Let us count the ways, beginning with the fact that while she serves as an arm of the federal Department of Justice, as site coordinator for Upper Darby Township's Operation Weed and Seed - a program to reduce violent crime and drug abuse - she's more of a hugging arm than a "come out with your hands up, we've got you surrounded" type.

Working from the municipal Welcome Center for immigrants and other new arrivals, Scanlon is Upper Darby's warm, can-do embodiment of the Statue of Liberty: Give her your tired, your poor, your huddled masses and so forth, and she'll hook them up with an ESL class, help register their kids for school, call the authorities when some local thug intimidates their elderly grandmother and buy pretty beaded earrings for herself to support their mom-and-pop stores.

"The first step is to make them feel like one of us," she says. "They are Upper Darbians."

Later, if they choose to become Upper Darby restaurateurs - especially in the lively cluster of ethnic joints on Garrett Road, Fairfield Avenue and Terminal Square - she'll become a patron and tireless promoter.

"The restaurants are just awesome," Scanlon says. "You could spend thousands of dollars and go all over the world to taste Peruvian food and Punjabi food and what have you, or you could go to Upper Darby."

Some of her recommendations:

La Marqueza, 109 Fairfield Ave., 610-352-4519. Mexican.

Scanlon likes their burritos, especially. She adds: "The pineapple soda is to die for."

Sabor Latino, 33 Garrett Road, 610-352-8414.

Serving dishes from four Latin American countries, including shrimp in lemon sauce from Ecuador, a spicy beef dish called molcagete from Mexico, pork chops with cassava from Colombia, and Cuban mofongo (mashed green plantains). A sucker for sweets, Scanlon is fond of the flan.

Sohna Punjab Indian Restaurant & Sweets, 6937 Ludlow St., 610-352-3001.

Features dishes from the Punjab region, between India and Pakistan. Scanlon enjoys the curried rice. "And some of their sweets? Ooh, fabulous."

Little Saigon, 113 Fairfield Ave., 610- 352-1002.

Serving Vietnamese food "with a French flair," Scanlon reports. "Their pho is very good. Their chicken and rice is excellent."

Sol del Peru, 57 Garrett Road, 610- 352-1232, Peruvian.

"It's overall really good," Scanlon says. "I like the steaks."

Chung Woon Gark, 29 Garrett Road, 610- 734-3434, Korean-Chinese.

"Don't even ask me what my favorite dish is there, because I can never pronounce it," she says. "It's a noodle-and-chicken dish. I just point to it."

The H Plaza food court, upstairs from H Mart at 7050 Terminal Square (see story on Page TK), serving Japanese, Korean, and Chinese entrees, plus pastries.

"The bakery there is fabulous," Scanlon says.

Bona Cucina, 66 Sherbrook Blvd., 610-623-8811, Italian.

This Upper Darby institution, known for its homemade pasta, isn't near the other ethnic restaurants, which are all near SEPTA's 69th Street Terminal. But Scanlon says she'd be remiss not to include it. "You want good Italian food? You can't beat this place. The veal piccata would be my favorite dish. Oh my goodness, it's so tender."

If the prospect of eating your way down the list of restaurants seems daunting, Scanlon has organized a shortcut:

Many of the restaurants will offer free samples at the upcoming Upper Darby Community Pride Day, on Saturday, Oct. 13.

The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Beverly Hills Middle School, 1400 Garrett Road. Details are available at 610-734-7793.