Gain Enlightenment at Buddakan... Or Perhaps Just a Really Great Meal.
Written: Dec 09 '03 (Updated Feb 10 '05)
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Pros: Fantastic food, decor, service, location, etc., etc.
Cons: Why is my bank account suddenly so low?
The Bottom Line: Quality is the word to associate with Buddakan, as it excels in so many ways. Well worth a visit, despite the price tag.
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| slarter's Full Review: Buddakan |
Stephen Starr is the wunderkind of the Philadelphia restaurant scene. In the last five or so years, he has opened about ten restaurants in the Philadelphia area, almost all of which have done extremely well. Buddakan, however, is the jewel in the Starr crown, and remains an anchor restaurant for his small empire. The reputation for excellence at Buddakan is entirely deserved, let me say. In almost all areas, the restaurant excels, which leads overall to a fantastic dining experience. As long as you understand going in that you'll be paying for the privilege of eating there, Buddakan will provide a unique, memorable dining experience.
The Decor
As you walk in the front door, you will be immediately greeted by a classy-looking water-on-glass waterfall. To your left will be the hostess station, at which one of a number of rather attractive hostesses will be waiting to escort you to your table (which I hope you will have been smart enough to reserve quite a few days ahead of time). As you walk past the waterfall, the immense figure of Buddha leaps into your vision. In the main wall of the dining area, seated cross-legged in a large, red-painted alcove, sits a gold-colored representation of the Enlightened One himself, looking rather meditative (if a bit thin, as Buddhas go). From just below the figure's crossed legs, a long, marble table extends a good 30 feet into the dining area, lit from beneath and ringed with high bar-type stools. Buddha and table combine to form an impressive pair of centerpieces to the restaurant.
Farther in and on the left, you will notice the dimly-lit bar area. Behind the shelves of liquor, from floor to ceiling, hang gauzy chiffon curtains. Behind these curtains are dotted more than a few candles, providing a soft, almost ethereal look to the backdrop. To the right of the bar, and dividing the bar from the dining area, is a pair of Asian-looking shelving units, backless, and decorated with more votive candles. A couple of very solid-looking pillars finish the interior, reaching all the way to the 20-foot high ceiling.
The Alcohol
The bar stocks most of the labels you would expect from a top-shelf restaurant. Ten or fifteen single malts, ten vodkas, bourbons, gins, and the rest of the usual suspects reside in front of the chiffon backdrop. The wine list, I believe, is extensive, but expect to pay quite dearly for the privilege of having a bottle at your table.
The reason that I don't know much about the wine list is the fact that I visited Buddakan with my brother. He is a restaurant mananger in Boulder, CO, and a certified sommelier. Needless to say, when I go out with my (younger!) brother, he gets to pick the wine. At Buddakan, he selected an Oregonian wine, by the name of Evolution No. 9. This is an intensely fruity blend of 9 varietals, with a rich peach-pear-honeydew nose and a gorgeous, melon-white grape finish. The slightly oily mouthfeel blends perfectly with light-tasting seafoods, and made for an absolutely fantastic complement to our appetizers.
The Food
The food at Buddakan is phenomenal. Our server recommended that we split most of the dishes, so that's precisely what we did. This made for a great deal of variety in our meal, which is a very good thing, in my opinion.
For appetizers, we selected the Seared Kobe Beef Carpaccio, the Chicken and Ginger Dumplings, and a special they had going that night, Seared Spearfish Sashimi. These were delivered to the table as they were completed, staggering our sampling quite nicely.
Kobe beef, by the way, is probably one of the most labor-intensive meat products on the market. According to my brother, this Japanese product is massaged by hand with a mixture of sake and milk for the first few weeks of its aging, then left to age normally for the rest of its time. What results is a phenomenally tender, flavorful meat that will fetch easily $100 or more per steak. The beef in the Carpaccio was sliced so thin as to be almost transparent, spread in the bottom of the plate, and topped with an "exotic mushroom salad [and] yuzu-truffle vinaigrette." Exotic, indeed, and the raw (yes, raw) beef was magnificent! The sashimi had only the barest hint of seared flesh around the outside, and was served in 1/8" slices with a miso reduction glaze. It literally melted in your mouth. Out of the appetizers, the least complex were the dumplings. While they were tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor, they were not far enough above the quality of dumplings I have had at other Asian restaurants to merit re-ordering the next time I go to Buddakan.
Picking the entrees was a difficult endeavor, given that there are so many enticing offerings. Eventually we settled on the Broiled Japanese Black Cod, the Wasabi-crusted Filet Mignon, and the Duck Breast. The cod was as creamy and tender a piece of fish as I have ever tasted, and the skin was so soft, and so intimately bonded to the flesh that I ate it and didn't think twice. The wasabi mashed potatoes that accompanied the cod were ridiculously creamy, with the barest hint of horseradish adding a welcome complexity to the mix. The duck breast suffered from absolutely none of the gaminess that often accompanies this meat. It was sliced thinly, and served with "roasted garlic, five-spice jus, and corn and scallion spoon bread." Great stuff!
The filet mignon, for those who like theirs meltingly tender, may have been a disappointment. It came out medium rare, with a perfectly blackened exterior, and the wasabi crusting was subtle, but noticable. The only disappointment for some may have been the chewiness of the steak. It was not chewy in the gristly sense, but in the firm, fleshy sense, if you get my meaning. Those who prefer their steaks to fall apart when they breathe may want to try another entree. Myself, I thought it was fantastic. Also, the sweet potatoe mash accompanying the filet surpassed even the delightful wasabi mashed potatoes in flavor and texture.
The beauty (or danger) of Buddakan lies in the serving sizes that are never "too much." When we finished our main meal, all of us found, to our surprise, that we still had room for dessert (this almost never happens, mind you). At $14, the Chocolate Bento Box is an absolute steal! Even if your wallet's not up to a full meal at Buddakan, take your significant other here for coffee and dessert, and share this magnificent offering. Six different chocolate-based samplings are served on saucers laid neatly in an imported, Japanese-wood box, and each offering is quite delectable. Chocolate cake, chocolate panna cotta, chocolate-espresso pot de creme, milk chocolate mousse cube, chocolate sorbet, chocolate hazelnut crunch, and cocoa-dusted almonds form a rich combination here, and it is a pity that we could not do more than sample each one before having to stop.
Finally, it should be mentioned that the Dim Sum Donuts are a crowd favorite here. Served in a cardboard take-out box, these warm, sugar-coated tidbits are accompanied by jam and cream cheese for dipping, and are dangerously addictive.
The Service
Buddakan provides almost flawless service. From the hostesses to the servers to the food-runners, everyone seems knowledgeable, alert, and always present. When our appetizer plates were cleared, the gentleman who set the table placed each one of our plates at exactly the same orientation, showing an inordinate attention to detail on the part of even the table-setters. Our server was polite, accessible, and always happy to make recommendations. In fact, when my brother mentioned he was in the restaurant industry, she took pains to pay extra attention to us. We received free samples of plum sake with our coffee, and the Dim Sum Donuts I spoke of above came to our table unasked for, and free! Needless to say, we were very impressed by the quality of service here, and left an exceedingly generous tip.
Final Thoughts
Buddakan is not an every-day experience. It would be very easy for a party of two here to drop in excess of $150 on a meal, with only a couple of rounds of drinks. Regardless, Buddakan is a brilliant restaurant experience, with so much going for it that it almost, but not quite, became my favorite restaurant in Philadelphia. The only thing that kept it from doing so was the price. Do I recommend Buddakan? Heartily. Can I afford it? Not often. Don't let that stop you from taking a look at it, though. It will not disappoint you if you choose to make it a special night out.
Other Philadelphia-area Restaurant Reviews:
My all-time favorite! Los Catrines Restaurant & Tequila's Bar
Good Italian. Sotto Varalli
Classy, but cold. Circa
Tons of food! Buca di Beppo
© SL, 2003
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Save room for the Chocolate Bento Box... it''s amazing!
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slarter
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Reviews written: 131
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