Super Wok

I love Chinese takeout. One of the first things I needed to find as soon as my wife and I settled down was a reliable and quality Chinese takeout place. Luckily for me, the first place I tried turned out to be the best!

Super Wok is a small dine-in or carry-out restaurant on the edge of Norristown, PA. Its menu features all the Chinese-American classics, all done very well. It has a good selection of inexpensive and generous lunch specials that feature an entree and a side of pork fried rice. All are under $6.00 and each has enough food for two meals. Everything there tastes fresh; since it tends to be pretty busy for lunch and dinner, you don't have to worry about food getting old. Everything is cooked to order.

The kitchen is spotless, which I think might be one of the most important indicators of quality for any establishment, especially in a busy place. If a restaurant is clean and empty, it could just mean the staff are bored; if it's clean and busy, they have high standards.

My wife and I have always enjoyed the food we get there. My personal favorites are the mushu pork and the General Tso's chicken. My wife really likes the sesame chicken and the wonton soup. But, today I discovered my favorite thing: the doughnuts.

They serve Chinese doughnuts, 10 for $3.25, and oh my god it was a struggle to save any for my wife. Deliciously golden brown and rolled in sugar, light and fluffy on the inside, with a great savory depth from the frying oil. They are perfection and are currently the biggest threat to my diet.

My only criticism is that Super Wok could use a little improving on its customer service. I can't blame the staff for not speaking much English, but a little friendlier attitude would go a long way, especially when it's busy.

Criticism aside, Super Wok is my favorite Chinese take-out joint nearby, and if you live in the Norristown, PA, area you should definitely try it out.

Taqueria La Michoacana

It's no secret that my wife and I love Mexican food, and luckily there are plenty of great Mexican restaurants where we live. Our favorite place for a good sit down Mexican meal is Taqueria La Michoacana in Norristown, PA.

Taqueria La Michoacana is a sit down and carry-out restaurant right on Main St in the heart of Norristown. They have a large menu with good selection of appetizers, entrées, delicious drinks, and a fantastic selection of classic Mexican favorites. Due to the wacky liquor laws in the state of PA they cannot sell alcohol, but they can give you a free margarita with the purchase of an entrée and it’s a damn good margarita.

The restaurant has plenty of seating and the walls are decorated with some traditionally styled Mexican murals depicting some Aztec myths and legends. On the ceiling as you walk in is an impressive mural of the golden eagle of Mexico. There are two TVs which usually have a futbol match or a Mexican soap opera going, it creates a nice atmosphere.

The staff is friendly and responsive and is happy to get me an extra serving of crema or sour cream if my white bread American taste buds can’t handle the spiciness.

Last time I went there I had a pambazo which is a sandwich that has had the bread simmered in a red sauce, making it extremely messy and extremely tasty. The menu offered a few choices for meat filling and I chose beef Milanese and its toppings included lettuce and queso fresco. The spice of the red guajillo sauce was present but not overwhelming and included a good smoky flavor. All in all it was a great sandwich even if it did stain my fingers up eating it.

My only critique would be that they don’t do American food very well. The French fries I have had there were not very good and had the texture and color of fries that had been fried once instead of blanched and then fried. But, I don’t go to a good ethnic restaurant looking for American food so that does not bother me.

If you are in Norristown, PA and have a hankering for good Mexican cuisine, take a quick trip to La Michoacana, you definitely won’t regret it.

My Favorite Cheesesteak

While I may live in the Philadelphia area, my favorite Philly style cheese steak is found not in the City of Brotherly Love, but about 2 hours south near Charm City, or Baltimore, MD.

Half an hour outside of Baltimore in Hunt Valley is a tiny joint called Pizza Connection. I've never had anything there I didn’t like, but when I lived in the area the real reason they recognized my phone number was their cheese steaks.

You walk into this tiny restaurant off York Rd with a small counter where they take your order, a few tables if you feel like eating there, a drinks cooler, and a small TV showing some news about local sports teams. You get your sub and you take a bite of what I believe to be one of the best sandwiches out there.

Let’s get the big selling point out of the way first: they use pizza dough for the bread. It’s amazing. I don’t know why more pizza/sub shops haven’t taken advantage of this opportunity. On top of this, they are generous with their filling, and they don’t charge extra for toppings, and it all just tastes so good.

I like to get lettuce, mayo, provolone cheese, and fried onions. My dad likes to get sweet peppers on his and you can’t go wrong with tomatoes or mushrooms. I know it isn’t traditional, and any of my purest friends will scorn me, but I don’t care, it’s tasty.

If you are ever in Northern Baltimore County I urge you stop in at this tiny hole-in-the-wall pizza shop and try one of their delicious creations.