My love story with food has to compete with my love story with New York. I contemplated posting my first article about a place in Sydney where I live, however I thought it would be more authentic to start with a place in New York as I just got back from my trip and this would be my last foodie adventure. I also want my articles to include places to eat for all budgets, which is why I was initially hesitant to make my first place on Buddakan, which can pull the strings of the purse. However, I think the best investment I can make with my money is to let it rest on my stomach and besides, a trip to Buddakan is a pleasure I need to share! For fans of Sex and the City, this is the restaurant with rehearsal dinner from the first movie; It’s also a stop on the HotSpots tour if you make it while in New York (although you can’t actually eat here on the tour, you’re more gawking at the amazing scenery, particularly the chandelier).
Lex and I visited Buddakan on New Years Day 2016. Our table was for 8pm and I highly recommend booking through OpenTable if you are planning a visit as it is a popular spot with locals especially on weekends. The restaurant is located in Chelsea, right next to Chelsea Markets. It’s a fairly low-key entrance, but don’t let that fool you. When you enter the restaurant in low light, sophistication seems to ooze from every corner. You are greeted by a long line of hostesses where you provide the name of your reservation and register your coat and then you are quickly ushered to a bar area. We didn’t wait more than three or four minutes, enough time to get adequately excited about our food and soak up the atmosphere. Our server walked us to a table at the other end of the main floor. There is a lower deck with a community table to share food and conversation; Again to refer to Sex and the City, this is the table Carrie and Big used for dinner. I would definitely love to come back and request a spot at this table. The pan-Asian hot spot has a great sense of energy and elegance, and customers are addressed according to the dress code, “downtown chic.” Our lovely waitress introduces herself and explains the menu. His recommendations for two appetizers, two main courses, and two sides for a party of two were almost too much, but since the fare was too good to resist, we blatantly finished it all. I should mention that the current two executive chefs are Yang Huang and Brian Ray, accessories for you guys.
What we ask
We started by ordering a bottle of red, if you could remember which one would include it! I’ll have to ask Lex, he’s good at remembering the wine list.
For our two appetizers we chose the edamame dumplings and the pork buns. The meatballs were placed in a shallot and sauternes broth and came in five bite-size portions. They were delicious meatballs that melted in your mouth and were the perfect introduction to Buddakan. The pork buns were Lex’s choice and they weren’t typically what I would have ordered, but I’m glad I tried them. The buns consisted of charred pork belly, tangy shallots, and napa cabbage. Lex rated them “the best pork buns I’ve ever had.” Although I’m not typically a pork bun girl, I must admit they had a beautiful texture and just the right amount of spice.
For our sides we ordered the Asian green stir fry and the rice with vegetables. We were tempted to order the pork noodles, next time! The Asian veggies had pine nuts and garlic chips mixed in throughout and made the perfect side kick for our main dishes (although I could have eaten them on their own, they were amazing!). If you’re not a fan of garlic, probably steer clear of these as they definitely have a strong garlic flavor (which makes them even better in my opinion). We also ordered the vegetable fried rice which had a hint of coconut and pineapple to add flavor. Again, it was perfect as a side kick, but also on its own!
There were so many delicious main courses to choose from. There are a variety of seafood dishes including salt and pepper black sea bass, Alaskan glazed black cod, and Cantonese steamed sole. Since Lex is not a fan of seafood, we stuck with the meat and poultry options. My eyes were immediately drawn to two options and before I told Lex what they were I asked him to tell me what he wanted, luckily we got it right! We made the easy decision to order the Black Pepper Beef and the Chicken with Broken Chili (you should know that Lex and I love chili, we usually order it or add it to most meals). The meat was a short rib tossed into the wok in a crispy bird’s nest, which to our delight was edible! The two textures complemented each other well, and the sauce was so flavorful that we made sure to pour every last drop over the vegetable rice. The chicken was just delicious and honestly, it wasn’t like anything we’ve ever eaten before. It was a seared scallion slathered with Chinese pepper and chili sauce. I should mention here that the chicken was the perfect companion to the Asian vegetables and wine!
Admittedly, we were too full of food and wine to order desserts, but that’s not to say Executive Pastry Chef Daniel Skurnick didn’t have many delicious options to choose from. Lex said she would have chosen the Crying Chocolate dessert, which was a malted ganache with Vietnamese coffee ice cream, and I would have chosen the passion fruit meringue with yogurt semifreddo and passion fruit ice cream – yum! Other notable options included the Apple Tarte Tatin, a cinnamon streusel with soy sauce ice cream, and the almond bread pudding with bananas, caramel sauce, and whiskey ice cream.
And then our stomachs were full and our plates were empty. I won’t say this was the cheapest meal we’ve ever eaten, it was an expense. In saying that though, the portions were generous and the wine took up a large chunk of the bill. We also tipped generously because the service was really part of the experience, and we had already been to a few places with less than favorable service, so we wanted to thank the attentive and knowledgeable service we received.
If you love Asian food, this is a must. Let me know if you’ve tried it or done it before.
Read x
