Latest Dish   

You're feeling funky and want to hit South Street. On the other hand, you're hankering for fancy food. And on that elusive third hand, you don't feel like braving the traffic and price woes that plague the Center City dining scene. The Latest Dish could be your perfect compromise. It's small and gets crowded and noisy. But the food is real gourmet fare with a major nod toward trendy. Like its fluid, swirled facade and copper-topped tables, the menu is an eclectic mix that is as likely to feature creamy mac 'n' cheese as it is panko-crusted crab cake. And regulars rave about the wings. The scene is almost a tad too hip to sit so close to the South Street mayhem. But if your ideal evening is dinner served with a helping of mellow, then a walk through a cavalcade of hippies, punks and posers, the Latest Dish is a good place to start. -- Margaret Battistelli