Pagoda is a Pan-Asian establishment with a modern minimalist yet warm decor. If the decor wasn’t enough of a clue, you soon realize scanning the menu this is not the typical Chinese American restaurant. The menu lists a mind numbing 269 plus items, many Hong Kong style. If you’re a first timer with an adventurous palate, add 15 minutes to read through the menu.
The Plain Congee ($2.95) and Fried Chinese Bread Congee ($1.95) was ordered to fill our stomachs while we still worked our way through the menu. The congee was insipid and too watery. The Cruller arrived hot from the fryer, crunchy on the outside and airy soft on the inside. The Cruller would have been better a bit more savory to offset the bland congee.
The Thai Style Meats & Eggplant Bamboo Rice ($7.95) is a spicy dish. The beef, onion, and eggplant came served on a bed of rice with little bits of egg hidden by the side section of bamboo platter. The beef and eggplant had soaked in the just-right-for-us spicy and slightly sweet sauce. The eggplant was cooked to the proper doneness. Alas, this was more about presentation than taste.
The Fujianese Style Drunken Pork Ribs ($8.95) comprised pork fried in a batter and then cooked in what tasted like a ketchup based sweet and mildly sour-spicy sauce. Little chopped pieces of taro were thrown in to give the dish some visual offset. The pork was meaty and tender without being fatty and came coated in a perfect batter. This was our favorite dish.
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