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By Donna Ward

This very casual and informal bistro, located at 7980 Oxford Ave., serves both American and German cuisine. The Blue Ox is a wonderful restaurant and bar, which has been changed and revamped over the past century to provide good quality service with excellent food. Established back before the turn of the twentieth century, the Blue Ox has become a landmark that attracts visitors from all over Philadelphia. continue reading »

By Shannon McDonald

Here’s a summary of the week’s Northeast news we didn’t cover. See others here.

Two teens were arrested Wednesday for stealing corpses from a crypt in Wissinoming’s North Cedar Hill Cemetery. Hector Cruz, 19, and his 17-year-old brother, whose name is being withheld, stole bones from a mausoleum, which housed a family of six burried between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The brothers took the bones of three adults and one baby to a lot near their home in Kensington. When discovered by police, the teens said they stole the bones to sell to a man who was willing to pay $800 per skull. It is believed the man intended to use the skulls in a cult practice. The bones will be examined and re-interred. continue reading »

A mediocre Indian cuisine restaurant located at 9321 Krewstown Road within the Krewstown Shopping Center, Kashmir Garden is a spacious, dark restaurant that is open for lunch, dinner and takeout.  There is plenty of parking in the shopping center lot, so finding a place to park was no trouble.  The décor looked authentic, but a bit strewn around.  The tables were kept clean, as was the silverware and flatware.  Kashmir Garden is a very casual restaurant that offers friendly service. continue reading »

This quaint little eatery is located at 7933 Bustleton Avenue (between Borbeck and Loney).  A very small, plain restaurant with a continental food variety that is open for lunch and dinner. Parking is difficult as it is usually on the street or in the small lot out front of the restaurant, which is located in a tiny strip mall. continue reading »

By Donna Ward

China Buddha Inn is located within Franklin Mills Mall at 1920 Franklin Mills Drive. I know what you’re thinking: “a mall restaurant.” But China Buddha was full of non-mall surprises. True, China Buddha is a better takeout place than eat-in restaurant, but if you are shopping at Franklin Mills and looking for something other than your typical mall food court, China Buddha provides efficient service with tasty food.

Since the restaurant is located within Franklin Mills Mall there is no trouble finding parking spaces despite the crowds. When you enter China Buddha, the décor is as warm and inviting as the hostess and servers. Keeping with the name of the restaurant, there are Buddha statutes in strategic places ornamenting the walls throughout the establishment. The tables are kept relatively clean, as is the silverware and flatware. I was served promptly and my meal arrived in a timely fashion while still warm.

Keep reading to find out what Donna ordered. continue reading »

A delightful Portuguese-American restaurant and bar located at 8026 Bustleton Avenue in Rhawnhurst,  Mediterranean 2000 offers a dining experience in a pleasantly casual intimate setting that is good for couples and small parties.  Mediterranean 2000 is also available for banquets with prior notice and has a splendid catering service.  The menu may vary for catering and banquets depending on the amount of people and discusses between customers with management.

Established in 2000, Mediterranean 2000 has become a popular dining place for NEasters.  The bar area offers karaoke every Monday evening, and various DJs come in periodically throughout the week and weekends.  The bar is very relaxed and comfortable, with an array of mixed drinks, as well as old favorites.  The bar and glasses are kept clean, as is the floor.  Open seven days a week until 2:00 a.m., Mediterranean 2000 has become a regular haunt for some. continue reading »

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By Donna Ward

This cross of Japanese and Chinese food restaurant is located in the Roosevelt Mall at 2117 Cottman Avenue. Jannie’s seeks to accommodate the public with take-out, as well as being open seven days a week for both lunch and dinner.  There is plenty of parking in the spacious lot out front, as Jannie’s is located in a mall.

I was seated promptly, and a friendly waitress hurried over to my table shortly after my arrival.  The tables were covered with white clothes, which appeared to be removed after each seating.  The silverware and plates were clean, as were the glasses.  Jannie’s is a casual environment that offers a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere for its diners.  It even has a small teapot and cups that the staff brings over to your table when you are ready to order.  The tea was very warm and always kept full, although the flavor was kind of flat.  The food was served warm and punctually upon ordering.

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By Donna Ward

Where can you go in Northeast Philadelphia for a great Brazilian steakhouse? Picanha! Located at 6501 Castor Avenue, Picanha is open seven days a week from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and offers a wonderful buffet and array of Brazilian foods. Having been open for about two years, Picanha has seen a steady increase in clientele and many returning diners for this $21.99 per person feast. At this all-you-can-eat buffet and steakhouse, you are sure to leave satiated and content.

Picanha offers a very lax and informal dining experience. The restaurant is kept relatively clean, and the food is warm on most counts. The décor could use a little help, as it looks a bit aged but overall not tacky. Parking is not always easy to find, as it is usually on the street. The staff seemed friendly, and many could speak Portuguese fluently. continue reading »

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By Donna Ward

Travel around the world in your own neighborhood! Uzbekistan is a lively Russian restaurant located at 12012 Bustleton Ave. in Somerton and opened directly across from the old Uzbekistan about a year ago. Uzbekistan is named after a province of the former Soviet Union.

For a stylish, upscale evening out where the food seems endless and the dinner more of a party, Uzbekistan is a wonderful restaurant with delicious food and a vibrant atmosphere. From the moment you pull into the parking lot, which provides ample spaces for the usually crowded venue, you feel as though you have stepped into another world.

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Gallo’s was first established in 1970 on Frankford Avenue as a take-out place and was relocated in 1983 to its present location at 8101 Roosevelt Boulevard on Pennypack Circle. Gallo’s can now seat about 340 patrons and also offers a banquet room for special occasions. Frank and Diane Galloway, who are the original owners, still operate the business to this day and pride themselves on quality fresh food that always tastes delightful.

There is no trouble finding parking in the lot, even though Gallo’s is usually very crowded. From the moment you enter the restaurant, you feel a warm welcome from the friendly host who is there to greet you. You can choose to dine in the restaurant, which suggests casual comfortable dining, or in the bar area for a more sports tavern atmosphere.

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