If you live near Philadelphia or have ever visited, you most likely know who Stephen Starr is. And if you don’t or live nowhere near here, well let me tell you. He is the creator and mastermind behind a slew of amazing themed restaurants in the city. Starr restaurants are not only amazing places to dine, but are so aesthetically pleasing and make dining out feel like an experience.
Or you could just say he is my hero.
I have dined at many Starr restaurants and it seems like every month more pop up! ( I told you this guy was awesome.) But so far, my all time favorite is POD!!!
Pod is described as a Contempory Pan Asian themed restaurant that serves a wide variety of dishes from main courses to sushi. Most of the food is served family style, which I love! And the food is brought out as it is ready. The restaurant is decorated very eclectically and is futuristic looking. Even the bathroom is funky! And if you’re really lucky and happen to snag an actual pod, you and your party can sit inside the pod where you have the ability to change the lighting and have an intimate dining experience.
I went to Pod with some friends for lunch because we all have such different schedules and knew that we would be able to spend less money than at dinner. We all started off with some martinis, which are described by color. I had a red martini which is Soho Lychee Liqueur, Smirnoff Vodka and White Peach Puree.
Because I had been here before I suggested we start off with the Tempura Rock Shrimp which is battered shrimp in a delicious sauce with pineapple and walnuts. The combination is unlike anything you’ve ever tried!!
The crispiness of the shrimp, the creaminess of the sauce, the tart bite of the pineapple and the nutty crunch of the walnuts… I think this dish is simply amazing.
Our entrees varied widely! I made sure to capture what everyone had because it was all so interesting.
Rockin Spicy Tuna: 8pc. spicy tuna roll topped with tempura rock shrimp and spicy aioli
Maki Combination: 6 pc. each spicy tuna roll, eel-avocado roll and California roll
My friend Nichole and I both got the lunch special which came with miso soup, pickled vegetable salad and white or brown rice.
Macadamia Chicken Stir-fry.
And I had…Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass. Oh the sea bass. This is actually the first place I ever tried sea bass and where I fell in love. While this version does not compare to the dinner version which is served over mashed sweet potatoes and mushrooms, it was delicious, buttery and melt-in-your-mouth good.
I also had some green tea after my martini.
As if we didn’t eat enough amazing food, we all decided that dessert was necessary. At a place like this where everything is fabulous, it is the kind of thing you just can’t miss.
Fluffernutter Spring Rolls: spring rolls with warm chocolate peanut butter dipping sauce
Creme Fraiche Cheesecake: black sesame brittle
Butterscotch Brown Sugar Cake: crumbled gingersnaps, butterscotch panna cotta
My dessert was the Ice Sculpture Sorbets: chef’s selection of assorted flavors. I thought it was the perfect ending to a delicious meal. I’ll do my best to remember what the flavors were… black berry, mango, coconut and some kind of mint. The coconut was definitely my favorite! And it was served on a really cool block of blue ice!!
But I will admit my absolute favorite dessert was the brown sugar cake!!! It was definitely a memorable dessert and quite possibly the best dessert I’ve ever had. I will definitely be ordering this next time I return!
I really can’t say enough good things about this place. From the food to the atmosphere, you’ll quickly want to become a regular at Pod. And maybe Stephen Starr’s BFF…or maybe that’s just me.
