A quick post as I've finally deciphered the familiarity of the taste of Wawa Mac and Cheese. Velveeta? No. Kraft Dinner? No, eh. Jones? Certainly not. But Stouffer's? Yes, everyone's favorite microwaveable meal is available already nuked at the Wawa. I cite two reasons:
1) Overcooked elbows: Alone, this is not a valid reason. But neither Wawa nor Stouffer can produce anything even close to Al Dente, resulting in a too-soft noodle.
2) Cream Cheese consistency: You know when you eat cream cheese and it reminds you of peanut butter, in that you can't seem to get the cheese film out of your mouth? And it's tasty, so you just kind of deal, despite being grossed out that your mouth is now enveloped in a coating of dairy. Well, mix that cheese with some canned Cheddar, and you have Wawa Cheese. What it lacks in sharpness or, well, flavor, it makes up for with that certain sense of home. Why does this remind me of home? Because nothing comes closer to home than Stouffer's. Point proven.
What I would give for a 24 hour Whole Foods in Rittenhouse...
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
The dish that brought me back: under $10 perfection
I'm not the biggest believer in Tampopo. Sure, the food is good enough, but there are better options. Typically I find the chicken a little too dry and the portions a little on the small side. This evening, however, I tasted their gold standard.
To be honest, yesterday I went for some Teriyaki Chicken mainly because it's close and inexpensive. Someone had ordered a Fresh Tuna Bi-Bim-Bop which looked simply amazing -- I quickly developed "order jealousy."
As I walked home today, something was pulling me towards Tampopo. Vic? Not today. Palumbo's? How much Chicken Salad can one person eat? Primo's? Like they'd be open at night. And as I appreciate food as much as the next person, Wawa Mac N' Cheese wasn't going to do it for me. So I walk into the minimalist space, run up to the counter, and get the Tuna Bi-Bim-Bop. Extra Tuna for $2.00 extra. Brown rice. And I wait... and wait... and 10 minutes later, they call my name. In the elevator, I'm trying to figure out how to take a picture of it, as it looks so good, it could be a display piece. Large morsels of rich deep pink floating over a bed of green and purple, red sauce, and brown rice on bottom. Magnificent.
I open up the plastic dish and immediately the smell of fresh tuna and spicy sauce comes flying out of the container. I mix the cabbage, avocado, lettuce, rice, and other greens in this atypical bi-bim-bop (remember, Tampopo is not a traditional restaurant by any means). The taste is incredibly fresh, if not overly spicy. The fresh fish has great bite, and the portion is very generous for $10. The veggies provide a nice crunch, the avocado (a fruit), a nice fatty contrast to the lean fish. Too much hot sauce marred the dish, but not enough for me to lose the fact that underneath that mask was a perfect combination of food.
Full and inspired, empty plate in front of me, I'm back to blogging.
To be honest, yesterday I went for some Teriyaki Chicken mainly because it's close and inexpensive. Someone had ordered a Fresh Tuna Bi-Bim-Bop which looked simply amazing -- I quickly developed "order jealousy."
As I walked home today, something was pulling me towards Tampopo. Vic? Not today. Palumbo's? How much Chicken Salad can one person eat? Primo's? Like they'd be open at night. And as I appreciate food as much as the next person, Wawa Mac N' Cheese wasn't going to do it for me. So I walk into the minimalist space, run up to the counter, and get the Tuna Bi-Bim-Bop. Extra Tuna for $2.00 extra. Brown rice. And I wait... and wait... and 10 minutes later, they call my name. In the elevator, I'm trying to figure out how to take a picture of it, as it looks so good, it could be a display piece. Large morsels of rich deep pink floating over a bed of green and purple, red sauce, and brown rice on bottom. Magnificent.
I open up the plastic dish and immediately the smell of fresh tuna and spicy sauce comes flying out of the container. I mix the cabbage, avocado, lettuce, rice, and other greens in this atypical bi-bim-bop (remember, Tampopo is not a traditional restaurant by any means). The taste is incredibly fresh, if not overly spicy. The fresh fish has great bite, and the portion is very generous for $10. The veggies provide a nice crunch, the avocado (a fruit), a nice fatty contrast to the lean fish. Too much hot sauce marred the dish, but not enough for me to lose the fact that underneath that mask was a perfect combination of food.
Full and inspired, empty plate in front of me, I'm back to blogging.
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