BUDDAKAN:
Worth the Bucks?
By Gabrielle Linder
As any foodie in New York knows, there’s no shortage of great restaurants in Chelsea. This past month, three of our Columbia Eats! resident food writers were able to visit the best of the best—Buddakan. As I heard, if offered the opportunity to sit in the main dining room, take it. You will be surrounded by classically opulent New York City architecture, the chatter of voices and a stunning room. If you think the volume is too distracting to hold any real conversation during your meal, try the upstairs dining options—though they lack the splendor and ambiance of the main waiting and dining rooms.
We started our meal with a short rib and scallion pancakes—scrumptious! So savory, yet so light, due to the Asian pear and ginger incorporated in the dish. We cleared our plate within minutes of it being served. Following our first appetizer, we received two of their dumpling varieties: pork potstickers and General Tso’s soup dumplings. The pork potstickers were a particular favorite of mine; the chili and soy vinegar complemented the fried pork dumpling beautifully. The General Tso’s chicken soup dumplings were also quite good- a definite must-order appetizer for anyone looking to come to Buddakan.
These were then followed by the sweet and crispy chili rock shrimp, a universal favorite amongst the group. The fried shrimp, dipped in a sweet and spicy sauce, was a symphony of flavors, which could not have been denied by even the most seafood-averse (such as myself). We then moved on to the mains. Both the black pepper beef and charred filet were delicious. I have nothing bad to say about either, but there was also nothing about either dish which was particularly novel, especially for the hefty price tag.
By this point in the night, the table was crowded with plates of food. Minced pork lo mein, wok charred broccoli, and a dish of fried rice had all just arrived. The pork lo mein was a filling addition to what had otherwise been a meal filled with small portion sizes, with bites to be shared amongst the table. However, the lo mein fell flat of our high expectations. It was not even close to being the best in the city, let alone the best on the block. The lobster fried rice was filled with such decadent flavor, infused with luxurious saffron and cilantro. It was a heavenly indulgence, and definitely worth looking into. However, I can’t say I wasn’t intrigued (and slightly jealous) of the table seated next to us who had ordered the vegetable fried rice, which came with a mouthwatering mix of pineapple and coconut-curry. Along with seafood, this author also seems to have an aversion to vegetables and healthy food in general, but I have been informed the broccoli was delicious, seared in a mix of garlic and black bean.
The meal was rounded off with some of their house specialty cocktails—“Answer” and “Vigor.” Answer was Buddakan’s take on a spicy margarita, a Cazadores blanco tequila with blood orange and habanero agave. The spice of the habanero agave perfectly compliments the (maybe too) familiar burn of tequila, though the would-be bite of the drink is cut by the sweet blood orange. Vigor, though slightly awkward to order, is worth the misfortune of its name. It’s Montelobos mezcal and Milagro SBR silver mixed with coconut, campari, and pineapple. Though the meal is definitely a splurge, we would be lying to ourselves and our readers if we did not think this restaurant was well worth the recommendation. We just also recommend going when your parents are in town.
Gabrielle Linder moved from North Dakota to New York City to study Political Science and Creative Writing at Columbia College. When not typing away at the next draft due, she’s usually dreaming in museums or working on political campaigns. A lover of carbohydrates and caffeine, she can often be found with a coffee in hand and pasta on her plate.