(upbeat music) - Hi, I'm Kae Lani Palmisano.

Each week, three different guests recommend their favorite restaurants, then try each other's picks, and come together to tell us what they think.

Right here on "Check, Please!"

(upbeat music continues) Hi, I'm Kae Lani Palmisano, and welcome to "Check, Please!"

The show where regular people from all over the Philadelphia area recommend and review their favorite restaurants.

So here's how the show works, every week we have three guests.

Each guest recommends their favorite restaurant, and then the other two go check them out to see what they think.

This week, fashion designer Sarah Culbertson may be glam, but when she's ready for lunch, her favorite sandwich truck is all flavor and no BS.

But marketing communications consultant Michael Kifferley's New Castle teahouse will charm vegetarians and omnivores alike.

First up, Energy Attorney Erin Lai's South Philly spot is serving some high-voltage pho.

For Vietnamese comfort classics, she heads to Cafe Nhan.

(gentle upbeat music) - I always love cooking and sharing my food for my family and friend.

One day I was like, "I am tired of working for other people."

And I never have experience running a restaurant, but, I know in my heart, that I like to cook and I very confident in my cooking.

(gentle upbeat music) I don't have any background in culinary school, but I learned from my grandmom.

I always in the kitchen because I'm very interested.

And then, after that, I put my twist to it.

Cook your heart out, you have to be true to yourself, and the food will show.

Andrew is my only son.

He's kind of interested in seeing me cook and he always like to learn.

And he's like, "What do you think if I wanna stay and help you out?"

And I said, "I will give you everything I have, and I know if you wanna learn more, you going to learn in a real school."

He said, "No, I wanna learn from you."

(upbeat mellow music) I hope he wanna carry this on.

I'm very proud of him.

I'm known for my bun bo Hue.

(upbeat mellow music) It's rice noodle, fresh vegetable.

It's a spicy dish, and it's very flavorful and very tasteful.

My customer, people taste it and they know and they will compare.

When they miss their family, they'll come here and they'll feel like they're in their mom kitchen.

And I have student, college student, temple, "Your bun bo Hue or certain dishes is like better than my mom."

I said, "Don't ever say that in front of your mom.

You can say it here.

But when you go home, mama is the best."

(upbeat mellow music) They can go anywhere in this area and have that.

And then, they come here, and they show me love like that, that means something, and that mean I think I do something right.

That's my goal.

Make everyone leave here full and happy.

(upbeat mellow music ending) - Erin, Cafe Nhan is a South Philly favorite.

Why did you pick it?

- Cafe Nhan is just one of our favorite spots.

I will say that we aren't based in the city, but we're in the city every weekend, and my kids are begging for it.

So usually you can find us at Cafe Nhan on any given Saturday.

The noodles are amazing.

The bowls are so big.

You shouldn't be able to finish it, but somehow we manage to finish it every single time.

And the flavors are just, wow.

- What are some of your family favorites?

- So our family favorites.

My son who is really the noodles kid, he loves the pho with the meatballs, the beef flank, full flavor.

And then, my daughter, we love the spice, so we always opt for the bun bo Hue, the banh mi as well.

The pork, it's like a pork with, like, a red glaze around the outside.

That's a fave.

And then, most recently we've tried the fried chicken, which is almost reminiscent of my late grandmother's fried chicken.

I'm not sure how they do it, but it's amazing.

- They recommended that when I went there, and it was good.

- It's good.

- But I think my favorite, we got the catfish, and I don't know if you've tried that.

- Ooh, I have not.

- I highly recommend the catfish.

It's a red spice sauce, served with a side of rice and pickled veggies.

We were just eating the catfish right out of the sauce.

Like, we didn't even need the rice.

It was really, really, really good.

- We started with the wings, the chicken wings, that are fried.

And so that frying was really good.

Nice crispy outer crust to it.

And then, inside, just really delicious chicken.

- In the bun bo Hue, what are some of the ingredients in that dish?

'Cause I hear that it's pho, but it's a little spicier than pho.

- Yeah, and when you say a little, I would say like, you know, like a lot more spicier.

- Oh, okay.

- Yeah.

So it's definitely good to like, I mean, it's perfection, and it's got a lemongrass base.

Lemongrass, lots of heat.

It has a round noodle as opposed to, like, the flat noodle in, like, the more traditional pho dishes that are served.

There's a pig foot or, like, a pig knuckle, or something along the lines of that.

- Oh, the in-bone one?

- Yes.

- [Sarah] Yeah, that one was good.

- So that's adding a ton of flavor.

And then, like, the sliced ham is also in there, and that's probably my favorite piece in it.

- I got one that had the pig knuckle in, and then also the beef and the slice.

But it also had the blood sausage in it as well.

- Okay, so that's what I always ask them to hold on the blood cube.

- Oh, okay.

So if you did get that one.

- So maybe there is that variation there, right.

- Got it.

- How were the blood cubes?

- They're good.

It is an acquired taste.

- Right.

- But I think the flavor, it adds to it, for sure, if you like it.

- How was your pho, Michael?

- It was good.

I got the banh mi, personally.

The chicken curry banh mi, which I really enjoyed.

That was good.

My girlfriend and her mother came along with me.

My girlfriend's mother got the pho, and my girlfriend got the lemongrass chicken, which was really good.

I think that was the one that really stood out with the flavors, and all of us enjoyed sampling hers.

- You tried the summer rolls too?

How were they?

- Yes, great.

Really good.

The freshness of the ingredients, that was what was amazing.

Just everything, the ingredients really made it.

You could tell that it was homemade or, you know, homestyle cooking there.

So really flavorful and it stood out.

- What were in your summer rolls?

'Cause you've got the rice paper, then there's the vermicelli, there's some, like, herbs and things.

And then, did you get it with shrimp?

Or sometimes they put like a pate in there.

- We got the tofu.

- Oh, with tofu.

- The tofu.

- Oh, nice.

- So that was good and very filling.

We got two orders of that, as a matter of fact, and really enjoyed it.

It was my first venture into real Vietnamese authentic cuisine.

- Were they able to describe what was on the menu?

- Yes.

Yeah.

The service was great.

I think it's a mother-son.

But the gentleman that served us was so nice, and took his time to go through everything and explain what was in it, and kind of give us some direction and suggestions on what we wanted.

We don't eat pork, so that kind of limited the menu.

And I also have an allergy to shrimp, so that limited me a little bit.

But still the chicken was really great.

- I took two friends of mine, and we shared everything.

And my friend does have a nut allergy, so we were, like, sort of scouring, 'cause a lot of Vietnamese has peanuts.

- Nuts, yes.

- Yes.

- So we did have to, like, be careful with that.

But the service, we told them about the allergy, and they were very kind about like, "You should avoid this, or we can put this on the side."

So I was really grateful for that.

- Anyone try any of the drinks when you were there?

- We had the Thai tea and the limeade?

- Yes, the limeade.

That's my favorite.

- The limeade was really good.

- So refreshing.

- Yeah.

- So I always shift between the limeade or the Vietnamese iced coffee, which kind of gives you that extra pep after you've had all these heavy noodles.

- I love Vietnamese iced coffee, but it was, like, 1:00 in the afternoon and I was already very caffeinated.

So I was like, "I can't do that," 'cause I know how high in caffeine that is.

But it's so good.

- The last time we were there, they had some sort of a lime yogurt dessert/drink.

- Ooh!

- Did you try that?

- No, but he highly recommended it, and we just were like, "Maybe after," but we were so full.

- Right, so I usually stick, I'm like an oldie but a goodie.

So if it's something I like, I get it over and over again.

But they were like, "You should try this," and I did.

And it almost kind of gave me, like, a gelato-ish flavor, how it's, like, that tart lemony, and then the creaminess of the yogurt base or whatever they use.

It was really good.

- Erin, this is your pick.

Sum it up for us.

- I mean, overall, we're back every single week.

So all I can say is, like, it's just our favorite spot.

Like, they treat you like family.

And when I say that, I always preface it like in a good way, 'cause sometimes family can, like, you know, treat you kind of shady.

But they're always so kind, they're accommodating, the food's great.

Like you mentioned, you can take your leftovers and they're still great the next day.

So for a non-cooker like me, that is really important.

And it's just, overall, like, a great value and really, really great flavors.

- Michael, how would you sum up Cafe Nhan?

- I would agree.

Great flavors.

The ingredients are fresh.

It is, like, you know, that mom's back there cooking everything and they're serving it right to your table.

It really is a wonderful experience and great dining.

- And how would you sum it up?

- I really felt that.

I feel like it is sort of, like, comfort food, but, like, a higher level, like, freshness.

It feels really, really warming and welcoming, I would say.

- Try out Cafe Nhan for yourself, located at 1606 West Passyunk Avenue in South Philly.

215-551-2407.

Reservations are not accepted, and the average tab per person without drinks is $15.

Sarah Culbertson's favorite lunch spot may seem unassuming, but this little truck is frying up some bold flavors.

For chopped cheese, cheesesteaks, Reubens, and more, we head to A Truck Called Sandoz in West Philly.

(upbeat music) - The name comes from just, like, a name for sandwiches, sandos.

(upbeat music) People don't usually put a Z on it, but, like, "Yeah, I'll go get a sando, go get a Turkey-ham sando."

The Cambodian couple that was running a sandwich truck in this neighborhood were kind of looking to get out of the business, and I was their regular customer.

And I just sort of started fantasizing about, "It would be cool to take this truck over and kind of do something of our own."

One thing that makes us different is that everything you get from us is made to your order.

(upbeat mellow music) Food wise, I say that it's basic.

We've heard people say greasy spoon.

I don't mind that.

Sandwiches is also the word that I use most frequently to tell people what kind of fare to expect.

(upbeat mellow music) Having breakfast be part of the menu was a big part of our goal coming into it, especially because I was a regular at the truck before we took it over, and I always got a bacon, egg, and cheese.

(upbeat music) Egg and cheese sandwiches, and then, like, developing that breakfast chopped cheese is one of the things that sort of exemplifies what we do best.

We wanted to take the idea of your corner store or your greasy spoon griddle place and pair it down a little bit, and keep it simple but tasty though.

It's kind of cool to have a window to be able to watch somebody sort of tuck into a sandwich and see what kind of feelings they feel.

So hopefully they wanna come back.

People come to a food truck for something they can grab and go.

As long as it's easy for us to prepare and easy for them to take and enjoy, then, yeah, I guess we're stoked.

(upbeat music) - Sarah, why a food truck?

Why did you wanna a food truck onto "Check, Please!"?

- I feel like food trucks are underappreciated.

There is some kind of magic about, like, them just starting out, having that flexibility to, like, pop up everywhere, and kind of adapting to what they can do and having to be really creative about it.

So that's why I chose A Truck Called Sandoz.

Also, I'm from West Philly, so I had to represent.

(everyone laughing) - Well, we love a good mobile restaurant.

So what are some of your go-tos?

- My go-tos are either a bacon, egg, and cheese on an Em Wilson pretzel or a chopped cheese.

- So I went with my husband and my kids.

My husband had the breakfast sandwich, although it was, like, way past breakfast time, but no judgment.

I did the burger, and I think they had a double patty and a single.

I went for the single, because the double seemed like quite a challenge.

And my kids did the chicken tenders, which were, like, kind of special.

Like, you know, chicken tenders are chicken tenders.

But these have big, like, peppercorn.

Like, something in that batter was definitely special, and it was good.

- I've had their chicken tenders before.

They're really yummy.

- They're not, like, just kiddie chicken tenders.

- No, they're elevated adult chicken tenders.

- Elevated, yes.

Agreed, agreed.

I would say one of my favorite things with hash browns, so I guess I took the breakfast part from my husband's breakfast sandwich, but they were, like, super crispy, crunchy, magical, just really good.

- I went for the chopped cheese, 'cause I've never had a chopped cheese before, so I figured I'd give it a chance, and really enjoyed it.

And upgraded for the bacon.

- Nice.

- And I'm not a lettuce, tomato, and onion on my cheesesteak, but I got the chopped cheese with that.

That's the way they served it with their special sauce, and really enjoyed that.

That was just so filling.

And spices, the flavor really came out in it, and it's impressive that he can do that in a little truck.

My girlfriend got the chicken cheesesteak, and she liked and enjoyed that.

And the fries, must have some of that peppercorns and spices on there, because they were delicious and didn't last long.

- [Sarah] Yeah, their french fries are really good.

I feel like they have some sort of special oil back there their frying in, 'cause their potatoes are-- - And fried crispy.

- Yeah!

- Just a nice crisp to 'em.

- Which is important.

- Yeah.

- It really is the crunch.

- And it stands out.

I didn't know what to expect, if there'd be a number of trucks there.

But he's kind of got a space set out, had a water bowl for the dogs out, some cool music playing.

I think the Beastie Boys were playing, and just a real cool, chill vibe for a food truck.

- Yeah, I like that it's right in that corner, 'cause you have the playground right there, so, like, it's good for if you wanna meet your friends with kids, or if you have your kids, then they can just go in the playground after eating.

There's also a coffee shop right there that you can just go and, like, get coffee, and they don't mind if you sit in their seats too.

- Oh, Satellite?

- Yeah.

- Oh, cool.

- Yeah.

- Yeah, well, they have the little tables right in that little, like, triangle so that was perfect.

- Oh, is that where you dined?

- Yep.

We found a little table, pulled some chairs over, and we were good to go.

- Great.

- Yeah.

- We took it back to the car, and just sat there, and got parking, and it was easy.

So I ate there.

- I love a good dashboard dine.

- Yeah.

- Yes.

- Eating in the car is just like a whole genre of dining in and of itself.

- No, it's true.

- There's no one in the car to judge you when you just, like, dribble chopped cheese all over yourself.

- No, it's very true.

- I didn't get the pretzel though, and I'm disappointed that I didn't, because I didn't realize it was something special.

- Yeah, that's also why I chose them, 'cause my friend is a pastry chef who, like, does these very special Philly pretzels.

And so that was also why I wanna support Em Wilson's pretzels, 'cause she's awesome.

- Specifically though, because they do warn you-- - They do.

- That these pretzels are only good for a certain kind of sandwich situation.

If you ask for it with a chopped cheese, they'll kind of be like, "Uh, it's a little small for the chopped cheese, might be messy."

- I've done it though.

- But it's worth it.

- It's definitely worth it.

- Okay, so you're saying that we go back and we get the pretzel as, like, the base of the sandwich?

- Yeah, instead of like a bun or the bread.

- What's, like, best sandwich to get the pretzel with?

- I definitely think the bacon, egg, and cheese.

- Okay.

- Yeah, that's a very classic Philly breakfast sandwich I feel.

Like, just having the soft pretzel.

- Sourdough, soft pretzel, salt with the-- - Exactly.

- Yes, the savory breakfast yummies.

- I'm definitely going back maybe this Saturday.

(everyone laughing) - Yeah!

- Erin, what did you think of the prices?

- I thought the price point was great.

It was enough for, like, everyone.

Like, you want extra fries?

Get extra fries.

Like, you know, it worked.

- Yeah, I upgraded for the bacon, because it was just, you know, a little bit more.

And it filled us up, just really nice portion sizes, and good value for money.

- Well, Sarah, A Truck Called Sandoz is your pick.

Sum it up for us.

- I feel like it's very classic elevated Philly food.

Like, it's definitely no BS, but you're gonna get some great flavors.

- Erin, what's the big takeaway?

- The hash browns, the hash browns, the hash browns, and the fries too.

I mean, it's just the crunch factor that you either do it right or you don't, and they did it perfectly.

- And, Michael, what's the final thought?

- Yeah, it's an unassuming truck that brings the flavor.

- Check out A Truck Called Sandoz for yourself, located at 4950 Baltimore Avenue at the Cedar Park Triangle.

But this restaurant is on wheels, so make sure you check their Instagram before you visit.

Reservations are not accepted, and the average tab per person is $15.

Michael Kifferley loves the easygoing vibe of his New Castle pick.

For vegetarian dishes, a robust selection of teas, and a busy calendar of community events, he heads to The Mercury Cafe and Teahouse.

(gentle pleasant music) - The story of The Mercury is that we were on a visit going to Delaware to visit family.

My husband was like, "Let me show you this cute town."

I thought maybe this could be the place that I finally try to open my own place.

(gentle upbeat music) Mercury or Hermes is the god of speed, travel and trade.

And the town here is kind of a hub of travel and trade.

So we kind of thought that the logo kind of embodied all of that.

Aaron and I, my husband, we always thought about opening a restaurant together.

Aaron loves tea, he's been all around the world.

It's kind of a passion for him.

So we incorporated it all together, and it came together nicely.

(mellow music) The Mercury is unique.

People just come in, they hang out.

There's no rush.

It's just first-come, first-serve, and relax and enjoy, and have a good time.

(gentle upbeat music) I don't believe in cutting corners.

Everything should be done with a purpose and intentionally.

We wanted fresh ingredients, healthy ingredients.

The reason why we chose to be all vegetarian, there's nothing else here that's vegetarian, so when people come to town there's no options for them.

(gentle upbeat music) We have a few of our teas that we've named after historic homes and buildings in town.

We kind of used ingredients that they would've had back in that day.

We wanted to kind of bring that all together.

The community, for me, is paramount.

When we first moved here, the community actually came and supported us.

So to feel that coming both ways was kind of special.

We're just a group of people that are just trying to provide an amazing experience for everyone that comes in the door.

We've nicknamed it New Castle's Living Room, and that wasn't from me, that was from the town.

They said, "This is like New Castle's living room.

I feel at home, I feel like I belong," and that's exactly how I want people to feel.

(gentle upbeat music) - Michael, this is a very charming cafe in a very charming town.

Why did you pick it?

- It definitely, I think, brings some of the appeal of the historic parts of Philadelphia into a smaller community.

The cafe itself is a cute, little, old building with historic charm.

And inside, on the menu, you'll find everything for vegans and vegetarians.

There's coffee, tea, and cocktails.

And everything is really just good and comfortable food in a nice, friendly, warm, and welcoming surrounding.

- So what are some of your go-tos?

- I'm there for the comfort, so I really enjoy just getting some, the last time I went, I had the spicy mac, four-cheese mac, which has just a nice bit of warmth to it.

I don't think it's too overwhelming.

And then, usually I'll dine on nachos with their pulled pork, which is a vegan pulled pork.

It adds texture and flavor to it.

It can fool a good omnivore or carnivore who's eating there.

- My visit was really special.

We went on a Friday evening, it was myself and my two kids, and it was rainy and, like, a very dreary day.

But the charm started when we, like, are walking down this little alley.

And I'm telling my kids, I'm like, "I feel like we're in 'Harry Potter' and this is like Diagon Alley," super cute.

And so that kind of like just set the tone for our meal.

And, like, funny thing, you mentioned the nachos, we had the nachos and we also, what else did you mention that is your go-to?

The spicy mac.

- Yes.

- We like spice, and my daughter loves mac, so we did that as well, very good.

- And not too overwhelming.

It was friendly for a child and-- - Right, agreed.

Now, my child appreciates the spice.

So I don't know if the spice would be good for all kids, but it worked for her.

But our favorite were the pretzel bites or the pretzel, not even bites, pretzel, like, I guess-- - Sticks, yeah.

- Sticks or logs, with the melted cheese, it was, like, elevated pretzel and cheese dip.

It was super, super good.

- I definitely got the mac and cheese, which I thought was really good.

But I think my highlight from them was the hummus and tzatziki.

It was really, really well spiced, and just, like, really fresh veggies, I thought was a really good option.

- [Kae Lani] Ooh, what were some of the veggies?

- [Sarah] Carrots, cucumbers, olives, and then they had peppers, and then they also had the stuffed grape leaves.

- Ooh.

- And pita as well.

I thought it was a really good variety of, like, dipping into hummus and tzatziki.

I tried the mac and cheese, we had the Greek salad, and then the pulled pork sandwich.

I loved they had, like, the split option, so you could get it on two different plates in case you were sharing.

I thought that was really clever.

- And this is in an old building, so there's a lot of different rooms, there's a lot of places to kind of sit.

Where did everyone sit?

- We sat in the back room, and, again, it was like a rainy night.

So my understanding, 'cause there was a local guy in there, he was there with his grandson I think, and he was like, "Oh, any other Friday, this place would be packed."

So I think it lucked out for us, because we didn't have to wait or anything.

But we were in the back room, and so the ordering, if you're in the back room, is, like, done by an app, which I'm, like, sometimes it makes me feel my age a little bit more when I'm, like, clicking on the app and all of that.

But I think if you're in the main room, you can just order from the counter.

- Yeah, we sat in the back patio, and it was all order by QR code, which I thought was really clever, 'cause that way you could just sit down, order, and then you're done, you're paid, you can keep going.

Although, I think the downfall to that is if they get busy, which they did, they forgot the dessert, and we had to go remind them, which was okay.

Like, I don't have a problem with that, but it was just like, yeah, they got busy.

So, like, maybe it's better to order at the counter in that case.

- Ooh, what did you get for dessert?

- We got the lava cake, which was really good.

It was, like, just really warm and moist, and then they had ice cream and a caramel sauce that, like, they drizzled on top, which was yummy.

- How were your drinks?

- They were really good.

I got the Corpse Reviver, and I'm a gin drinker, so I thought that was a really, really good option.

It was delicious.

My friend's not a drinker, she got a Pellegrino and they presented it like a cocktail in its own special glass with a lime, and we thought that was a really, really sweet touch.

- I think I did like a French 75 or something like that, and that was very good.

And then, I'm always torn by like, "Do I get a cocktail?

Do I get a little caffeine or both?"

So then I got the affogato to go.

I got that and the carrot cake, 'cause I can't resist dessert, but I was too full, delicious.

I was getting the remnants of that affogato when I got home and it was really good.

- And this is such, like, a charming town too.

I feel like for people who aren't from the area, they could easily make a day trip out of it.

What are some fun things to do around the cafe?

- Yeah, I think New Castle, historic New Castle is just an area that not a lot of people are familiar with, and that was one of the reasons I thought to bring it forward.

It's just a charming town to walk through.

We have some museums, and there's a big park in the back for kids to play.

So, yeah, you can just really make a day of it just to walk along the Delaware or visit any of the other shops.

- Yeah, right down the street, you could see the water.

It's a really cute town.

- We did that.

After dinner, we went and we walked down along the river and, like, saw the playground, and just walked down all the way, and it was just really beautiful and calming.

- Yeah, yeah.

- We actually saw a bald eagle as we were walking back-- - Yes, yes, amazing.

- Which is really cool.

- Wow.

That's so cool.

- Yeah.

- I'm glad that they're making a comeback in this region.

- I know.

- We need more bald eagles.

- We do need more bald eagles.

- Well, given the eagle's year, I mean, we should be seeing more of them.

Right?

- Exactly.

Blessed be the birds.

- Yes.

- And, on that note, Michael, this is your pick.

Sum it up for us.

- Sure.

For a comfortable dining experience, whether you've got vegans, vegetarians, or omnivores, I think it's a great place to chill for an afternoon or an evening.

- And, Erin, what is the big takeaway?

- Yeah, I definitely wanna go back when it's not raining and when it's not late, 'cause I wanna enjoy the neighborhood and surrounding areas too.

And also try out that brunch menu, because that looked pretty special.

- And, Sarah, what's the big takeaway?

- I feel like it's just a great vibe.

It definitely has that, like, neighborhood feel where they're drawing in on the community, and I thought that was really, really special.

I also wanna go back for brunch.

It looked really good, and I was sad I didn't go for brunch first.

- Well, we can, like, make a road trip.

- Okay, let's do that.

(Sarah and Erin laughing) - Relax at The Mercury Cafe and Teahouse, located at 206 Delaware Street in New Castle.

Reservations are not accepted, and the average tab per person without drinks is $15.

So, in this week's show, we featured Cafe Nhan in South Philly, A Truck Called Sandoz in West Philly, and the Mercury Cafe and Teahouse in New Castle.

Special thanks to my guests Erin Lai, Sarah Culbertson, and Michael Kifferley.

Join us next time for three new guests recommending their favorite restaurants right here on "Check, Please!"

And don't forget to find us on Instagram and TikTok.

We're @checkpleasephilly.

I'm Kae Lani Palmisano, and I'll see you next time!

(glasses clinking) Cheers.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues)