Western suburbs catching up on Mexican

Here is an excerpt from Craig LaBan's online chat:

Reader: Do you agree that there is a dearth of good Mexican restaurants in the western suburbs (esp. the Main Line)? Have you heard about the two new Mexican places about to open in Wayne?

C.L.: Wayne is getting two new places, Matador and Xilantro. I'm most intrigued by Xilantro, owned by the folks behind El Sarape, which I've heard good things about. The Fort Washington folks are hoping to get happy with Cantina Feliz, the forthcoming nuevo mex from ex-Garces hand Tim Spinner. So I'd say the burbs are catching up quick on Mexican. . . . Of course, if you count the mushroom-country taquerias (El Sombrero and Taqueria Moroleon) in Avondale and Kennett Square then there's been good Mexican all along - you just haven't been traveling far enough west. While you're out there, stop by Va La vineyards in Avondale to taste one of PA's most intriguing (and surprisingly high-end) wineries.

Reader: I recently moved to Langhorne and am disappointed with the food scene there - mostly bland-ish American/pub fare. I know that New Hope is a fun place to eat, but do you have any suggestions for us closer to Langhorne or do you know of anything in the works? We are very adventurous eaters.

C.L.: Langhorne is a mysterious place when it comes to good food, unless you don't mind the vendors at Sesame Place. Your best bets are in Yardley (been hearing good things about Charcoal BYOB) or Newtown, where there's Rouget (for refined French at night) and Oishi for sushi-fusion. I'm sure there are others, but those are solid.

Reader: I'm originally from the South and have for a long time tried to find a BBQ place that does true southern BBQ to no avail, until I tried Jimmy's BBQ in Frazer. This place serves great southern style BBQ and has an authentic southern menu, right down to the smoked bacon appetizer. This would be a great suburban place to review.

C.L.: Thanks very much for the Jimmy's suggestion; you're not the first to mention it, so I should probably make it a point to get out there soon. Good BBQ, as we all know, is scarce around here.

Reader: I am a longtime reader and a big fan. First time posting here! 2 quick comments: 1. I'm Chinese and have lived in Asia for several years. One of the best Chinese restaurants in the area is Four Rivers. Not to be missed: Hot oil with wonton, dan dan noodles, authentic beef noodles, 3-cup chicken, and lions head meatball. Just like what you'd get in Taiwan/China 2. One of my favorite dishes in the city: the roasted suckling pig special at Osteria, savory, juicy, and tender. Simple dish done perfectly!

C.L.: Welcome! I've enjoyed Four Rivers myself, including the dishes you mention. It's not much for ambience (then again, that might raise suspicions of pretense in Chinatown), but I think they do a nice job of serving authentic flavors - especially Sichuan dishes. I'm not sure I prefer it Szechuan Tasty, Sakura, or (certainly not) Han Dynasty, but I'd like to experience it at night to get the full effect.

Reader: What did you think of Beer Heaven (1100 S. Columbus Blvd.)? Worth a trip out of Center City?

C.L.: It's brand new, so it has that "not quite yet ready" feeling. Still, already at least a few hundred craft brews in the fridges. Good stuff from around the world, but nothing different from what you can get in a dozen other bottle stores. Also, the prices struck me as slightly high. We'll be hitting a happy moment soon when these markets have so saturated the region, that they'll exist less as destinations than to serve a neighborhood, and this area, as far as I can tell, didn't have a good beer store yet. Other plus? There's parking!

Reader: My daughters have gotten very into hibachi restaurants - it's an entertaining way to spend a meal, though I find the food and chef patter to be pretty identical from place to place. Do any in the region stand out?

C.L.: For a long time, every hibachi chef scared my kids. The good thing about the repetition? They eventually learned when to duck under the counter to avoid the smoke and flames. Unfortunately, the answer to your question is a resounding "NO." They are all formulaic; most use lame ingredients. The general lack of effort and imagination in this genre is a shame. There's so much potential for something original.

Reader: Just came back from NYC, Had the best donuts ever at Donut Plant. Do you know of any bakery around philly that even comes close?

C.L.: Haven't been to Donut Plant yet. I'm stuck on the freakies at Brown's, but that's in Ocean City. One place worth giving a try in West Philly: Crispy Sweetie's at 434 S. 52d St., right beside Black Oak Park. It's a funny combo of a bulletproof window convenience store/artisan donut-kettle corn shop. I thought they were pretty good when I tasted them one afternoon, but a friend who's eaten them fresh in the morning says they are the donut bomb.