Buddakan

Philadelphia restaurant icon Stephen Starr picked the Pier Shops at Caesars to host the AC outpost of Buddakan, and for good reason. What other building in town aside from possibly Borgata has the cool points to have a restaurant in it that has a 25-foot-tall golden Buddha?

The famed Modern Asian menu is little changed from the Philly or Manhattan locations, but our Buddakan is roughly 20% larger than the Philly original. For those not familiar, Buddakan serves everything family-style and in stages and very much encourages diners to share. Consensus opinion is that anything Starr is can't-miss, and so we say the same for here.

Fun useless information: "Buddakan" is a deliberate misspelling of the legendary Japanese concert venue Budokan, homage to Stephen Starr's having started his professional life as a concert promoter.

Most of the dishes at Buddakan reflect a European base with a very Asian twist. One example is the ravioli appetizer that instead of being stuffed with meat or cheese is made with a whipped edamame filling and served in a light broth. The Edamame Ravioli is a perennial favorite and has been selected by CityAtlantic as the city's best appetizer. Give it try, you won't be disappointed.