Five Restaurants to Try This Weekend

Friday night dinner: EKTA Indian Cuisine

Ekta Indian Cuisine [Photo: Yelp]

Fishtowners in-the-know are very aware of the bright and bold curries erupting out of Ekta's kitchen. Do your Friday right with an order of Malai kofta, a bubbling bowl of gnudi-like potato and cheese dumplings floating in a cashew-dried fruit curry, and balance the sweet with some heat. The garlic and green chili pepper-topped Hari Mirch Ka Naan should do the trick.

Saturday sweets: Essen Bakery

Essen Bakery [Photo: Facebook]

Tova du Plessis's East Passyunk Jewish bakery has been open for about three weeks, and she's been straight-up killing it on weekends. The chocolate-halva babka is a must, but they sell out quickly, so get there early. The weather forecast says no rain on Saturday, so grab it with a coffee to go, head over to Columbus Square park just a few blocks away, and have a mini-picnic outdoors.

Carbo-load for the Broad Street Run: Tre Scalini

Tre Scalini [Photo: Trip Advisor]

The Broad Street Run is this Sunday, meaning all the participating runners and their mothers will be swarming Italian restaurants across the city looking to carbo-load before the big race. Chef Franca DiRenzo's new spring tasting menu ($40) is the route to take:  bruschetta with Sicilian caponata, fettuccine with favas, spring peas and asparagus, and a classic tiramisu make up all the nourishment you'll need before you take down 10 miles on Sunday.

Not running? Drinking instead? Masala Kitchen

Masala Kitchen [Photo: Yelp]

Little did you know, kati rolls might be the best post-bar eating Philly has to offer. Paratha, north Indian flatbreads, are wrapped around all sorts of meats, veggies, cheeses and spices. They're big in flavor, low in cost (rolls top out at $6), and available until 3:30 a.m.

Seafood Sunday: Neon Lobster

Neon Lobster [Photo: Facebook]

Pennsport's new seafood shack is offering discount pricing through Sunday. Anything on the menu over $10, sits at just $10. Anything under $10 becomes $5. Yes, that means $10 lobster rolls — officially the best lobster deal in town. And from the looks of it, they don't skimp on the meat.