Located in one of the more laid back sections of the famed Philly corridor, The Cambridge, 1508 South St., has once again revamped its menu, this time bringing Southwestern and Asian influences to accent the southern charms.
The decor is retro industrial meets comfortable, dimly-lit living room.
The Cambridge has always been on-point with southern dishes, and still is. The buttermilk fried chicken sandwich ($12) is massive, bordering on intimidating. It hits all the right notes too: a pleasant level of spice that isn’t too aggressive, a lovely crunch and decadently juicy. The hot green tomatoes ($8) are a nice twist on a southern favorite — fried green tomatoes served up crisp and spicy on two thick pieces of candied pecan cornbread and drizzled in buttermilk chive vinaigrette. While the presentation indicates the two should be eaten together, we feel separating the components is the better option, as the sweetness and nutty notes of the cornbread distracts from the nice chew of the tomatoes.
As good as The Cambridge’s southern offerings are, venturing outside of that portion of the menu is fruitful. The Mexican corn street nachos has everything that the title implies. The house-made chips are layered with homemade wiz, cilantro, sour cream, lime and feta cheese. But the fresh-roasted street corn generously dispersed throughout the layers sets the dish apart from most other versions of the popular dish, feeling and tasting both familiar and new at the same time.
Hands down, the best thing we had was the banh mi salad ($13), which delivered in spades on its promise of approximated flavors of the titular sandwich that inspired it. The cool, crisp and spicy dish has so much color and personality. You can amp up the experience by adding chicken, steak, falafel, salmon or avocado, but the salad is delightful without additional protein.
The Cambridge has broadened the scope of its menu and, as a result, expanded its appeal. Take your palate on a journey and pull up a comfortable chair.
If you go:
The Cambridge
1508 South St.
267-455-0647
www.cambridgeonsouth.com
Monday-Thursday: 4 pm – 1 am
Fri.: 3 pm – 2 am
Sat: 10 am – 2 am
Sunday: 10 am – 1 am