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After being raised in Philly and hundreds of outings in Old City, I finally managed to come to Buddakan. I double dated with my best friend and they (who I would both consider to be picky) adore this place.
They knew the menu off hand so they made all the recommendations. We started the night with a pitcher of sangria to drink, along with the dumplings and duck salad for appetizers: sangria was a bit weak and overpriced, dumplings were so-so (I've had better at shady Chinese restaurants) but the crispy duck salad was great.
I ordered the fillet mignon, my gf got the duck and my friend got the sea bass, and we all shared. Each one was great, though I have to say my fillet was probably better then the other dishes - very tender and juicy with lots of flavor. I thought the sea bass was good, but I was told it could be better. The duck was also pretty solid.
The deserts and specialty cocktails were unique and very good. I highly recommend trying at least one of each.
I feel because of all the hype, my expectations of Buddakan were set very high. While it did not fail to meet them, I think it would require 1 more visit before I give this place my highly coveted 5 stars :)
Just a note: I never tried the food here so this review is for the bar, staff, and venue itself.
The good: A very upscale and stylish joint. I can imagine if I was rich, I would take a date or two here.
The bad: The attractive bartender in glasses that was working on Sunday night. She was very sweet, friendly and attentive. So why is this a "bad" thing?
Well, my uncle and dad were pretty buzzed so they kept talking to her. And then, they would try to draw attention to me, hoping that she would talk to me more. They were doing this because they were teasing me about how "in love" I was with La Novia. They felt I no longer had it in me to even talk to other girls. I think the bartender started to figure out what my dad and uncle were up to, so she started to openly try to flirt with me, turning back to my uncle and dad to smile and laugh every once in a while. This was definitely embarrasing me.
The ugly: The price of drinks. They charge $13 for a Patron shot. And if you get Patron on the rocks, it costs $14. Should I be more upset that a shot is $13 or that three ice cubes are worth $1 at this establishment.
Normally, at these rates, I would give the place a one star rating. But the bartender was extremely nice and put up with my prankster dad and uncle. So I'll award an extra star for that.
Good times.
Even if they were expensive.
I probably am being harsher than it actually is. Perhaps, i could have given 3 stars. However, this place was no more than "hip" restaurant that serves average asian food that's far worse than a lot of authentic places in chinatown and vietnamese establishments in washington ave, purely in the name of "fusion".
I personally hate this type of place. By this type of place, here's what i mean:
1. menu is not coherent (they serve an array of things that are *asian* from thai, japanese, chinese, etc., without any real thoughts behind it...they are just...well, asian...) Why do I hate this thought? IMHO, it gives away the thought that asian is something you can categorize as Italian or French. Why not call a restaurant a European fusion and see what kind of menu we can come up with?
2. Asian BBQ Pork. Seriously? Don't just call BBQ pork Asian...each country (each region of each country) has very distinct taste... So you call something "asian bbq" because it resembles something in a regional Chinese cuisine? Come on... Just say what it is...five-spice, Korean chili paste infused, etc. It just seems ignorant.
3. The sashimi, dumplings, and whole fried fish...they were all average if not below average, compared to thai restaurants that serve whole fried fish, experienced sushi chef, or places in chinatown that serve dumplings. So putting them all in the same place justifies the food being average because the place has a bit of everthing...i don't think so.
4. The place is just too "hip". It probably has to make up in the ambiance for what it lacks in the food department.
5. Their "famous" lobster dish is no more than lobster with mashed potato, Morimoto's curry-spice infused lobster dish is a fusion I can be comfortable with; otherwise, just eat at the ethnic places.
The only saving grace for this place, IMHO, is the dessert. Everyone in my party enjoyed the deserts: the dessert "bento", the tart, and the chocolate cake...they were all pretty good (the reason why they are getting 2 stars).
Went here for a friend's birthday dinner. The atmosphere/ambience is great. My favorite part was being seated at the "Buddha" table, since we were a "large" party of 6.
My boyfriend and I split an appetizer of grilled octopus with miso & chipotle. Very good! For my entree, I ordered a special of the day which was snapper, white asparagus and swiss chard. I'd never had swiss chard before, and it was very tasty. I also had a side order of edamame - which I love, and you can never go wrong with! My boyfriend ordered the crispy & spicy shrimp, which literally, for $25 was 5 shrimp on a plate with 5 walnuts and 5 tiny "salads" on top of each shrimp. So if you're hungry, I suggest you get something else.
We had a great waiter who was very attentive (but not overly so) and it was the perfect way to celebrate a birthday. They do charge a plating fee if you bring in an outside cake ($7 per), but they also add ice cream to the plate, so it's worthwhile.
For special occasions, this is definitely a place I'd visit again.
Decor and all that, yes it is very beautiful and trendy etc. but they have maybe 2-3 vegetarian options..not a fan of that. spent a whole lot of money for a mediocre meal.
I really enjoyed myself here the other night. Went by myself (pity party..lol). Being that I was alone I couldn't really order too much food and what not.
First I had the "Guilt" drink...a champagne like drink. I think the appetizer menu is much to sing about.
In my attempt to decrease my intake of meat/chicken products, I went for the seafood option Crispy shrimp and scallop spring roll...very tasty esp with the sweet sauce it was served it. At this point I was glad to be dining alone so I could eat it all to myself MAUWAAHHAAHH.
I did feel guilty while eating it...I guess my drink (guilt) was kicking in then. I felt guilty that I wasn't eating another appetizer (lol), so i ordered another- Kobe Beef Satay...uhmm sorry yall, but I had to ask for the waiter to take that back.
It had a very charred taste...like it was burnt and even after dipping it in the soy sauce the taste was still there. I couldn't only eat one bite, one bite which i wanted to spit out but I was trying to stay classy, I just swallowed it instead of spitting out "projectile" style across the room.
I was really getting stuff now, just after the appetizer. My main meal was the lobster fried rice ONLY because who ever sent me here told me this dish was delish. It was very tasty, I had to take most of it home because I was just too stuffed. At home, I added some hot sauce to it to take it to a whole 'nther level.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere there. oh oh, let me not forget dessert. I had the Crying Chocolate (coffee ice cream with warm brownie)..very rich BUT I would have preferred it with just plain vanilla ice cream.
I had a nice time over all, I think it would be great with a small of people also because that way you can order multiple items and get a real tasting.
Beautiful Restaurant that is consistently good! Their lunch box is a steal of a deal. Three items for $15 bucks.
I got the edamame rav., caeser salad and shrimp stir fry. Nice size portions.
The staff was helpful and friendly.
Honestly i can't really say anything bad about this place. The ambience is great. It is on the dimmer side, i personally don't mind but for some people who like it to be brighter this it's not a place for you BUT please try it once because the drinks and food are delicious!
The waitress i had she was excellent. I wanted some lychee martini and they ran out of lychee. My waitress didn't stop trying to get me lychee martini and she finally got me a glass!
Drinks - Bonsai is one of my favorite, white peach ginger zen-gria is light, and the lychee martini is good.
Appetizers - wasabi tuna pizza, buddakan style sashimi, bigeye tuna tartare, and lobster crepes are pretty good.
For the entree i only tried roasted monkfish and i liked it .
One of the best restaurants in Philly, IMO. The decor speaks for itself (think giant buddha), and the vibe is great. The food is also delicious, and the service was really good.
Had a great meal at Buddakan while in Philly recently. Everything went really well. It would probably be 5 stars if I didn't consider 5 stars something to be given out only for the most incredibly exceptional experience.
I highly recommend the Ahi tuna pizza - it was a great combination of the savory of sashimi Ahi, the spice of wasabi and the crunch of a cracker crust - was really good. Every dish in our small group of 3 was great, and nothing was left over, despite our all being very full.
The service was also excellent across the board. A very well run location, they handled a change from 2 to 3 people with minimal wait, and all of the staff were great across the board.
All in all, a great place in Philly if you want something more dressy than a cheese steak :-)
I went here for a work function with 12 Council women and it was fantastic! I worked with Diane at Starr Restaurants and she was great planning the event and when we go here, our table was upstairs tucked behind an alcove which was perfect! The food was fantastic! It just kept coming and everything was delicious. We were in LOVE with the scallops and the wasabi mashed potatoes. Then dessert came and we could not resist! The doughnuts were fresh and the caramel, chocolate mousse tart was delicious as well. I will DEFINITELY be back! I must now say that I am hooked on the Budda!!!
This place is Buddakanilicious. That's right. It's so good that I had to invent a word for it.
Every element of my dining experience was flawless including service, ambiance, and food presentation.
I had the chicken dumpling appetizer -- fresh and simple. Then the sesame crusted tuna -- presented fanned out, the tuna was top grade, and the wasabi expertly prepared. The desert menu blew my mind. I typically gravitate to the best chocolate dish, however I found too many great options here. Ultimately I selected the Crying Chocolate. For $9 my expectations were high and the they were completely met. I'm craving their donuts and am committed to going back next time I'm in town. In fact I may need to plan a trip specifically for them.
I don't through the 5-star rating around without a good reason. This Stephen Starr mainstay is well deserving of it.
I was in Philly for work and met up with a certain someone who is a local. He suggested we eat here if I like Asian food. Well, yes, I do like Asian food, so why not? He joked that it was a hole-in-the-wall and I got excited. But then when I realized by the exterior that it certainly WASN'T a hole-in-the-wall, I got really excited! When we walked in I was shocked at how sexy this place is. The waterfall thing in the front, the darkness, the swanky upstairs bar that's visible from the front door. Wow, this place has got it goin on! Unfortunately the wait on a TUESDAY night was 45-1hr, which sucked, but we decided to chill up at the bar and order an appetizer. Our bartender was friendly and helped us figure out which appetizer to order. We settled on the edamame ravioli which were unbelievable. It was such a creative idea! We didn't try any of the signature cocktails, although a few of them sounded good. I had pinot grigio and he had vodka with pineapple. Even though we were waiting for a table up at the bar, the hostess didn't forget about us, which was nice. She came back up to escort us to our table soon after we finished the ravioli. Our server downstairs was great. He helped us figure out what to order and kept his cool when we asked 100 questions. We settled on the kobe beef satay with vegetable tempura (I'm not a huge fan of beef, but I took a small bite---good if you like that). The veggies were amazing, though. There were fresh asparagus and mushrooms...a far cry from the vegetable tempura I've had elsewhere. Since we couldn't decided what to get as an entrée, we chose the duck and the Singapore noodles (which they had no problem holding the egg in). I'm not the hugest fan of duck, apparently, but I imagine it was good if you're a duck fan. The noodles were probably the worst part of the meal, they really had no flavor and he asked for soy sauce (SLAM!).
Would I ever come back? Absolutely. I want to try the dessert that everyone's raving about.
Many years ago, an aspiring young foodie was taken to Buddakan on someone else's dime. He was blow away by the decor and service. And the food was incredible. And for the young foodie, a seemingly unattainable bar was set.
Last night I had the opportunity to return to Buddakan for the first time in many years and I was hoping for another perspective changing meal. While the service was excellent, I left saddened and disappointed.
The decor of the restaurant remains unchanged in the past 7 years. This wouldn't upset me except for the meteoric rise of the Buddakan franchise in NYC and AC. Mr. Starr could reinvest some of this back into the original that made him so famous.
The meal started with mediocre Kobe Beef Satay with Tempura vegetables. The Crispy Calamari Salad which was so talked about when the restaurant opened left me a little unfulfilled with rubbery calamari rings which lacked the advertised "crispy". Also, some economic downsizing of the quantity was noted. Entrees included the Peking Chicken which was described by another diner as "bland" and "tough", and Singapore Noodles which required Saracha.
Desert was another let down. We ordered the molten chocolate cake with coffee ice cream. What happen to the painstakingly intricate displays we use to see here? I have seen this presentation done better at TGIFriday's.
So why even two stars? Our other entree (a special that evening) was amazing: Grouper Filet with Tomato Marmalade, Corn Pudding and a Heirloom Tomato Salad. Each component was perfectly prepared and all paired well together. This course brought me back to the foodie heaven I remember from my previous visits so long ago. And it proves that this restaurant has talent to cook a better dish and serve it to the waiting masses.
It will be hard to write a captivating review without re-stating many of the sentiments already expressed below, but I shall try...
Last night we went to Buddakan Philadelphia (there are now 3 locations) which is celebrating 11 years in operation. Surprisingly, even after living in Philly for nearly 4 years and trying tons of restaurants, this was our first visit. Years back we visited and peeked inside to see the amazing Golden Buddha and the waterfall wall fountain. I had read the menu many times on the website - so I felt like I knew what to expect. (N.B. they will be CHANGING the drink menu and dinner menu in a few weeks - finally.)
Decor and Service were easily 5 star, but there are too many small details overlooked for me to give Buddakan that elusive fifth star. (As Starr restaurants go, this is pretty typical in that there is some over-hyping going on - but for a restaurant like this to survive and thrive for 11 years - an eternity for a restaurant - they are doing alot of things right!)
We started with $11 - $13 drinks at the nearly empty bar (from 5:30 - 6:10 on a recession summer Thursday - it got crowded around 8). The enlightenment was too strong with tequila for me to drink, so I sent it back and tried the tickled pink which was cloyingly sweet and the Malibu rum was not a great idea. Oh well. Meanwhile the ASIAN MOJITO was well-balanced, with freshly muddled mint, a hint of ginger and delicious. (NOTE: THey are changing the drink menu in a few weeks - many of these cocktails have been on the menu for years and it's all gonna change.)
Next the 3 of us sat at a great table on the main level (there is also a cute bar upstairs and more tables.). One of us is a vegan and there are very few vegetarian options (and NO vegan apps! The edamame ravioli uses chicken stock) He had vegetable fried rice (or could have had noodle dishes or the house salad.) If you are a vegan - this is not a great place for you - unless you just want some drinks.
Everything is served family style with sharing plate s- which for us is great as we all like to share (execpt my vegan friend who, natch, would not eat the fish or duck). Chicken Dumplings were a step up from the frozen gyoza we get at our favorite sushi joints. Tasty for sure - but not worth $9. A scallion pancake topped with shredded shortrib meat was enjoyed by DH but way too salty for my tastes. A miss at $12.
Entrees were much better. The miso black cod, that was so famous, lived up to most of the hype. Perfectly cooked. I subbed a DELICIOUS eggplant in lieu of the wasabi mashed potatoes. That eggplant was GREAT - reminiscent of Kung Pao - it was studded with Pine Nuts. YUM!
DH ordered the thinly sliced duck breast - a bit too well done for me - but I like my duck with a bit more QUACK left in it. The accompanying Corn Spoon Bread was AWESOME.
Desserts were by far worth the extra calories. 3 people shared the chocolate Bento box ($14 with chocolatey-good 6 selections - easily feeds 3 by itself). We also got the hot, fried, five-spice & sugar donuts. Now this is how I wished the churros at Xochitl could be! WOW! Five slightly greasy, hot donuts with 3 delectable dipping sauces (well - the cream cheese was too thick to really be called a sauce) including a rich ganache.
A cup of green tea and a Millenum Cocktail (rimmed with Tang - what is with Starr and his obsession with Tang in cocktails???) capped off a lovely early summer dinner.
Great for special occaisions - and the tab was $180 or so including tip which really isn't bad. Expensive but not obscene (we spent more on dinner for 2 at Morimoto!!).
I will be back - but maybe just for drinks and dessert! (HA, HA!)
\
Oh - and I must mention our bartender Adele (She's there Thursdays thru Sundays) and our 5 year veteran server Meg who was charming and spot-on with our orders.
Oh - and if you want to (we didn't) they will valet park your car for $18.00).
So close to 5 stars - but not quite.
A beautiful restaurant with a golden Buddha welcoming you into his presence.
I had a wonderful Japanese miso cod here. SOOO Delish. Fine, fresh and melts in your mouth. The edamame ravioli was highly recommended by some Yelpers and they weren't wrong! :D
But definitely get the miso cod, you'll thank me later.. ;)
I must say, I went here expecting to be disappointed because everyone goes crazy over it but it was great. I had the shrimp dumplings-awesome, edamame ravioli-not bad, wok cashew chicken-delicious, and dim sum donuts to name a few. Everything was good and the service was excellent.
The first site is the Buddha himself. Great focal point. Love the food, the picnic style setting. Reservation is highly suggested.
I took lessons from their head dessert chef - best creme brulee, ever. Plus, she was so understanding and a great teacher.
Never a miss here.
If Stephen Starr's biggest and best has lost any of it's allure, one would never be able to tell. Saturday nights at Buddakan are still completely packed, and you've gotta call at least a week in advice if you want to dine before bed time. If possible, request a seat in the main dining area - the upstairs is small and intimate with a bar of it's own, but nothing like the hustle and bustle near that larger than life Buddha.
The zengria is delicious but can't possibly have any alcohol in it. It's definitely family style, so just go balls out and order a bunch of stuff that everyone will like. Stand outs included kobe beef skewers, lamb chops, pad thai, and soft shell crab. Everyone goes nuts over the edamame ravioli and dessert donuts.
Although one of the more trendy places in Philadelphia Buddakan's food does not surpass its decor and atmosphere.
The food was very good but did not blow me away by any means. They also crammed five people into a four top. I could handle this if the food was unbelievable.
The duck and pork dishes looked exactly the same except for the protein on the plate. The bass was the best dish of the night.
The desert box was good but the presentation was pretty corny.
(If you are willing to make a trip into the 'burbs you'll find better food at Nectar's)
The restaurant was a little loud but I loved the decor and setup. The waiter was excellent. Always there when we needed something and very helpful in making recommendations.
I ordered edamame, tuna, and a chocolate banana dessert, all very yummy!
It's an ok Chinese/ South East Asian fusion restaurant. Really nothing special about the food.
And I have to agree, the dining hall is far too loud.
The decor is good - but I prefer it when the effort goes into the food rather than the decor.
Went tonight for dinner and was very impressed. For starters we got a ptcher of zengria which set the mood of goodness for the meal we were about to devour. I ordered the Kobe beef which is cooked in a skillet with a yummy garlic sauce I was in heaven eating this. My girlfriend got the sea bass and we shared lobster fried rice for a shared side which also came home as a late night snack. When I thought it couldn't get any better we got the dip'n doughnuts for dessert. They were AMAZING. You get 5 sugar doughnuts which alone are amazing but they come with 3 dipping sauces. First a dark chocolate then a blackberry jam like one and finally a Ginger cream. All I can say is wow. You have to enjoy each seperate st first but then it's mix n match time. I definately recommend anyone to this restaraunt I can't wait to go again sometime.
...Yawn.
I know this place is or was supposed to be one of "the" places to visit in the Philadelphia dining/nightlife scene, but I can tell you, save your money until the pretense - and the prices - go down.
The interior was "luxuriously and fashionably" appointed, sure, but I just can't fully enjoy myself in an environment surrounded by loud, pretentious jerks. I suppose I can't fault anyone for wanting to feel "important" when they've paid those prices for the same level of fare attained at a P.F.Chang's, but I'd rather go somewhere less "fabulous" looking and, ah, be able to hear my dining companions. (The food at P.F.Chang's is actually a bit better, truth be told. Sad state of affairs.) That said, the giant Buddha is great, but not worth the price of admission.
The dessert bento box was the highlight of the meal, so don't miss that if you go. Other than that, if you're trying to take someone there to impress them, I think choosing a place with a truly unique menu and original atmosphere will impress them more. Unless you're one of those aforementioned pretentious jerks.
I DO know a couple cool people who like it here, so I'm not calling you a jerk if you do - I'm just saying the vast majority of the clientele make me... er, want to go somewhere else. Very. Fast.
Website's cool, though. ;)
This used to be my favorite restaurant, but i dont know what has happened.
Do NOT order the Walnut Shrimp. It was dry and overcooked. The combination of flavors were not very appealing to my tastebuds.
Do NOT order the Asian BBQ Pork. I used to love this dish too. It's probably bc at the time I was only 18, and my palate for food was very...what's the word.... unrefined?
Now that i've been exposed to better eats, I think I know better. I would definitely come back here for the desserts and atmosphere. Not so much for the main entrees.
When first walking in, you get the feeling that they're just trying too hard. Everything is white, with red accents. Our server was snooty, but nice.
Overall the food is good. We ordered the Singapore Noodles which were some of the best I have ever had. Just the right about of spice and the puffed tofu was incredible. My boyfriend ordered the Sweet and Spicy Shrimp which were very good - cooked perfectly, nice light sauce. I ordered the Peking Chicken and was very disappointed. It was cooked perfectly, but there was no flavor. I ended up cutting up the chicken and mixing it with the noodles.
The portions are on the smaller side and made to share. Also, make sure you order some type of side (rice, noddles, etc). My boyfriend's shrimp was literally a plate with 5 shrimp on it. Nothing else. He was very happy I decided we had to try the Singapore Noodles.
For dessert we got the Dip Some Doughnuts. These were the only reason we even made a reservation at Buddakan in the first place. We saw Ted Allen recommend them on the Food Network and we had to stop on our vacation. We also got the Creme Brule. Creme Brule was great. HUGE portion. The doughunts were also great. They come with three sauces to dip in. The ginger cream cheese and blackberry were the best. The chocolate was WAY too rich for my liking, but I'm not a fan of dark chocolate at all.
Overall, Buddakan was a good night out. They're trying was too hard, but that's easy to over look. I had on jeans and flip flops and was still treated greatly. The food is ok but not amazing. I would compare it to a step above PF Changs.
Also - if you're price conscious - our bill totaled $120 for 2 beers, 2 glasses of wine, 2 entrees, 1 noodle order, and 2 desserts. Much more reasonably priced than we were expecting.
I have to say, I'm completely mixed about my feelings for Buddakan.
I've been here three or four times, and I always leave feeling a little let down. In my opinion, the hype that has surrounded Buddakan since it opened has built it up to be more fabulous than it actually is. They have wonderful food, this much is true. Their edamame ravioli appetizer is to die for: the filling literally melts in your mouth. I've tried a few of their entrees, and they have all been very well prepared and flavorful. If you're a chocolate fan, definitely go for the chocolate "house" (I forgot the actual name for this but you'll know it when you see it on the menu!) It's huge though so make sure you have a friend or two to share with.
My disappointment with Buddakan has mainly fallen with the employees. Everyone who works there is nice enough, but you don't get the warm and fuzzies from anyone. Service has been good, not great, and usually a little on the slow side. This probably is a result of the fact that they always seem to be busy (on the same note, I would definitely recommend going with a reservation). It's definitely a popular place, and the ambiance and people watching are very entertaining.
I would definitely try Buddakan once if you haven't been there, just to do it. I would say that this is one of, if not THE, premiere Stephen Starr restaurant in Philadelphia.
If you're the type that routinely drops 300+ dollars on a meal, then Buddakan may not seem like all that much. But if you're going for a special occasion (me and my brother took my mom as a Christmas present), then it's the perfect place to go. And while it may be a little over-priced (I don't think any food is worthy of these price tags), it was as close to worth it as it could be.
We went all out, ordering from pretty much every section of the menu: cocktails, appetizers, entrees, deserts, sharing all the while. With the exception of the roast duck, everything was at least good, often very good, and sometimes spectacular.
The prawn was hot, crispy and tender, done so perfectly. The ponzu chicken with "buddha buns" was unlike any chicken I've ever had; the halibut special prepared 3 different ways was a treat: one plate that had nearly 9 differenty items, all perfectly portioned so that I had room for dessert.
And room is what I needed, because the Chocolate Bento Box is a meal in itself. The most decadent dessert I'd ever laid eyes on. But my eyes did not decive me, because it was as good as it looked.
The service is what you would expect at a place where you mortgage your house to pay for the food. Servers wait in the shadows to swoop down like hawks and sweep your table of crumbs.
AMAZING!!!!! Went there for my birthday yesterday, the staff was phenomenal, food was prompt and delicious. The ambiance was beautiful and it was just an amazing experience. I'll post pics too of our family style meal, which was a great way to experience new food.
I have lived in Philly for 12 years now..been here at least twice a year. That would equal 24 times. One word for this place. CONSISTENCY. Always always quality food, quality service, quality drinks and reasonably priced. Can't miss here. I don't need to go into great detail of the glazes, the presentation yada yada yada... just go
Fancy shmancy joints tend to disappoint, with decadent decor, sultry servers, and gorgeous graphics, but bland mediocre fare. Not so with Buddakan. The calamari salad - delicious. The steak - delicious. The fish - delicious. Whatever else I had - delicious. I do at least hope that the waitstaff no longer has to wear the ridiculous white outfits they wore last time I was there. There's a reason black is the standard server color. Black looks good. White is generally only good on Olympians. We're not all Olympians.
So far, I've been to the Continental, El vez, alma de Cuba and morimoto in NYC, so naturally i had high hopes for my first dining experience at another Starr restaurant... Buddakan.
I've got mixed feelings about Buddakan. Overall I'm sorry to say I was not impressed. I really wanted to be. I've had such amazing experienced at other Starr spots that i was sure this was going to be another dining experience to remember.
I think my favorite aspect of the meal was the surroundings. The decor was great mix of swanky while still paying homage to its Asian influences. It gave off a very warm feeling as small tea candles flickered throughout the giant space. The towering buddah is the focal point of the room. For me it really invoked the desire of wanting to climb up onto the giant budda and A) have my picture taken and B) rub his belly.
The libations were creative and mouthwatering, especially the Bonsai martini. If you love cilantro like I do, this is a must have beverage.
However the food wasn't that special. It wasn't any different than PF Changs or brookline's Golden Temple. Upscale Asian food that's incredibly overpriced. I sampled three different entrees and I did not detect any layering of flavors nor was i surprised/ blown away by the food I ate, and that's what I've come to expect from Starr restaurants. So I was a little let down.
Our server... hmmm... I've run into this experience at some upscale spots. Where the server comes off as a little condescending. Its their salesman like attitude that really comes off a pressuring of purchasing more food than you can possibly eat. I don't like that...
So, maybe i just hit it on the wrong night or maybe I've hit the nail on the head. Other people seem to rave about this place. I think in the future if i were to go back it would be for some drinks and apps. I think I'd rather hit up a different Starr location for "an entire meal of food."
The standout was an ingredient in the patagonian toothfish -- mushroom. It was amazing. All of our dishes, with the exception of the creme brulee, were oversalted, and not by just a little. I was shocked, given that this restaurant was supposed to be one of the best in Philadelphia. Even ignoring the salt mistake I have to say I was unimpressed.
Dining hall was rather loud, which was a combination of music and clientele that might be on the loud side. Lots of people seem to go here to have their birthdays. Kind of like Chuck E Cheese's for sofistakated people, I think. Lots of first dates, too, from the looks of the couples. I definitely got the sense that the restaurant was more about the experience (big Buddha, dim lighting, hip music) than the food. You can tell that just by loading the restaurant's web site (http://buddakan.com/).
Our biggest mistake was not asking our waiter more questions. He clearly was a foodie and wasn't afraid to give his opinion on which dishes were good.
I've loaded photographs, too, if you want to have a look at them. Warning: directions on their web site are incorrect; use Google map or other source to supplement.
Stephen Starr - You're so cheeky. I know you think you've got a run of the city. You were just on Top Chef - and you probably think you're the King of Philly, don't you?
While, I tend to stay away from the majority of your restaurants because I can't stand how TRENDY it all is - the bevy of suburban crowds alone that crowd your dining rooms make me cringe - I can't deny that you're doing a lot of things right here at this restaurant that you've decided to also transplant to A.C. and NYC. (ugh, chains!)-- and when I decide to go to ANY of your restaurants, Buddakan is always the one I return to.
Like other reviews mention here, Mr. Starr - can I call you Steve? - this restaurant is super consistent and the kitchen always delivers with excellently-prepared meals. In the four years that I've come to your restaurant, the food is always as good as I remember.
Steve, what I also LOVE is that the service is always prompt, informed, friendly, not overbearing and professional. (Philly restaurants and BYOs you could stand to learn a thing or two from Steve on Service)
Steve, you know how delectable your edamame ravioli is. I dream of this mouth watering appetizer - I could eat a tubful of the stuff - and I've yet to find a place that can recreate it. Your kitchen never makes me wait for it either - the turnaround is quite stupendous... I find your appetizer menu more adventurous that your entrées - but I like that your sides, rice and noodle dishes are served family style - how generous! You've always got extra to take home. As for your entrées, Steve- your fish and meat preparations are always spot - on.
Sweet service, Consistency and deliciousness always wins out for me, Steve. Your restaurant's ambience and decor is pretty sleek and it makes for an interesting dining experience.
Despite the PYTs and the too-cools-for-schools are at every turn from the bar to the crowded banquettes - your lobster crepes with mushrooms and a cognac and curry sauce along with your moist Kobe beef satays (and throw in some wicked crab fried rice) win me over.
Your desserts - especially the chocolate Pagoda - when I have room is always worth the wait. Even at the end of the night, I don't feel fleeced when I have to drop some serious loot because it was an enjoyable experience on the things that matter in dining. Alright, Steve, I think I've plumped up your ego enough, don't you?
Buddakan is, without a doubt, my favorite restaurant. The atmosphere is just right - modern and hip, but also not pretentious or unwelcoming. The service is perfectly attentive but not intrusive in the least. It's definitely on the pricey side, but the food is really amazing - everything I've ever gotten I've loved - and the portion sizes are pretty big for a restaurant of this caliber.
My most recent trip was for my birthday this past weekend. I was semi-observing Passover, so I skipped some of the normal stuff I usually get. I ordered the house salad as an appetizer, and the ginger dressing was a perfect accent to the tender Boston lettuce. Other appetizers I love are the edamame ravioli and wasabi tuna pizza.
For my entree I got the salmon teriyaki with sauteed green beans and an arugula cream cheese roll. Definitely not the most adventurous choice, but delicious nonetheless. I had leftovers to take home, too. I usually get the seared tuna, which is sesame-crusted and served in slices of bite-sized pieces.
For dessert I got the caramel tart with vanilla ice cream and caramelized bananas, planning on avoiding eating the chocolate shell. Well, needless to say, I ate half the shell (yes, I will readily admit that I am a bad Jew). My mom and sister got the crying chocolate, a relatively new dessert that looked incredible (chocolate molten cake with coffee ice cream). I tried the coffee ice cream and, as a coffee ice cream connoisseur, I can say with confidence that it was amazing. I asked the waitress and they make all the ice cream in-house. Yum! (FYI - it's calling "crying chocolate" because it's plated so that it looks like the ice cream is a tear that has fallen from the cake). The chocolate pagoda is unfortunately no longer a dessert menu item (it's part of the chocolate bento box)... but I think the crying chocolate is a worthy replacement.
Last but not last, the drinks. We ended up getting 2 pitchers of Zen-gria. While it's frustrating that a pitcher is mostly ice, it's really a tasty drink. I was sipping/gulping it all night like it was fruit juice, and by the end of the evening definitely felt my head spinning. The peach flavor is light and refreshing, and definitely a contrast (in a good way) to typical sangria. It went well with all the food I had, too.
Another amazing meal at Buddakan, and I can't wait to go back.
(Note: I'd definitely recommend requesting a table upstairs if you're looking for a quieter atmosphere. The lower level can get noisy if it's busy.)
When I go out for dinner the main thing I'm looking for is good food followed by good drink followed by good service followed by ambiance. It seems that Buddakan attempts to fool the customer by disguising their average food with overdone decor and service. I'm pretty sure I could recreate the quality of the entrees and appetizer in my own kitchen for a quarter of the price, though I probably couldn't recreate the appearance of the dish. The cocktails and dessert were amazing and worth the price, but they do not overcome the mediocrity of the main course.
Overall, not worth the price unless you like eating food in pretty places. I don't mind pretty places, but a pretty place does not transform average food into great food and this seems to be one of the great myths of east coast dining. Keep your eyes on the prize people.
Played out Asian theme? check. Giant tacky budda? check. Loud obnoxious douchebag clientele? check.
Why can't these Asian clone restaurants pick one type of food and do it well as opposed to trying to do everything mediocre.
All I can say is wow! The restaurant is amazing looking, although it was a bit loud, I found the energy in the place to be uplifting. The food was incredible. Everything we tried (there was 4 of us) tasted wonderful, even their house salad! How do you improve on a basic salad? Now that takes talent. I will definately go back and thank goodness to our friends who made the reservations weeks ago! Oh and our waiter was.... ok, I'm running out of words to use but you get the idea, he was great. If you've never gone, it's so so so worth a try!
Buddakan was doing small plate fusion food well ahead of the curve. Portion sizes are always surprising- they'll either blow your hair back with their size or make you wonder if you should have ordered two. But this all balances out, so there's nothing to worry about.
The giant smiling golden Buddha is a strange but quickly forgotten part of the decor, the throbbing music is maybe another story. I couldn't help but wonder if there's a trendy restaurant somewhere in Asia with a giant golden crucifix smirking over the diners.
Always fabulous. You must try the calamari salad.
Neighborhood: Olde City
Category: French
Neighborhood: Market East
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: University City
Category: Asian Fusion
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