Carl "McFrankenstuff" F.'s Profile

Been here twice...

The coffee was very average.

The second time that I went, I just wanted to throw it out due to a lingering unpleasant taste in my mouth. But at $2.50 for a large coffee, I figured I should at least finish the damn thing.

I also figured for that price that it would make me hallucinate or something, but nothing happened.

The food options seem limited, but they definitely offer a variety of bagels and pastries.

Spacious...Gorgeous floors...Lots of tables and chairs...But, the coffee problem is huge.

A 90-minute wait on a Saturday night. They give you a plastic device that vibrates when your table is ready.

Luckily, or unfortunately, the joint is attached to the mall, allowing you to wander to Sbarro's for a quick slice to hold you over on your wait. Or, you could go to Circuit City and check out some liquidation sales. The choice is yours.

We went to Ruby Tuesday's for some drinks.

The lobby outside of the Cheesecake Factory is kind've like the airport when there's a delayed flight. Bodies lying on the ground and looking around in despair, just hoping their plastic stick vibrates soon.

Once we got our table, you are treated promptly with an excitable waitstaff. We had Kevin, or Dan, or Jimmy -- I forget his name. Helluva waiter though, especially since he had to deal with my lame jokes.

I can't recall the decor there, other than the lavish glass light fixtures. It's quite dark in there, but the waitstaff are all dressed in white like ghosts.

There is a miniscule bar, and if you're fortunate enough to get a spot you can chill out and watch sports in HD.

The bathrooms are delightful. Definitely try it out.

They serve butter with your bread. I prefer oil, but sometimes you just have to take one for the team.

I got the Thai Chicken Pasta, and even though it's not a Thai restaurant, it was surprisingly averagely decent.

The service is fast and the entrees arrive all at the same time and extremely hot. The portions are quite large. You may be walking around with a dainty doggy-bag aftewards, so be forewarned.

Loads of Cheesecake options for dessert. If you like a Snicker's bar crumpled up into a cheesecake, they got it. Oreos? No problem...Huge thick-ass slices.

Long story short, if you have 3 hours to kill and like to amble about the mall aimlessly in doubt as to whether you'll actually get your table, then this is the place for you. If you want a quick bite to eat, I suggest the Food Court.

Hell yeah...We stopped in here while walking by for their $11.95 all-you-can-eat buffet lunch. It was delicious!...And if you're a vegetarian, you'll dig this place as there are many options...But I'm not, so I had ample portions of lamb and chicken...You'll get your money's worth here at the buffet if you come hungry and just drink water...Quick responsive staff as well...DO IT...There are bigger tables in the back if you want to have a birthday dinner...plus a bar for drinkies...

I had no idea this place was even in the works, so to find out a new kickass bar had been added within biking distance to my house, I was anxious to check it out.

First of all, nice size! It's bigger inside than it looks outside. And the exterior is well worth checking out, especially in the daytime.. Gold trim window ledges, new maroon paint job, and funky logo / signage too.

Inside, there's a long bar, lots of tables and various seating options. Different tiered / leveled rooms, funky decor, dim lit a la Johnny Brendas, but definitely with its own distinct style. Good music with a digital jukebox...Varied local brews on tap. No food as of yet, but I'm not sure what the future holds. There's also a large flat-screen TV in one of the bar corners for Phillies action.

Their MySpace page currently (as of 9/21/08) has the wrong street address. It's actually on Front Street, not Frankford.

The dude bathroom, "Ballz", is brand new and you won't mind spending some time in there!...

I've only been to Hummus once so far. It was a welcome addition to my lunch rotation, as I work in the area.

I settled for the Chicken Kabob Platter. The portions were ample, but I felt the chicken was a bit rubbery.

The Falafel Sandwich looked like a better bet, and at only $8 it's cheap and will fill you up.

I wonder if the Rami Falafel truck down the street feels threatened by Hummus? We shall see.

Hummus is a lot larger inside than it looks, and is all new construction, I believe. It at least smells like it.

I had some Mango bottled drink there that I forget the name of. It was sweet and hit the spot. I recommend that for now.

The way it works is, you order the food and they bring it out to you on a tray. No wait staff.

The place does take out, and you can sit outside if you care to look at the construction going on as well as the homeless people sitting at the McDonald's next to it.

I had the special Seitan Burger, just to be a little healthy and just wasn't craving the red meat that night. Very sweet and tangy and filling. But I had a sweet tooth and also got a vanilla shake which really hit the spot. I also had a pina colado Sobe Iced tea. Damn.

This place is quaint, filled with colorful walls and chalkboards for doodling and making your mark. A great place to have a quick burger-based dinner with some cheese-puffs, which come with your burger...You can opt to have your burger on a salad instead of a bun if you're on the Atkins...or just hate buns. But who can resist good buns?

I don't recall any signage out front at all, but maybe I just missed it. Not sure about that one. It's across from Canvas, so look for that if you're lost.

I had dinner at Cantina Dos Segundos late on a Thursday night and it was quite packed. We didn't have to wait for a table, but it seemed to be getting to that point...

I hung at the bar for a bit, and was told by the bartender that many of the drinks on the current drink menu were getting tossed by the wayside due to them tasting awful. He said some of them were too experimental and weren't enjoyable at all...But there are loads of others on there to choose from, and more to come.

Right away, you may be confused by the menu. The text is just not ideally layed out, and you're not sure what you're getting with each meal. But our waitress for very nice and explained it perfectly too us.

I had the chicken chimichanga, which was excellent and moderately priced...Very tasty with some nice side veggies. If you're vegetarian, you'll dig the many options Cantina Dos Segundos has to offer.

The lighting is dim, the decor is festive, and the ambiance is loud. Don't expect to have quiet delicate conversations here at dinner. But it goes along with the neighboring feel of Standard Tap.

I had the "Kadai Chicken" for $8.25. This comes with rice, mango chutney, raita, mint chutney, and pickles, as well as a "chef accompaniment of the day"...Very spicy, but so good. Also had some Rosemary Naan for an all out carb explosion...Plump juicy chicken. Mmmm...

Etka was just what the doctor ordered...I had it delivered and it comes with the plastic containers labeled, so there's no messing stuff up with big orders. If you like Tiffin, you'll most likely dig this place.

I've only had 4 professional massages in my life, and 3 of them were at Terme Di Aroma. Why I waited until my 30s to get one? I don't know, but, dudes, you should get one.

I've had the Hot Stone Swedish Massage and the Deep Tissue Massage. Both were an absolute pleasure and left me feeling as if I was floating in space. The aroma, lighting, and  music of each room is geared towards utter relaxation.

It's also very quiet in the rooms, and you won't hear anything from the hallways or neighboring spa rooms. This is a big problem at other places, from what I hear.

It can be little on the pricier side, but do it! Give it a shot.

Good strong coffee! That's all I've had to drink there.

You will find it very hard to resist the urge to buy a pastry the size of your head at the counter. They have an ever-changing display of dank sweets...

I usually just get a bagel with one of their various spreads and go to town on reading the news when I'm there.

I'm not very social early in the a.m. until my 2nd coffee!...Some tables outside make it a cool place to eat in some fresh air and watch the trolley go by.

Friendly service and loads of food & drink options.