ($7.95), or one of the platters that combines the menu’s succulent appetizers into a meal-sized dish ($8.50). You might want to treat yourself to a side order of french fries ($2.25), fried with onions and peppers, well-salted and sinfully delicious. For dessert, share a piece of baklava ($1.50) — it’s a very rich dish and you’ll be served a piece or two of seasonal fruit gratis (in this case, clementines) when your check comes.
By the way, be sure to request the greenhouse room on the first floor. With its glass ceiling, elaborate hanging lanterns, and Arabic rugs and photos, it’s a kitschy, fun spot for a meal.
HARMONY VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT
(135 North Ninth Street, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Two courses and tea from $8.50).
Don’t be put off by the utterly bland appearance of our final choice. It’s the chow that counts, and Harmony Vegetarian has some of the most unusual, absolutely delicious Chinese fare we’ve had anywhere. So what if you’re sitting in a mint-green room with pink tablecloths and unconvincing paper flowers? There is a master at work here, able to turn even the most tried-and-true specialties on their heads. He does this, first of all, by substituting soy products in all the classic meat and fish dishes. Results vary, but for the most part, this trompe l’oeil food effectively mimics the texture and taste, if not always the appearance, of the real stuff. But more importantly, the chef uses blends of spices and cuts of vegetables that we’ve never had before. The hot-and-sour soup ($3.95, for a serving big enough for two), for example, doesn’t contain the usual overload of pepper and limp black mushrooms. Instead, the vegetables are julienned and crisp, the taste as much sour as hot. “Chicken” with sweet baby ginger ($6.95) is an intoxicating combination of fresh peppers, faux chicken, and abundant slices of aromatic pickled ginger. And the orange “beef” ($9.95) should be illegal, it’s that addictive — we kept filling our chopsticks long after we’d filled our bellies. Also more than worth a try: crispy spring rolls ($2.50), stir-fried noodles Shanghai-style ($5.95), and eggplant Szechwan-style ($6.50).
THE UBIQUITOUS PHILLY CHEESE STEAK
Chopped steak. An Italian roll. Cheez Whiz (or sometimes provolone). That’s all there is to the cheese steak, yet this humble sandwich reigns supreme in the City of Brotherly Love. The cheese steak is a true delicacy of the region, Philly’s equivalent of clam chowder in New England or crawfish in New Orleans, and no self-respecting carnivore should visit the city without spilling a bit of it down her shirt (an inevitable consequence of that first juicy bite). On a recent visit, we had a marathon tasting of the city’s top five contenders, traveling in four hours from stand to stand to compare.
We vote hands-down for Pat’s King of Steaks (Ninth and Wharton Streets, $5.50 for the goods), for its crusty rolls, tender steak, and oh-so-gooey cheese. And there’s a perverse sort of fun to be had in shielding yourself from the biting wind as you sit at a picnic table on the cracked pavement, hunk o’ meat in your fist, staring at signed photographs of President Clinton, Cher, and Pia Zadora (cheese steak aficionados all, it seems).
BOSTON
Beantown is jammed with affordable eateries. Together with Cambridge across the Charles River, “The Hub” (as locals refer to Boston) has arguably the highest density of colleges and universities in the country and hosts a constant influx of financially strapped students from around the world who demand cheap yet interesting eats. There are plenty of places where you’ll find a complement of appetizer and entree or entree and dessert for $12 or less. Whether you are in town on your way to a degree, or simply passing through to hear echoes of the shot heard round the world, the following restaurants are easy to find and should keep you fueled and happy.
“NO NAME RESTAURANT”
(15 1/2 Fish Pier, open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Two courses from $11).
Established in 1917 and located out on an actual working pier, the No Name has long been the secret haunt of locals and knowledgeable tourists who walk or drive the extra mile from Boston’s South Station for fresh seafood at wholesale prices. Don’t let the spare decor put you off: what the No Name saves by not updating the furniture it passes directly to you in the form of a true bargain.
We recommend warming up with a copious cup of the hearty seafood chowder ($1.75). The main courses, beginning at $7.95, are pretty basic — something recently snatched from the ocean, then fried, broiled, or sauteed to order and accompanied with garlic bread and your choice of two: french fries, rice, corn on the cob, or tangy, colorful coleslaw. The plates of fried shrimp ($10.95), and broiled mussels and scallops ($12.95) are heaped high, and the filets of bluefish, swordfish, or salmon ($10.95) are generous. By choosing something from the lighter side, such as the fried scrod sandwich ($5.50) or a clam roll ($8.45), you’ll leave just enough room for the tempting homemade pies — Boston cream, blueberry, apple, strawberry rhubarb, or cherry ($2.50).
D’AMORE’S
(76 Salem Street, open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. From $9.50 for entree, salad, and coffee).
Lines form nightly outside the famous Italian eateries along Hanover Street in Boston’s North End, but for our money, D’Amore’s on nearby Salem Street is the most authentic choice (think of the movie Moonstruck). This small, friendly establishment is situated on a corner, allowing for open-air dining in the warmer season and window seats for practically everyone year-round.
Chef Armando Carbone serves traditional Italian fare, but to perfection — especially his sauces, which benefit from his penchant for fresh herbs and caramelized onions. Pasta dishes begin at $9.50 for a simple marinara and range through homemade gnocchi at $10.95 to progressively more intricate combinations of regular and sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and artichokes at $11.95. Bubbling hot eggplant parmigiana ($11.95) comes with a side of pasta for a good, filling deal. Chicken and veal cacciatore, orvieto, and diavolo are more expensive, beginning at $13.95. All dinners are prefaced with a salad and a basket of bread, but if you’re really hungry, the thick minestrone at $3.95 per bowl is chock-full of sweet vegetables and worth a try.
For the best buy at D’Amore’s, consider dining in the late afternoon or early evening (Sunday through Friday), when early birds have a choice of nine different entrees served with soup and salad, coffee, tea, soda, or wine, all for $10.95. This is a seasonal offer, so call first (617/523-8820) to confirm times.
RESTAURANT MARCHE MOVENPICK
(800 Boylston Street, 7:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week. From $10).
Centrally located near Copley Plaza, one “T” stop from the Museum of Fine Arts, this unique dining venue is a great option for anyone needing to express a little freedom of choice. March, is a 37,000-square-foot international food marketplace tastefully landscaped into stations by cuisine — sushi, crepes, pizzas, stir-fry, grilled meats, salads, desserts — where chefs make your food right before your eyes, and often per your instruction.
As you enter Marche, each member of your party is given a “passport,” upon which the station chefs will later stamp a record of what you’ve ordered. You are then collectively shown to a table (cloth napkins and all) and invited to browse the market and collect any constellation of courses you desire. During our last visit, one of us opted for a small Caesar salad ($3.49), a filet of grilled Atlantic salmon with teriyaki sauce ($8.99), and a monstrously large and chewy oatmeal chocolate-chip cookie (99 cents), while the other began with sushi (six pieces of freshly made unagi maki for $4.99), continued the Asian theme with a large chicken-and-vegetable curry noodle soup for $4.99, and then splurged for a dinner-plate-size banana chocolate crepe ($5.29). Though technically a cafeteria, its unobtrusively attentive waiters who keep water glasses full and whisk away trays and depleted dishes provide just the right touch of restaurant pampering.
PHO PASTEUR
(at 119 Newbury Street, Boston, or 35 Dunster Street, Cambridge, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. rest of week. From $8.90 for appetizer, main course, and tea).
Pho Pasteur has long been a favorite among budget-conscious students in Cambridge’s happening Harvard Square, but a second restaurant on Newbury Street brings these wonderful Vietnamese delicacies to the heart of Boston’s swanky shopping district.
Pho, a beef-, chicken-, or fish-based noodle soup flavored with just the right amount of scallions, onions, and cilantro, is the specialty of the house, though many dishes — our favorites among them — stray from this formula. For starters, the spring rolls here are delicious and come in several varieties (fried or steamed, vegetarian or minced shrimp and/or pork) served with a light, sweet dipping sauce ($3.95). Another good appetizer, curi ga ($4.95), an aromatic, creamy, curried chicken soup with loads of tender carrots and potatoes, is served with vermicelli noodles on the side and is almost a meal in itself. Main courses are all priced reasonably from $5.95 for a small sized pho to $9.95 for banh hoi: marinated grilled beef, pork, or chicken with vermicelli and vegetables wrapped in rice paper. If you’re dining with friends, we recommend sharing-pairing a bun dish, a delicately flavored vegetable and noodle stir fry ($6.50-$6.95), with thit hoac, a traditional Vietnamese casserole of caramelized pork or sliced fish in a rich, sweet broth over rice ($10.95).
IRUNA
(56 JFK Street in Cambridge, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. lunch, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. dinner, closed Sundays. From $8.75 for soup and entree, less for a tapas meal).
You really shouldn’t visit Boston without paying homage to the revered codfish, so we suggest a Spanish twist on it at Iruna. Another favorite among starving students, this unpretentious restaurant is hidden in a quiet alley off Harvard Square. Most patrons choose to sample the many tapas dishes, both fritas (cold) and calientes (hot), which range in price from $3.75 to $7.25 for such items as scrumptious olives stuffed with tuna or anchovies, tender calamares a la vinegreta, or the Basque specialty bacalao ajoarriero (the famed codfish and shrimp stewed in a piquant tomato sauce). All tapas are served with a basket of soft, fresh bread to soak up the sauces and marinades.
Don’t miss the excellent soups — gazpacho ($3.25) or garlic soup ($1.95), the Basque version of French onion soup. The omelets burst with ingredients like cured ham, asparagus, shrimp, or chorizo sausage and are served with soup or salad - a real deal for less than $5.75. Full entrees, also served with soup or salad, change daily but often include carne guisada, a thick meaty stew ($6.95), chicken stuffed with fresh herbs and rice ($8.25), and lomo de puerco estofado, slices of pork in a mushroom sauce ($11.25). Whether you choose to nibble at tapas or go whole hog, homemade flan ($3.50) or chocolate mousse ($3.75) offers a nice way to round out the meal.
Copyright © 2003 Newsweek Budget Travel, Inc.