June 05, 2015
Dunking just about anything into a deep fryer is a mysterious experiment that usually pays dividends, rendering already delicious foods that much more blissful to inhale. True, it's not the most artery friendly way to prepare a meal, but on occasion there's nothing wrong with indulging and living a little. Here are some great deep fried dishes served up by Philadelphia restaurants.
2052 S. Beechwood Street
Since the 1970s, South Philly's Florida Style Pizza has treated patrons to its inside out pizza, a cross between a calzone and an empanada that will make you forget about the Hot Pockets in your freezer for another forty-odd years. The cheese and marinara filling can be custom ordered with pepperoni, ground beef, broccoli, mushrooms, and other add-ons.
604 South Street
Serpico was surrounded by plenty of tasty competition when it opened two years ago, so it took creative ideas like this to lure what has become a loyal following. A deep fried, deboned duck leg is seasoned with honey and hoisin. Served on a Martin's potato roll, the sandwich brings together the best of the crispiness and juiciness that make deep frying an art.
1050 N. Hancock Street #57
PYT in Northern Liberties isn't afraid to get funky in the kitchen. The deep-fried Twinkie burger is just one of many deep fried varieties on the menu, including a recently debuted Cocoa Crispies Chicken Burger and a Pizza & Wings Burger that utilizes deep fried Ellio's pizza for buns. The burger joint in the Piazza has found its way into the national spotlight, too, with a new episode on the Travel Channel's "Man Finds Food."
32 South 18th Street
Not all deep fried foods have to be unhealthy. Hai Street Kitchen's sushi burritos are a flash-fried wonder, with sticky rice and nori wrapped around a selection of fresh ingredients that make for a perfect lunch. Add a sauce to make things extra spicy and sweet.
4201 Ridge Avenue
No list of deep fried foods would be complete without ice cream. If you're going out to have Mexican food, you might as well top things off with a few crispy, deep fried dollops of ice cream. Johnny Manana's has you covered for the full experience.
Deep fried ice cream (Creative Stock/AP Photo)
1509 Mifflin Street
Sure, you can always rely on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when you're stuck at home and need a quick fix, but there's nothing silly about ordering South Philadelphia Tap Room's deep fried twist on the childhood staple. Your great sandwich will even be breaded with Frosted Flakes. Also on the menu: deep-fried bread pudding French toast.
