The best things we ate this week

When I tried and failed to get a seat at the ultra-popular and ultra-romantic walk-ins-only bar below Friday Saturday Sunday, I didn’t take it personally. Arriving at 5:05pm on a weekend left me standing for over an hour — and hungry. My dining partner was all but ready to grab a deli sandwich up the street because the waiting game brought out my competitive side, but I insisted we order something even if we had to crouch over the rail to eat it.

Fortunately, the staff plates dishes intentionally to fit on the tiny counter. Even more fortunately, the wait was worth it. I’m a big fan of octopus, and I’ve eaten quite a lot of it in various places, but never like this: crispy and tender tentacles combined with beans and a warm pork broth made all the better by the cold weather. It was so satisfying that I’ll probably be back to try my luck again; I’ll just make sure I eat a big lunch first. The Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday, 261 S 21st St. 215-546-4232, fridaysaturdaysunday.com

— Rosa Cartagena

I usually have Jollof rice in mind when I head to Lè Mandigue on Woodland Avenue in Southwest Philly’s bustling Africatown, where I especially enjoy a big aluminum pan of the iconic rice dish topped with bony hunks of grilled lamb dibi fresh off the grill. It was as delicious as ever at my most recent visit to chef-owner Fanta Fofana’s West African take-out kitchen.

But the real star this time was a container of Fofana’s stewed sweet potato greens. Unlike white potato greens, which are toxic, greens from the sweet potato plant are cherished across West Africa— especially in Fofana’s native Liberia, where the plants are revered as nutritious staple dish. (High in iron and fiber, they’re used to help reduce fever, Fofana said.) Rich red palm oil is most commonly used to sauté the greens in Liberia’s small villages, according to Fofana, while city chefs tend towards more neutral white oils.

Fofana strikes a compromise by blending the two. She also pulls no punches when it comes to adding flavor from chile spice and mixed proteins, like the rustic savor of smoked turkey and hunks of chicken and beef. While the greens are luxuriously soft when cooked, they also have a remarkable ability to absorb and magnify every ounce of bold flavor in their tender leaves. With a side of rice, it’s a powerhouse meal on its own. Lè Mandigue, 6620 Woodland Ave., 215-726-0543, lemandinguephilly.com

— Craig LaBan

The version of arancini that went on Fiorella’s menu last month is nothing short of miraculous. A shatteringly crunchy shell is filled with a maitake and black trumpet mushroom-laced risotto and then topped with a veritable avalanche of shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.But what makes these arancini unique are its two accompanying sauces: a gruyere fondue and an incredible salsa verde that’s akin to a chimichurri, blending chive and parsley with pickled shimeji mushroom liquid, olive oil, and red chili flakes. It’s savory, fresh, and wonderfully herbaceous. Fiorella, 817 Christian St., 215-305-9222, fiorellaphilly.com

— Kiki Aranita

When I mentioned at a recent team meeting that I was going to be in Cape May for a forthcoming story, Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan immediately suggested I stop at El Pueblo Taqueria. Andwhen LaBan suggests you go somewhere for lunch, you go there for lunch — especially if it’s taco Tuesday and he suggests a taqueria, and even if you planned on having tacos for dinner at home that night, too.

I was surprised to find El Pueblo in a small strip mall and equally surprised to find a shore restaurant busy at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday in March. Most of the customers appeared to be regulars that cycled through placing and picking up take-out orders.

Tacos come four to an order with the option of mixing meats. I went with the al pastor (spicy pork and pineapple) and the campechanos, a mix of chorizo, steak, and pork chicharrones. They were served in homemade flour tortillas that were so soft and fluffy I just wanted to cuddle up in them. The tacos burst with flavor and meat, so much so I had to take half of them home. I’m still dreaming about the homemade salsa verde that was so good I asked for a to-go container of it too. El Pueblo Taqueria, 3704 Bayshore Rd, North Cape May, N.J., 609-600-3793, elpueblotaqueria.com

— Stephanie Farr