Buddha Bowl is tucked in a small nook between bigger operations in a High Street strip mall. It’s found amidst auto-care, a brewery and a Condado. Although a modest space, what lies behind the eatery’s doors is bigger than its exterior might indicate.
For starters, there’s a giant succulent scene. It starts in the entryway and moves on into the dining space. The joint’s baseboards are filled with smooth stones that pave the way towards the order counter. The counter itself is short – deceptively short for a build-your-own operation. BYO concepts are typically associated with long, expansive cafeteria counters that display a garden of goodies. Here, the display is short, but it’s stacked deep. That means the expanse of ingredient choices can be surveyed in the length of three strides.
The first choice to be made provides the base for the bowl. The choices are both rice-y: white or brown. Both versions are appropriately clumpy, as rice should be.
Meat is the next choice. The choices available so far seem generally centered on a variety of chicken and tofu. In the poultry department, there are a couple of familiar choices – grilled chicken and a more flavorful Coconut Curry Chicken, both offering satisfying nuggets of breast meat. Don’t sleep on the ground chicken option: Spicy Basil Chicken. It’s different from poultry offerings found elsewhere, and different in a good way. While marked as spicy, the ground seasoned meat isn’t so spicy as to lead to aggressive water gulping. It’s more of a little tingle that mixes with its savory accent. And the texture of ground chicken lends itself to a perfect harmonious blend with rice.
We’re not done yet, though. Next comes vegetables: chickpeas, black beans, carrots, cucumbers, sweet potato, blanched broccoli, (blanching makes such a difference), cauliflower, and straw mushrooms, all cut bite-sized and piled on top to order.
So far, analysis paralysis has been pretty easy to avoid. All the ingredients are relatively familiar. But the sauce section is a different story. As the sauce determines the finished product, a wise choice here is essential. As it turns out, the Basil Garlic option is a great match for the ground chicken, as it blends seamlessly and ties the whole dish together. Other tested recommendations include the Teriyaki (classic savory), and the aromatic Coconut Curry. There are also some sprinkled spices and crunchies to throw on at the end.
There are probably ways to make bad bowls, that’s true of any place. The combinations at Buddha Bowl make a good meal, and good value for $10.95.
Now, the earlier statement about rice being the first choice; that was kind of a fib. There’s really a choice that needs to be made before the rice decision. That’s a choice of whether to get appetizers ($4.95). There’s even a little sign at the counter that asks guests to make the appetizer choice first, to give the kitchen some cooking time. The selection includes potstickers as well as Crab Cream Cheese Wontons. The latter is a cousin to crab rangoon, offering a simpler creamy filling that’s delivered inside a collection of fresh-fried, flapping, amorphous shells that crackle and crunch.
Buddha Bowl can be found at 2973 N. High St. It’s closed on Sundays, but open Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
For more information, visit buddhabowl.com.
All photos by Susan Post
