PHL - Dinner tonight, any good new places near 5th and South?

[Buckethead]

Hi all:

I am in need of a dinner rec near 5th and South tonight. Is there anything new and interesting in the area, or perhaps an old gem I've never been to? Cuisine is not so important, walkability is, say within a 4 block radius or so. Bistrot La Minnette is out, reports I've read suggest the prices are out of line. Obviously with today being Monday, some places will likely be closed.

Here's where I've been in the immediate vicinity:

Ansill
Gayle
Southwark
Famous 4th St.
Shouk
Horizons
Chick's
Supper
Alyan's
James
Hikaru
Cedars
Mustard Greens
Las Bugambilias
Xochitl
Coquette
Cochon
That little Italian place next to Overtures
Overtures
Zot

Little Fish was one place that occurred to me, but I was thinking that I'd rather give them a try on Sunday and get the prix fixe.

[white174]

I love Tamarind on 2nd and South. Their Thai food is excellent. It is right next to Pietro's.

[Bob Loblaw]

2nd tamarind, although some dishes are much better than others.
i also like fez - N. African, across the street from Hikaru.

[Buckethead]

I think I'm leaning towards Tamarind, which dishes do you like there?

[Bob Loblaw]

ugh... i don't remember at all! when i posted my last comment i was worried someone would ask.
i think that the first time it was just roast duck. we got two things, one that sounded amazing and one that sounded very basic. it was the more basic one that we really liked, and i'm pretty sure it was duck.
one of my trips was long enough ago that i don't feel bad about having forgotten. the other i should remember, it was only a few months ago, but for the life of me i can't remember what we ordered.

[Buckethead]

I did give it a try last night, as you said, some dishes were much better than others. Specifically, my pad kee mao was much better than my wife's green curry, which was a totally weak dish. Neither was better than our favorite place for this style of food, Cafe de Laos.

[rabidog]

you said the magic words.

is pad kee mao ever bad?? that's the standard i judge all thai places by, and one of my favorite dishes ever!!! i have eaten it at every thai restaurant in philly and surrounding suburbs (that i know of) with the exception of four: my thai, chabaa thai, nan restaurant, which i have not yet been to, and siam lotus, who for some reason doesn't carry it. the BEST pad kee mao came from that upscale thai place at 26th and brown whose name is escaping me, primarily because they add egg to it! second fave is erawan (erawan noodles are actually very similar and tastier than the drunken noodles also offered), and third fave is cafe de laos. the rest all tend to fall into my TGIThaidays category, which i think explains itself but let me know if i am wrong. :)

[scargosun]

Ansill is wonderfull and Gayle is high on my list to try.

[urbanfabric]

Sabrina's (a little further)?
Royal Tavern?
Beau Monde?
That Italian place across from Cochon?
The place that replaced Molacajete Mixto (I think I butchered that spelling)?

[Buckethead]

I've been to the first three, but not the other two. Have you? I was a fan of Molcajete Mixto but haven't heard much about the new place. Ditto the place across from Cochon (Trattoria Costeria, I think it's called?)

[Hardart]

Two thoughts not on that list: Snockey's and New Wave Cafe, the latter of which isn't what it was when McNamara was there, but ain't bad. (Also, obvs, Dmitri's.)

[Buckethead]

Sorry, I knew I'd forget a few places: we've been to Dmitri's and New Wave. Is that Ben McNamara? Where is he now?

edit: Oops nevermind, I see he's at St. Stephen's Green.

[saturninus]

horizons is at the top of my list.