The best things we ate this week

Great takeout doesn’t always sit on the main drag. Sometimes, it hides where your GPS seems ready to give up — like at Sum Pig, which is tucked into the old Fort Washington train station’s ticket office at the end of a driveway behind an aesthetician’s office off Bethlehem Pike. Over the years, the space has housed a coffee shop and a bistro, but Jessica Iannuzzi and Stephen Koste refashioned it into a kitchen for their Sum Pig food truck in the early days of the pandemic. Here, they use a takeout window to dispense their cheesesteaks, roast pork, and smoked meats.

You can’t go wrong with any of their sandwiches, but I’m here to praise the hoagie they call the Raphael — the lighter, Italian-deli counterpoint to Sum Pig’s more indulgent identity. It layers hot soppressata, fresh mozzarella, arugula, tomato, and olive oil on a light Corropolese Bakery roll for a sandwich that’s sharper, fresher, and more peppery than gooey or overstuffed. Sum Pig, 429 S. Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-720-1224, eatsumpig.com

– Michael Klein

Chef Eli Collins has been working on his cassoulet for more than two decades since his days running Daniel Boulud’s brasserie kitchen at DBGB in Lower Manhattan. So it’s no surprise that he won a prize for his traditional take on the classic Languedoc meat and bean casserole at the D’Artagnan’s Cassoulet Wars competition in February. You really have to taste it to understand why it’s so superb.

A.kitchen’s standard cassoulet might appear somewhat petit at first glance, especially for $40. Its plate-sized cast iron crock is covered almost entirely by the width of a single duck leg confit. But lift that tender thigh (all while stripping every morsel of its salt-cured, fat-simmered flesh), and discover a labor-intensive array of impressive charcuterie tucked underneath, including three separate sausages: a link of coarse-ground saucisse de Toulouse seasoned with black pepper and garlic; a dark-hued Beaujolais steeped with red wine, porcini mushrooms and bacon; and a larger puck of pan-crisped fennel sausage that smelled of coriander and sage.

Of course, the meats are just garnishes to the main event: the fleshy Tarbais beans that have been braised for several hours in a pork stock made from gelatin-rich pig’s feet, vegetables, and a special spiced pepper blend. By the time we scraped bottom, the dish was so rich it was more than hearty enough as a snack for two.

Collins has promised to keep it on the menu for a few more weeks, which means there’s also still time to experience it as a table-sized “grand cassoulet,” which, for $120, offers a much larger portion for up to five diners that’s served in its classic earthenware vessel alongside bone-in pork shank, sausages, and sides of pork trotter croquettes and a green salad. It’s a nice addition. You may well need a refreshing palate cleanser after all that meat. a.kitchen, 35 S. 18th St., 215-825-7030, akitchenandbar.com

—Craig LaBan

If you haven’t been to Bomb Bomb Bar yet, what are you waiting for? The revival of the South Philly classic from chef Joey Baldino offers a pre fixe menu where you select from a stacked lineup of small plates and shared entrees. In February, we had the good fortune of snagging a Valentine’s Day reservation, and I’m concerned every Valentine’s Day moving forward will pale in comparison. But the fun, living room-style experience isn’t exclusive to holidays — nor is one of my favorite dishes.

From our pepperoncini vespers to the finger-licking shrimp oreganata (which comes with branded Wet-Naps), there are no misses. Still, the bite that resonated with me after my most recent visit is the lobster and shells. It’s a bowl of brothy conchiglie layered in butter poached lobster, sautéed pepperoni, tomato, and cheese. It makes for a velvety, orange-hued course that you won’t want to skip. Bomb Bomb Bar, 1026 Wolf St., bombbombbar.com

— Emily Bloch

While Càphê Roasters is better known for their frothy and ultra-sweet Vietnamese-style coffee drinks, their limited edition Gritty Khang Sando proves exactly why this Kensington café’s food should not be ignored. Served inside a Ba Le Bakery baguette generously spread with a caramelized onion aioli, the sandwich’s fried chicken is so crispy you can hear yourself crunch as soon as you bite down. Next comes layers of melted cheddar cheese, slightly-sweet soy pickles, and herb-roasted tomatoes, but the aioli is the real star. I wish I could buy it by the bottle. The sandwich is only available through April 3. Trust me when I say it’s worth hustling for.

Càphê Roasters, 3400 J. St. G1, 215-690-1268, capheroasters.com

— Julia Duarte