"Kalaya is the first place we think of when we want to eat somewhere exciting in Philly. Perfect for a birthday where you want to satisfy everyone (but mostly yourself), there’s a full bar, 14-foot palm trees, and music that you haven’t heard in years but you still know every word to. You'll see plates of tender peppercorn steak, flower-shaped dumplings, and curries of every color getting whipped up in the open kitchen. It's a buzzy, fun spot where you can sit back with people that have known you since grade school and share a lineup of incredible wok-fried dishes and mounds of shaved ice topped with banana cream." - candis mclean, alison kessler