I’m no food critic, but I know what I like

And you’re likely to find these local multicultural markets and restaurants a treat, too

Editor’s note: This article is one reporter’s casual guide to some local markets and restaurants that offer foods from different cultures. It is not a review of any of the markets or restaurants mentioned. It is one person’s perspective for Central Penn students and the public.

By Amanda Kelly

Special to The Knightly News

amanda.kelly@mymail.centralpenn.edu

Visions of crisp fall leaves and the remembered smell of pumpkin spice lattes are rising in our minds as hot days of summer adventure are ending.

Whether you spent summer break sitting by the pool, reading a riveting book, or tromping through the forest on a long hike, we’ll soon be looking for new pursuits during the colder months.

With many students returning from travels and new students arriving from all over the country, the fall term is the perfect time to settle down under a blanket, read an article and make a list of new, or familiar, cuisines to try.

While popular chain restaurants are great for a quick treat, and while the area certainly has an array of options to choose from, below is a list of authentic markets and restaurants featuring foods from different cultures to check out if you’re in the mood for something new, or familiar, to try.

Asian

For a great Asian market, check out Asia Mall, in Harrisburg. It has a bountiful selection of grains and fresh produce. Pao, a popular steamed bun, can be found in the vast selection of frozen foods and serves as a wonderful extra to any meal.

Dong Yang, in Lemoyne, offers a wide selection of Korean groceries, such as a variety of fresh kimchi and pickled vegetables.

If you’re searching for Middle Eastern produce and other foods, check out Bombay Bazaar, an Indian grocery in Mechanicsburg, where you’ll find a wide selection of lentils, nuts and spices, or Apna Bazar Farmers Market, which is right up the street.

If you’d rather order food prepared on site, some delicious choices are available at a popular spot near Central Penn – China Taste, in the Summerdale Plaza, Enola.

For authentic pho, I recommend Bamboo Pho and Tea, Mechanicsburg, where the food is always hot and fresh. Also in Mechanicsburg is “Kimchee Girl,” Joyce. She sets up her food stand on weekends, while also having a presence at Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square. She stands behind her fresh, fermented vegetables because “like you, I was unhappy with supermarket kimchee,” her website says. (“Kimchee” is an alternative spelling of “kimchi.”)

Another good spot is Nalan, in Lemoyne, approximately a 15-minute drive from campus. Nalan offers a vast menu that includes samosas, masala, curry and naan.

European

CASA Market, Mechanicsburg, offers a wide variety of Mediterranean fare, while Josie’s, in Mechanicsburg, and Fraulie’s, in Lemoyne, offer a wide selection of German delicacies.

Pugliese Brother’s Italian, in Harrisburg, is a hidden gem for authentic Italian meats.

If you’d rather order ready-made European food, some amazing options are Yianni’s Gyros, in Harrisburg, which offers delicious, house-made pitas, with tender meat. Fresh-cut fries can be had with the tantalizing gyros.

Mezza Café, a Lebanese restaurant in the West Shore Farmer’s Market, Lemoyne, is a great sit-down service option, offering classic and soulful Mediterranean eats.

Josie’s, and Fraulie’s, mentioned among the markets earlier in this article, offer a small-café menu of German goodies to go, and Alvaro Bread and Pastry Shoppe, Harrisburg, operates a tiny to-go bakery that offers authentic Italian fare.

For a great Spanish market, check out Tres Hermanos, Harrisburg, where a wide selection of candy, drinks and novelties can be found.

If you’d rather order ready-made food, MASA Food Truck, in Harrisburg, is amazing. Lines can get long, but the food is always delicious.

And just moments from campus is the Yankee Doodle Family Restaurant, Wormleysburg, which offers a mix of American and Spanish cuisine, with such classics as huevos rancheros, chicken pot pie and chocolate chip pancakes. Yankee Doodle has a riverfront view, too.

Students: Take note

Students who can verify their status through Amazon Prime are eligible for a free year of Grubhub Plus, which offers delivery from many of these restaurants, and more.

That, along with the perfect combination of warm food on a cold day and a good Knightly News article to read could easily help transform your hot, summer adventures into warm, fall memories.

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Kelly wrote this article for a journalism class Professor Michael Lear-Olimpi is teaching this term. She’s a foodie.

Comment or story idea? Contact KnightlyEditors@CentralPenn.Edu.

Edited by Professor Michael Lear-Olimpi, class instructor, Knightly News Media Club co-adviser and Knight News editor.

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If you go

The names and addresses of the markets and restaurants mentioned in the article are listed below.

Markets

Apna Bazar Farmers Market – 85 Gateway Drive, Mechanicsburg

Asia Mall – 1030 South 13^th St., Harrisburg

Bombay Bazaar – 6499 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg

CASA Market – 5206 Simpson Ferry Road, Mechanicsburg

Dong Yang – 829 State St., Lemoyne

Fraulie’s – 224 3^rd St., Lemoyne

Josie’s – 5238 East Trindle Road, Mechanicsburg

Pugliese Brother’s Italian Sausage – 2241 Paxton Church Road, Harrisburg

Tres Hermanos – 712 S. Cameron St., Harrisburg

Restaurants

Alvaro’s Bread and Pastry Shoppe – 236 Peffer St., Harrisburg

Bamboo Pho and Tea – 4401 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg

China Taste – 431 N. Enola Road, Enola

Kimchee Girl – 5 E. Allen St., Mechanicsburg

MASA Food Truck – 316 N. 2^nd St., Harrisburg

Mezza Café – 900 Market St., Lemoyne

Nalan – 829 State St., Lemoyne

Yankee Doodle Restaurant – 860 N. Front St., Wormleysburg

Yianni’s Gyros – 3911 Union Deposit Road, Harrisburg