Mantra

Mantra
122 South 18th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(Visit their website!)

Willing to spend a little bit of money on lunch in downtown Philadelphia? This tasty spot is a great place to sit and relax at any time but especially when it’s over 80 degrees outside and you can’t stand being in the sun for another second. The restaurant is a bit dark on the first floor (looks like there is additional seating on the second floor) but nicely decorated. Its “pan-Asian” theme allows for a blend of decorative styles. Combining glass marbles, mirrors and paper umbrellas, they also use Japanese screens, martial arts clippings (someone is a Jet Li fan), and a few Buddha statues to spice up the place.

But I wouldn’t go there just for the décor. The place is too dark for my taste. Hey, I want to see what I’m about to put in my mouth. Even though I am seeking refuge from the sun, I still need some light. I wouldn’t mind sitting there to read but with the bits of light that make it in, I would get a headache pretty fast. Good coffee though.

The food is terrific but, as I said, a bit pricey. My dining companion and I started with the Kinki Rice Bowl Salad. This dish comes with some perfectly prepared tuna (Kinki?). The fish is almost raw in the center but well cooked and a bit crispy on the outside. The sticky rice was great and I thought they had lightly grilled it although I may have been mistaken. Rice and fish combined with seaweed and a light sweet sauce made this a great combo. There were also slices of pears, nectarines, and cucumbers to go along with the salad. Squeeze a bit of lime and you’re good to go.

(Images by AG)