It wasn’t long ago that the corner pizza joint passed for Harrisburg’s best idea in “international cuisine.” No longer. In recent years, numerous restaurants have opened catering to a wide variety of worldly tastes—from Asian to Latin to African food and beyond.
So, take a trip around the world with us, far away from Pennsylvania’s standard meat and potatoes. And you won’t even have to get your passport stamped.
Pho Kim’s
They say your first love stays with you. It’s true with food, too. Vietnamese cuisine was one of my first food adventures. Ever since, it’s my favorite.
Many people have heard of phở (pronounced “fuh”) as it becomes more popular across the United States. Phở is a beef-based soup with distinct flavors of cloves, star anise and cardamom. Accoutrements such as bean sprouts, fresh basil, cilantro and lime wedges make it extra special.
If you’re not in the mood for phở, try one of my favorites—vermicelli noodles. This dish comes in a bowl of noodles, veggies, meat (usually pork) and cut up egg rolls. Then you mix it all together. It’s served with fish sauce, and I also like to add Sriracha and hoisin sauce.
Phở, bánh mì, bún bò huế and vermicelli noodles are just a few of the delicious items on the menu at Pho Kim’s. If it’s your first time, don’t be intimidated by the menu. The Vietnamese names come with descriptions in English. If you’re nervous, try ordering phở ga (basically chicken soup) and some egg rolls to start. The next time you can try something a little bit different. Make it an adventure—food should be fun!
Pho Kim’s is located at 5490 Derry St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.phokimharrisburg.com.
Suba Tapas Bar
Suba welcomes you to a taste of Spain with this staple of Latin gastronomy—tapas.
Also known as small plates, tapas are sharable dishes meant for a group to enjoy. Along the way, they’ve turned into appetizers or snacks, but they have Spanish origin.
“Food represents who we are, where we come from and what happened to us along the way,” said co-owner Staci Basore. “Food allows us to maintain our cultural identity and, more importantly, to share that identity.”
Located above Mangia Qui and owned by Basore, Rosemarie (Qui Qui) Musarra, and Elide Hower, the colorful space upstairs is intimate and inviting.
And the food, which pulls inspiration from Latin American cuisine, is delicious. In addition to the extensive tapas menu, Suba offers four types of specialty tacos, which are to die for. If you’ve never had homemade, stoneground corn tortillas, you must try them. They’ll make you forget all about Old El Paso.
Suba also has made its way into many hearts by mixing up some of the best craft cocktails around. Be sure to try the Caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil (Hower’s homeland), the mojito, a favorite of TheBurg’s editor-in-chief, or one of the many creative seasonal drinks.
Suba is located at 272 North St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.mangiaqui.com/suba.
Korealicious
The next stop on our map isn’t technically in Harrisburg, but it’s close enough. Lemoyne’s Korealicious offers a fusion menu of Korean burgers, tacos and burritos, as well as the traditional bimimbap (rice bowl), bulgogi (slices of beef or pork) and japchae (sweet potato noodles).
Bibimbap translates to “mixed rice.” The dish usually comes with meat and an egg on top, finished with red chili sauce. It’s served with another must-try item, kimchi, a type of fermented cabbage like sauerkraut.
The server brought my bibimbap out in a sizzling hot stone pot. This enticed all five of my senses. There were three little bowls next to the main dish: kimchi, radishes and cucumbers. Using my chopsticks, I mixed the bowl together and dove in. I loved the combination of flavors, and each bite offered me something new. Originally spicy, bibimbap can be adjusted for any level of heat tolerance.
Korealicious is located at 829 State St., Lemoyne. For more information, visit www.korealiciousfusion.com.
Los Tres Cubanos
Los Tres Cubanos could be translated to mean “The Three Cubans,” but the owners’ motto is probably a better version: “Three times the Cubans means three times the flavor and fun!”
Owned by three physicians of Cuban descent, this restaurant in historic Shipoke features classic Cuban fare. The tostones rellenos appetizer, picadillo (ground beef and tomato stew) in a shell made of plantains, is a must-get. For the main course, I suggest the classic dish of lechon asado (roast pork) with moros y cristianos (rice cooked with beans). The succulent pork and beans will melt in your mouth. To finish, you can’t go wrong with the pastelito (puff pastry filled with guava and cream cheese), which will have you asking for más!
This quaint eatery has a classic décor of wood and brick that creates the perfect ambiance for a romantic evening out or a night on the town with good friends. They are only open for dinner (4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday), and reservations are encouraged—which is a good thing because space is limited.
Los Tres Cubanos is located at 540 Race St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit lostrescubanos.com.
2nd St. Shawarma
I always experiment when looking for lunch spots, which led me inside the bright, green walls of 2nd St. Shawarma.
The garlic hummus was the best hummus I’ve ever had—no joke. Maybe that’s because this Mediterranean restaurant prepares everything from scratch.
“The freshest ingredients make the best food,” said owner Mustafa Thabata.
My go-to lunch meal is the mixed grill plate. This time, I ordered it with a skewer of shish kabob, shish kafta (charbroiled ground meat) and shish tawook (charbroiled chicken breast) served over rice and vegetables. The meat was tender. The ginger on the rice and veggies gave a nice contrast to the meat’s seasonings.
As a side, I tried baba ghannouj, which had a nice, smoky flavor. The pealed eggplant dish had a consistency that reminded me of hummus.
Thabata encouraged me in my hunt for international eats.
“Everyone should diversify themselves in every way possible, especially pertaining to food,” he said.
I couldn’t agree more.
2nd St. Shawarma is located at 316 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit the Facebook page.
The Broad Street Market
Our international culinary tour wouldn’t be complete without the Broad Street Market, where you can travel around the world going from stand to stand. The market offers Indian, Greek, Korean, Jamaican, Polish and West African food—and that’s just in the stone building.
“One loop around the stone building is a near circle around the globe in cuisine,” said Market Manager Beth Taylor.
With so many options, I suggest bringing family and friends along to share the best of each vendor. Grab some Puerto Rican beef-stuffed plantains at Ougi’s Cocina, pick up Jamaican oxtail and coconut bread from Porter’s House and round it off with Greek handmade pork souvlaki wrapped in pita bread at Phyllo. There’s plenty of tables and chairs inside, or take your delicious food outside to the courtyard.
Though its regional offerings hit closer to home, the brick building is another must-visit on your trip to one of the oldest indoor farmers market in the country.
“The Broad Street Market is special for so many reasons,” Taylor said. “The most beautiful thing to me is all those people come together every week and cook for one another, support one another and break bread together.”
The Broad Street Market is located at 1233 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.broadstreetmarket.org.
Author: Carissa Bannister Kauwell
