Koshary at Cilantro Mediterranean Cuisine
A towering bowl of koshary, at first glance, can be a curious mound of starch on starch. But this national dish of Egypt — a medley of variously shaped noodles, rice, chickpeas, and lentils striped with zesty tomato sauce — is a symbol of that country’s status as an ancient international crossroads as much as it is a hearty and affordable street food gem. When you encounter a good one, like the version at Cilantro Mediterranean Cuisine off South Street, one of this region’s only venues for Egyptian food, eating koshary becomes a treasure hunt through intricate layers that reveal themselves before they mingle into an irresistible delight greater than the sum of their humble parts.
The different-shaped noodles are pure whimsy and fun, as strands of spaghetti lead you to all corners of the pile while the elbow macaroni tubes channel the spiced tomato sauce — really more a tangy vinaigrette — that reminds you at first of something Italian, then spins you toward the Middle East.
At the base of it all is a fluffy mound of fragrant rice topped with a layer of lentils and a crown of crunchy fried onions (that recalls another of my all-time favorite comfort dishes from the Levant, mujadarra, a love letter to lentils and rice). Then come the chickpeas and the zing of more of that distinctive sauce that keeps my fork coming back for more. This dish took considerably longer to produce than the grilled kebabs, falafel, and dips that Cilantro also does well. But a great koshary must be built with care, and this one was worth the wait. Koshary, $23.99, 613. S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147; 267-761-9609; cilantromediterraneancuisine.com
— Craig LaBan
Tater tots at Middle Child PHL
On Wednesday morning, as I waited for my too-early flight to Las Vegas to attend the inaugural North America World’s 50 Best Awards ceremony (in which Philly won big), I couldn’t resist the kelly-green siren song of Middle Child PHL. The long-awaited post-security iteration of the cool kid-sandwich empire has finally opened, across from Bar Symon in the D gates’ waiting area. It was too early for real food or a margarita (for me) — these were certainly being served. I grabbed a side order of perfectly seasoned, crispy tater tots. Are they the basic frozen tots? Yes. Are they expensive — yes, $5.75. But were they an utterly delicious and fast breakfast? Yes. Hopefully next time I’ll have more appetite for one of their fluffy egg sandwiches, or for their air-side riff on hit hoagie the So Long Sal. At PHL, it’s reconfigured into a So Long Sal-ad, with arugula, salami, Parmesan, and fresh mozzarella. Middle Child PHL, Terminal D, 8000 Essington Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19153; phlfoodandshops.com/directory/middle-child; Monday through Sunday, 4:15 a.m. to 8 p.m.
— Kiki Aranita
Chicken katsu and beef short ribs at Mahalo Hawaiian BBQ
Sweet and salty is a winning combination, and the cooks behind the line at South Street’s Mahalo Hawaiian BBQ know it. You’ll detect hints of well-balanced sweetness in many of their savory offerings, like teriyaki beef, mac salad, and Spam musubi (a nori-wrapped rectangle of sushi rice and Spam). Mahalo builds on that surefire flavor dynamic in its popular chicken katsu and beef short rib platter by bringing textural contrast to the mix. Thin, tender slices of marinated bone-in short rib are heaped on top of scoops of rice and mac salad, then rounded out with crunchy, perfectly cooked slices of breaded chicken filet. Everything is made to order here, which is why the katsu — and everything else that’s fried, like the crispy, golden brown coconut shrimp — is clean, composed, and not even a little oily. We’ll be back to try the saimin noodle soup. Mahalo Hawaiian BBQ, 117 South St., Philadelphia, PA 19147; 215-876-9709; mahalophilly.com
— Jenn Ladd
Dining and Cooking