Buddakan: Restaurant Week Edition

I first visited this trendy Stephen Starr restaurant with my mom during the beginning of the school year and wow, did this place stay on my mind! When Philly Restaurant Week rolled around, I knew I had to go back for more. As an excuse to bond (or maybe an excuse to eat?) my roommates and I decided to treat ourselves and quickly snagged a reservation–albeit for 5 pm on a Wednesday, but hey, that’s Restaurant Week for you!

After messaging each other all day about the delicious food we’d have that evening, we finally found ourselves seated at the table with a plethora of delectable options to choose from. In the back of my mind, though, I couldn’t help but wonder if “Restaurant Week” Buddakan would hold up to its non-specialized self. The first meal I’d had here was so good that I hoped it would live up to my expectations.

Buddakan hit high marks with the selections given on the $35 fixed menu. Several different choices of dim sum, including their infamous edamame dumplings, could be found under the appetizers, and hearty entrée options, such as Teriyaki Salmon, Short Rib Chow Fun, and Cashew Chicken, made my mouth water. The desserts displayed a little less variety with three items: a classic molten chocolate lava cake (aka “Crying Chocolate”), “Dip Sum” Donuts, and a coconut mousse.

For the appetizer round, my friends and I definitely had overlapping interests, but after being assured by our waitress that portions would be big enough for sharing, we decided to all get different things. Service was speedy and soon our table was plated with an array of different bite-sized apps, including spring rolls, edamame dumplings, chicken and ginger dumplings, and yellowtail hamachi. I was incredibly impressed by the amount of food in these dishes! It is certainly easy to compare the size of dim sum because it translates simply as the number of pieces given. I was happy to find that the amount of dumplings (5 pieces) in the Restaurant Week order was the same as the normal order I’d had on my previous visit.

(Edamame Dumplings)

(Chicken and Ginger Dumplings)

(Yellowtail Hamachi)

(Spring Rolls)

Undoubtedly, the edamame dumplings were my favorite. The glutinous rice wrapper is the perfect container for the smooth edamame purée that rests inside. Paired with flavorful broth and black sesame seeds, this is probably one of the most satisfying appetizers I’ve had. While the yellowtail was fresh, I found the other appetizers to be standard. Definitely quality ingredients, but nothing spectacularly creative.

I like to think of myself as an adventurous eater, but when it came time to pick an entrée, I couldn’t bring myself to order anything except the Cashew Chicken that I’d enjoyed on my last visit. I’m a huge fan of any dish that includes cooked nuts–especially Asian stir-frys–so I simply couldn’t pass it up! Eventually, I decided I could even compare the dish between my two visits as a sort of analysis (so it’s not because I’m boring, it was for science!). Anywho, the entrée came out just as tasty as I had remembered with plenty of fresh veggies, such as broccoli, snap peas, zucchini, and squash. This portion was smaller in comparison to their normal service (probably about half the size), which I didn’t particularly mind because the dish is typically meant to be shared. Among the other dishes ordered at my table were the Seabass and the Short Rib Chow Fun. I sneaked a taste of each, and both were done excellently. The short rib was extremely tender, as was the fish. However, the bass did contain quite a strong butter flavor that I’m not sure everyone would enjoy.

(Cashew Chicken)

(Lily enjoys her Chow Fun)

(Seabass)

Already stuffed, we bravely faced the dessert course. Since we had four people and only three dessert selections, everything made its way to our table. I went with the “Crying Chocolate” Cake, and unfortunately, like its name, I was a little sad. The cake itself was rather boring and surprisingly wasn’t very sweet. The small scoop of Vietnamese coffee ice cream that came on the side, though, was much better. The best dessert in my opinion were the cinnamon-y “Dip Sum” donuts. So named because of the three dipping sauces that accompanied them, these doughy treats were warm and dense. My favorite sauce was definitely the unique ginger cream cheese, but the chocolate and raspberry sauces were lovely as well. The coconut mousse, like the chocolate cake, was fine but wasn’t a standout part of the meal.

(“Crying Chocolate” Cake)

(“Dip Sum” Donuts)

All in all, Buddakan was an excellent choice for Restaurant Week! The atmosphere is quite suitable for young adults (the lighting is a little dark for my liking, but the chic decor makes up for it), and the service was very welcoming. The food even had Lily asking “Budda-kan I please come again?” I think the answer is yes!

–Nicole Luo