The Indian store on 42nd and Chestnut (Rice & Spice) has a little restaurant inside it. It’s run by a Punjabi family.

I remember when this opened (and I think my parents know the family who owns it). They didn’t use to serve fast food, glad they expanded their offerings. But my favorite around Penn is the International Food Store’s samosas.

My desi friends who tried Mexican food for the first time really loved it…. I suppose the Mexican ladies must dig desi food too?

There’s also a desi truck on 38th and Walnut next to Pottruck gym across from Hunstman Hall. The food sucks ass. No self-respecting desi I know eats there.

I was in Penn for grad school, and here’s some info:

1. The Mexican food stall on Spruce b/w 37th and 38th sells channa kulchha – yes, they call it channa kulcha! The kulcha some variant of a thick-ish pita bread – nowhere close to authentic. But the channa is pretty good – spicy, and very, very desi. This is from a stall run by two Mexican ladies!!

2. The Indian store on 42nd and Chestnut (Rice & Spice) has a little restaurant inside it. It’s run by a Punjabi family. They make incredibly yummy stuffed parathas – alu, gobi, mooli. Be prepared to wait for at least half an hour before being served. Every time I’ve been there, it’s full of Indian undergrad kids. I unfortunately discovered it 3 months before I graduated, else I would have spent more time there!

DC does have a foodcart scene, but only between K street and the Hill, only on weekdays, only at lunchtime. Nothing like Philly or NYC it seems.