The line outside the Philly Street Food Festival at Xfinity Live! wrapped around most of a log on a cold Saturday evening and took just under 30 minutes to get in.
More than 40 food stands and trucks spread throughout the expansive Xfinity Live! lot for the third annual festival, hosted by Taste of Your Town. Billy Penn sent two reporters to sample the offering.
Before visitors could choose from the food, they had to decide whether they wanted to pay for general admission or splurge on a VIP ticket. With a VIP ticket you received a blue wristband and an apron full of 20 food vouchers and four free drink vouchers. A general admission ticket only included one free drink. Many food items cost five vouchers. By shopping for bargains, we were able to visit five establishments each. So here we go…
Geno’s steaks
The obvious first must-try was a cheesesteak. Geno’s Steaks served the classic sandwich to festival goers from their Xfinity Live! location. When placing an order, half or whole sandwiches were offered. Strips of steak and onions sizzled on the grill as customers waited for their orders. The cheese whiz was then spread onto Italian rolls before the rest of the contents were wrapped inside. Surprisingly, no one was asked the famous cheesesteak question: ‘white or without?’ – and so onions were included in some sandwiches, but not others. Our sampled cheesesteak came “without”. Geno’s is a mainstay in Philly food history, so it felt criminal not to try it. The extra-greasy, buttered sandwich was pure Philadelphia — and, frankly, not a reporter’s favorite.
Cheesesteak “without” from the famous Geno’s Steaks. (Billy Penn/Lily Cohen)
Dump and roll
According to the website, Dump n Roll’s mission is to “create the first sustainable, philanthropically focused restaurant focused on providing a unique culinary journey, empowering future generations by uniting with charitable organizations. All this while providing a seamless, goodwill dining experience that is accessible to all.”
The service at Dump n Roll was by far the most attentive. Customers were guided through the ordering experience and involved in the topping process. Many of the food items had clever names, like Infamous Piggy (a pork dumpling), Chick-A-Palooza (a chicken dumpling), Veggie in Heaven (a vegetarian dumpling) and Holy Phuc Wanton (a wanton turkey bacon cheeseburger). The dumplings had a fried or steamed option.
Vegetarian spring rolls were also served. The dumplings were drizzled with a roasted garlic-soy mixture and the spring rolls received a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce. Both were topped with chives if the customer approved.
Tender chicken and veggies were stuffed into Chick-A-Palooza’s perfectly crispy dumpling shell. It was gone in two bites. The Veggie in Heaven was another Chinese-inspired item on Dump n Roll’s menu. It had a mix of fresh green vegetables, glass noodles and mushrooms.
The drizzle of garlic soy sauce on top and the fried exterior made these dumplings satisfying to taste and touch.
Taco al pastor (top) and la birria (bottom) with coriander and lime for extra flavor and garnish. (Billy Penn/Lily Cohen)
Los Gallos Mexican Taqueria
Los Gallos had two stalls dedicated to its delicious tacos. The taqueria served several types of tacos, with chicken, pork or beef. Your intrepid reporters went to one stand and got la birria and al pastor tacos.
Two fried tortillas surrounded tender beef, melted cheese and chopped onions in the birria tacos. Birria is a soup of Mexican origin with meat stewed in a chili pepper broth. Los Gallos served its birria tacos with a side of this broth for dipping between bites. The broth tackled the heaviness of the meat and cheese combination and added an extra layer of flavor.
The taco al pastor had a sweet and spicy taste. The grilled pork was sliced, marinated in spices and then topped with pineapple and vegetables. The combination of meat and fruit appealed to gourmets looking for something off the beaten path. One reporter also chose to add some green sauce, which enhanced the pungency of the pork.
Los Gallos was our reporters’ favorite performance of the evening.
Oreo flavored waffles on a stick with a side of whipped cream. (Billy Penn/Lily Cohen)
Waffles and Desserts
The longest wait of the night was for a slightly different take on a classic sweet treat. When customers finally reached the front of the line, they could choose from Oreo, Fruity Pebble and Strawberry Shortcake flavored waffles on a stick. For the non-waffle lovers, warm donuts and apple chips were available.
The Oreo waffles were heavily dusted with chunks of the famous sandwich cookie, with dollops of whipped cream added for dipping. The desserts came out hot and crispy, and although they initially seemed overpriced, the execution made up for it. As the only dessert we tried, it managed to compete with the other delicious foods we tried.
Drunken Spaghetti Noodles mixed with Wagyu Beef and Spicy Garlic Basil Sauce. (Billy Penn/Lily Cohen)
Thai herb
A sign was attached to the front of Thaiherb’s food stall that read: “When it comes to exploring the vibrant and diverse food culture in Bangkok, Thailand, Thai street food stands out as a true culinary delight.”
One reporter can confirm that the drunken Spaghetti Wagyu beef with chili and garlic-basil sauce was a “real culinary delight”; the other only took one bite before their low spice tolerance kicked in. The most noticeable flavor was the spice, which was mainly found in the noodles. The sweetness was more subdued, but had a slightly stronger flavor for the Wagyu beef.
In Thai, the dish is known as ‘Pad Kee Mao’, and Under the Drunken Spaghetti claims it is one of the most popular street food dishes in Thailand.
Thaiherb’s menu gave customers some background on the selections offered. (Billy Penn/Lily Cohen)
The food festival was still teeming with people until closing time. Many lines still stretched to more than 10 people as attendees were eager to continue sampling Philly’s street food scene until 8 p.m.
The crowds took their toll, as in some places supplies ran low by the time the sun set. We were excited to try French toast from Big Daddy’s and water ice cream flavors from Dino’s Ice Cream. We left feeling satisfied, but a little disappointed we couldn’t try more. We are ready for next year.