La Chinesca

Philadelphia's only Mexicali restaurant, built inside a converted Jiffy Lube on Spring Garden Street and serving a menu inspired by the La Chinesca neighborhood of Mexicali, home to the largest Chinatown in Mexico. The kitchen splits its attention evenly between the two traditions: kung pao chicken wings, cold crab noodles in soy vinaigrette, and Szechuan peppercorn cucumbers share the menu with fish tacos dressed in poblano crema and pickled red onion. The cocktails are genuinely excellent, especially the margaritas, and the bright pink patio bar where the gas pumps used to be is one of the more memorable settings in the city.