Trader Joes's

Not a restaurant, but we'll mention Joe's anyway. TJ's is a national chain of gourmet food stores with extemely reasonable prices. In Philadelphia, they're located at 19th & Market, with suburban stores in Pennsylvania (Wayne, Abington and Media) and South Jersey (Marlton). Mosy items in the store are Trader Joes's private label products, so there's little or no markup.

I went to a TJ's in La Jolla about 20 years ago and foolishly never went back, having peeked in the front door and not going into the store. D'oh! My TJ-virginity was taken care of in Baileys Crossroads, VA, about 8 years ago.

Most of my meals this weekend came from TJ's Media - lemongrass chicken spring rolls, mandarin orange chicken, tabula rasa pizza crust (awesome by itself with some brushed olive oil, or with shrimp and alfredo sauce as I prepared it).

Well worth the trip.

-P