One of the challenges of being a member of the "Panini Generation" (like the sandwich generation, only with more heat, pressure and the sense you're being smushed) is figuring out how to make insane days work. Such was the case with me last Monday, when I had an appointment to attend with the Patriarch, one basketball tourney and a chorus concert, all within the space of about 4 hours and all of course in opposite directions. Also, I needed gas.
Fortunately, that day the Universe decided to give me a small break. Sent me to a very nondescript, tiny gas station in Media to fill up. As I'm pumping, there's one of those scrolling advertisements, this time for Lilly Orlando. How clever, I thought, that they are selling that space to another local business. Wait. I looked more carefully at the tiny pre-war station itself. Then it dawned on me. The gas station WAS Lilly Orlando. Oh. Huh? Pop on Yelp, my fellow yelpers give it two thumbs up. OK. What the heck. It was this or KFC anyway and I rather like this entrepreneurial spirit.
Basically, the restauranteurs converted the gas station space into a working kitchen, with all food prepared on site. There are both fresh refrigerated entrees and frozen entrees. We picked up a shrimp scampi, two chicken cordon bleu meals, and two chicken parmesan meals. We picked up 'fresh' vs. frozen so they could be eaten that day easily. Brought them home, zapped each one in the microwave for 4 minutes, and served.
Everything was pretty darn good, really, restaurant quality. The servings are generous, easily making 2 meals out of each. Meals were packaged well, with separate compartments for sides. Chicken parmesan was delicious, over angel hair pasta, not dry, perfectly breaded. Chicken Cordon Bleu also quite yummy, prepared as a true roulade, green beans and mashed potatoes served with it were outstanding, only slightly soft spot was the cheese sauce which didn't reheat well. Shrimp scampi was inhaled. Everything got big thumbs up and two requests to 'go there again, Mom!"
I can't say it's the best takeout we've ever had, however by a country mile it's the very best gas station food we've ever tasted, and I'm including you in there, WaWa. Thanks, Lilly Orlando for elevating convenience to an entirely new level. May you have great success and may you open a second location in or very near Ardmore. My starving family would love that, as would I. read more