If you’ve never been to 2nd Street in Northern Liberties, you’re missing out on a whole range of fun, food, and festivities. From North Bowl to the Piazza to the bars and restaurants, this neighborhood is bursting with excitement. In the heart of it all is Chef Alex Boonphaya’s innovative Circles, a contemporary Asian restaurant.
Heavily influenced by his upbringing in Thailand and mixed with Asian flair, Chef Alex keeps Circles’ menu interesting at every turn. Not only is the chef in tune with current food trends, he also knows how to reach out to his audience. Starting in 2014 with promises to return in the future, Alex launched his #SocialCircles campaign, which invites guests to ditch the “no phone at the table” rule and live-tweet and share about their dining experience.
The meal started off on an adventurous foot right away… because speaking of feet, they were in our stew! For many people at our table, it was their first time ever trying pickled chicken feet. Chicken feet are more commonly seen served Chinese dim sum style, fried and sauteed in a traditional spicy sauce. Chef Alex took a lighter approach that was very reflective of Thai flavors in the lemon chili broth.
The surprises continued after our first course when a whole fried fish appeared on our table – head, tail, and everything. This was also a first for a lot of diners who may have found the fillet a bit challenging to tackle. After digging in and avoiding sizable bones, we were treated to meaty whitefish with crispy skin and a red pepper flake sauce.
Next came a classic favorite, the fried tofu served with Chinese watercress upon an umami sauce, followed by an unconventional taro root curry. Definitely the most complex of all the dishes, this curry was not reminiscent of creamy Thai coconut curry that some may think. It was almost broth-like with soft taro root and vegetables. Last but definitely not least was the addicting dessert: fried banana spring rolls filled with chocolate and cream. They were crispy on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside.
Without a doubt, though, the best part of this experience was being able to meet new people at and around our table, and finding other diners through the#SocialCircles hashtag. After all, that is the point of social media – to bring people together and start conversations. We made some fabulous friends during dinner that we’ve kept in touch with and hope to see again soon. If you get a chance, definitely take part of this priceless experience. Follow Circles on Facebook. Twitter and Instagram for announcements on their next social dinner!
