pagoda noodle cafe

pagoda noodle cafe
125 sansom walkway
philadelphia, pa
(215) 627 4520
pagodanoodlecafe.com

type of cuisine: chinese
culinary excellence: 6
vegan friendliness: 7
*recommended*

i have passed this little restaurant so many times after taking in films at the ritz. finally, after thoroughly enjoying todd field's latest movie picture, the sumptuous smells lured me in for a late dinner. the interior is suprisingly spacious! and amazing, despite the multitude of dazzling christmas lights, it has a very calm, zen ambiance:



their menu is definitely vegetarian-friendly, with about 7 or 8 vegan options. pagoda's general tso's vegetarian chicken was excellent:



i have no idea why they list it as "deep fried tofu" though, as the chicken was clearly tender seitan in a sweet, smoky and pungent sauce. this is probably the first elegant version of this dish i've had - no excess of goopy sauce or overcooked broccoli, just perfectly prepared wheat meat with crispy edges and enough drizzling of general tso's sauce to flavor the rice. just a little too salty.

the szechuan tofu is comprised of a whole lot of soft cubes of bean curd in a spicy sauce with some peas, tiny blocks of carrot and thinly sliced jalapenos. i actually enjoyed it a lot more the next day, eaten cold, but overall i felt like the dish was too soft all around.



i also enjoyed pagoda's vegetarian spring rolls - slender, crispy and flavorful without an excess of grease - but my photos of them came out all blurry. :(

since they don't have any appealing vegan desserts, get a coconut water for a refreshing touch of something sweet!