John’s Roast Pork (May 2014)

Couldn’t resist! Had to go back to an old favorite, namely John’s Roast Pork in Philadelphia. This is the best joint for a roast pork sandwich or a cheesesteak in Philadelphia. Be sure to following the signs when you arrive:

Follow the signs at John's Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

Follow the signs at John’s Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

And here’s a look at the many tasty options you’ll find inside:

The tasty options at John's Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

The tasty options at John’s Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

Inside you’ll find a line, but it moves fairly quickly as they people behind the counter crank out the culinary hits:

Inside John's Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

Inside John’s Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

I enjoy the cheesesteaks here as well as the roast pork. Hard to tell you which is best. This time I had a large roast pork and put some hot peppers on. It isn’t pretty, but it is tasty, as you see in the next photo:

Large roast pork sandwich at John's Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

Large roast pork sandwich at John’s Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

And if you don’t know where this place is, here’s a map to show you exactly:

Map showing location of John's Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

Map showing location of John’s Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

Easy to find. Bring a hearty appetite because there’s always plenty to eat!

La Porta (restaurant, 2014)

La Porta is a new find for me, a little place in the Philadelphia suburbs that I wish I had stumbled into sooner. The restaurant has a Media, PA address, and is located on Route 352 on the way to Edgemont. Not hard to find and exploring is half the fun. So, let’s talk about the food. Well, started with a couple of appetizers, one being this portabello mushroom topped with a fried egg that was a creative and tasty treat. Take a look:

"Portafoglio"… a crispy portobello mushroom with fried egge, sharp provolone, and caper butter.

“Portafoglio”… a crispy portobello mushroom with fried egge, sharp provolone, and caper butter.

Also had a delicious and varied chop salad with all my favorite ingredients including golden raisins, almonds, and more! Here it is:

Chopped salad with all the good stuff at La Porta, Media, PA.

Chopped salad with all the good stuff at La Porta, Media, PA.

Greens are good for you. Eat them often! Next we enjoyed a couple of entrees, one being this salmon over various greens:

Salmon over arugula and radicchio at La Porta.

Salmon over arugula and radicchio at La Porta.

Yes, that salmon was cooked perfectly. Then there was a pizza, which had to be tried because this place is known for pizza. Take a look:

Pizza special at La Porta, Media, PA.

Pizza special at La Porta, Media, PA.

This pizza was a special. It included caramelized onions, some exotic cheeses, and a great sauce. AND, it was baked to absolute perfection with just a touch of char on the bottom. Really, some of the best pizza I’ve had in a decade. Here’s the menu for a look at the selections and prices:

Current menu (spring 2014) at La Porta, Media, PA.

Current menu (spring 2014) at La Porta, Media, PA.

La Porta is worth your visit. Service is good, wine selection plentiful, and the food terrific. If you’re in the area, give it a try, or make the journey. Enjoy every meal!

Don Jacinto Restaurant, Aruba

Don Jacinto is a Colombian restaurant located in Oranjestaad, Aruba. The place serves all your favorite Colombian dishes in an air-conditioned environment. They do a busy lunch trade, so plan accordingly.

Don Jacinto Restaurant, Aruba.

Don Jacinto Restaurant, Aruba.

I enjoyed lunch here recently. Ordering a couple of favorites to test the quality of the food. First, here’s a quick look at the seating area:

Main dining room at Don Jacinto, Aruba.

Main dining room at Don Jacinto, Aruba.

Plenty of tables for groups large and small. Good service, too. Now, here’s a look at the grouper filet with sides of rice and potato.

Grouper filet at Don Jacinto, Aruba.

Grouper filet at Don Jacinto, Aruba.

Fish was perfectly prepared and that potato on the side is boiled with an onion flavor that really was clever and delicious. Next, you see their version of the bandeja paisa platter:

Bandeja paisa platter at Don Jacinto, Aruba.

Bandeja paisa platter at Don Jacinto, Aruba.

This version of the platter was slightly different from what I’m used to. Instead of a steak, it was shredded beef in the upper center of the tray. Also, the beans were on the plate instead of in a separate bowl to the side. It was all quite tasty, however, and went down well with the local hot sauce. Finally, here’s a look at a page from the menu for a look at some other dishes and current prices (February 2014):

Menu at Don Jacinto, Aruba.

Menu at Don Jacinto, Aruba.

If you’re on the island of Aruba, this may be an easy stop with reasonable prices and decent food as well as something different. Enjoy every meal.

Fiddler Crab, Aruba

This fiddler crab showed up next to my shack in Aruba.

Fiddler crab as seen in Aruba.

Fiddler crab as seen in Aruba.

Kind of crazy looking creature, with that one giant claw and the smaller other one. Good size this one was. No doubt he finds plenty to eat in the environs close to the sea here in Savaneta. Biggest danger to him are cars passing on the road.

Published in: on February 27, 2014 at 1:10 pm  Leave a Comment  
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