The Experience A towering gilded statue of the Buddha generates elegant calm in this 175-seat, Pan Asian restaurant with sleek, modern decor. Immensely popular, Buddakan is a restaurant that is great for both large parties and intimate dinners. Located in the heart of the bustling Old City neighborhood, Buddakan features two full bars as well as a popular (and hard to reserve) 20-person, lit-from-within, community table for sharing food and conversation. The fare is top notch – appetizers include seared kobe beef carpaccio, endamme ravioli, miso tuna tartare and tea smoked spareribs. For the main course, delve into delicious dishes like Japanese black cod, wasabi crusted filet mignon, roasted ponzu chicken and collosal tempura shrimp. For dessert, the chocolate bento box will please just about anyone. Be sure to make your reservation before coming to town as Buddakan fills up quickly especially on weekends. Better yet, make your reservation right now .

Stephen Starr creative Japanese restaurant has garnered all kinds of national and international attention since opening a few years back. Located a block from Independence Hall on Chestnut Street, Morimoto has an interior – awash in glass and colors – that is both striking and serene in its design. The restaurant´s namesake and head chef, Morimoto (of Food Network´s Iron Chef fame), has created a menu offering the very best in contemporary Japanese cusine. While regulars flock here for the exquisitely prepared sushi, Morimoto offers diners a broad spectrum of flavors that delve beyond nigiri and sashimi. In recent years, the restaurant has made it onto Gourmet magazine´s “Best Restaurants in America” list and Conde Nast Traveler magazine 50 Hot Tables in America. Today Morimoto remains one of the hottest spots to dine in Center City and continues to receive rave reviews from regulars and first-timers alike. That said, be sure to call ahead for reservations. Insider Tip The mezzanine level lounge is a great spot to have a pre-meal cocktail while waiting for your table. You can enjoy a sake or try a “Sakura” – a cosmo made with Sake – in the sleek space that overlooks the brilliant restaurant below.

Chef and charismatic television star Michael Schulson returns to Philadelphia with the opening of Sampan, a modern Asian restaurant where he serves the acclaimed cuisine that has made him one of the country´s highly sought-after culinary talents. Schulson returns to Philadelphia after having opened Buddakan in New York City for Stephen Starr and Izakaya at the Borgata in Atlantic City and then having gone on to star in Style network´s popular series Pantry Raid and TLC Ultimate Cake Off. Chef Schulson has been looking forward to a time when he could come back to Philadelphia and cook in a small, personal space, which he has now achieved with Sampan. To him, Sampan is a place where he can prepare serious food from across Asia while interacting with guests and sharing his love of the cuisine with them. Design Designed by Philadelphia´s Sparks Design, Sampan features distressed metals, reclaimed timber and a rustic, natural aesthetic anchored by a custom-crafted, color washed painting that lends a warm ambiance to the space. In contrast to the large scale restaurants such as Manhattan´s Buddakan and West Philadelphia´s Pod, where Chef Schulson served as executive chef, this 80-seat gem is a cozy setting that allows his passion for Asian flavors, thoughtfully prepared, to shine. Cuisine Schulson´s says his mission at Sampan is to make the more exotic and unfamiliar flavors of Asian cuisine accessible and inviting to American palates. Sampan menu is composed of a variety of small plates – Chef Schulson´s preferred way to cook because it is ideal for sampling and sharing. Tempting dishes include: his signature Edamame Dumplings, with truffles, shoots and sake broth; Thai Chicken Wings with pickles, mint and basil; Pekin Duck with tamarind pancakes, scallions and cucumbers; Lamb Satay with yakitori, penko and ginger; Crispy Chili Crab with Hong Kong noodles, black beans and ginger chips; Mao Pao Tofu with pork, ginger and garlic; and Wild Mushroom Salad with goat cheese, puffed rice and truffles. Prices range from $5 to $19.

A deluxe hotel like The Rittenhouse deserves a deluxe restaurant, a fitting description for Lacroix, named “Restaurant of the Year” in 2003 by Esquire magazine. Located on the second floor of the Rittenhouse Hotel, Lacroix features elegant décor and a broad view of Rittenhouse Square, which combine to make the ambiance at Lacroix as enjoyable as the meal itself. The creative French menu changes with the season and in the past has included favorites like pumpkin soup with fried shallots and tuna steak with salmis sauce. The wine list is excellent and extensive – thanks to the 4,000-bottle wine cellar . The tasting menus can be catered to your preference – three-, four- and five-course selections are offered at set prices during lunch and dinner. Sunday Brunch at Lacroix – which features such delectable dishes as baby lamb chops with garlic crust and banyuls sauce, niman ranch smoked bacon, quail eggs with artichoke, golden beet and shiitakes, and french baguette toast with apple, raspberry and rosemary jam – is also highly recommended.

A deluxe hotel like The Rittenhouse deserves a deluxe restaurant, a fitting description for Lacroix, named “Restaurant of the Year” in 2003 by Esquire magazine. Located on the second floor of the Rittenhouse Hotel, Lacroix features elegant décor and a broad view of Rittenhouse Square, which combine to make the ambiance at Lacroix as enjoyable as the meal itself. The creative French menu changes with the season and in the past has included favorites like pumpkin soup with fried shallots and tuna steak with salmis sauce. The wine list is excellent and extensive – thanks to the 4,000-bottle wine cellar . The tasting menus can be catered to your preference – three-, four- and five-course selections are offered at set prices during lunch and dinner. Sunday Brunch at Lacroix – which features such delectable dishes as baby lamb chops with garlic crust and banyuls sauce, niman ranch smoked bacon, quail eggs with artichoke, golden beet and shiitakes, and french baguette toast with apple, raspberry and rosemary jam – is also highly recommended.