Parc and Buddakan restaurants

Spent some time in Philly this weekend restaurant hopping. Forgot to bring along a camera - though I did take some truly awful cellphone shots, which I don't think will do any place justice. So sorry - I can only tell, not show.

My favorite stop was the new Parc restaurant at 18th and Locust streets in Rittenhouse Square; 215-545-2262. Yep, another Stephen Starr eatery, but so worth the trip. (Go. Make a reservation. Now.) It reminds me of Philadelphia's version of New York's Pastis.

This beautiful Parisian style bistro was buzzing with activity. The doors were flung open and the bar and the sidewalk tables packed. It's just doors away from Barclay Prime. I was expecting to see "the beautiful people" - which I did, to a point - but there were also many patrons - tourists? - carrying backpacks and wearing ballcaps. (What's UP with that? A ballcap at a nice restaurant on a Saturday night? In Center City?) As it got later, more people adapted the urban "dressy casual" attire.

I didn't bother with reservations - a huge mistake on a Saturday night any place in Philly. But we got there around 7 p.m. - you can valet for $20 (!) - and just planned to have drinks and apps since we had a later reservation at Buddakan. We asked for a table - and were told we'd only have a 30-minute wait. (Which came and went; it was more like 50 minutes.) We ordered champagne at the bar - it's $16 a glass for Perrier-Jouet. But they do have Chandon sparkling wine. (Much cheaper.)

We got a carafe of the "house white" - Laboure Roi for $28 - it actually comes in a green bottle and split a charcuterie plate ($16) of sliced meats, cornichons, pickled onions and a wonderful, creamy chicken liver mousse spread. The steak tartare ($15) was nicely spicy and we cleaned up a plate of tuna carpaccio ($15). The bread is made in house - very nice crust and good chew. Honestly, I wanted to stay for more food and can't wait to go back very soon. I love the vibe of this place.

Later, we dropped into Buddakan. (Valet parking: 18 beans. Gulp. But you try and find parking on Saturday night in Old City.) Friends had never been to this famed Pan-Asian eatery at 325 Chestnut St., (215) 574-9440 and were looking forward to chowing down. Buddakan, now 10 years old, is one of Starr's biggest hits and remains one of the most popular places in the city. (According to the 2008-09 Zagat Restaurant Survey.)

I used to be a big Buddakan fan - I even went to a party there in 2000 for John McCain, long story short I was writing about parties in the city during the Republican National Convention - but during this visit I found the restaurant to be resting somewhat on its laurels.

The pork dumplings ($10) were dried and overcooked, as was the crab fried rice ($14) which had more egg than crabmeat. Tuna pizza seemed so "been-there, done that" that I couldn't work up much enthusiasum. Maybe other restaurants have copied this dish so much that it just doesn't rock my world anymore? I dunno.

What would make me return was the moist and delicious Japanese black cod ($25) in miso, the sizzling whole fish with black beans ($34) - as good as any I've had in Chinatown - and the Buddakan style sashimi ($16). The Zengria cocktail ($8) is a winner, as is the "Enlightment" ($11), a Tequila cocktail garnished with cucumber.

Service is usually a high point at a Starr restaurant and Buddakan certainly doesn't disappoint. That said, this wouldn't be my first choice for a Philadelphia dining experience.