Tucked among the storefronts, jewelry designers and diamond merchants of Philly’s Jewelers’ Row, Tampopo 2 offers Pan Asian food perfect for lunch or dinner. Spawned from a successful sister restaurant located on South 21st street, Tampopo 2 offers primarily Japanese and Korean food in a clean, comfortable environment.
After a few aborted attempts to find this inconspicuous spot, Tushar and I stumbled into Tampopo 2 on a recent weekday afternoon for lunch. Once seated, we found the menu offers variety without being overwhelming. Check out Tampopo 2’s Menu Here Thankfully, our server was well prepared to fill in the blanks when menu descriptions and our knowledge came up short. - Oh yeah, and when Tushar wanted to play “Grill the Food Server.”
A quick scan of the menu produced the following choices:
Steamed Veggie Gyoza - Lightly steamed dumplings with a filling of julienned vegetables served with a side of spicy stuff.
Hot & Spicy Beef Don - Spicy grilled beef served with saueed onions and a pickled red pepper garnish with a choice of brown/white rice.
Fresh Tuna Bi-Bim-Bop - Sushi grade tuna served atop sliced vegetables with a choice of brown/white rice.
Starting with our appetizer, the Steamed Veggie Gyozas were remarkably light yet tasty. Served in a steamer 
accompanied by a spicy ginger soy sauce, the Gyoza was an excellent start and a good item to share. The Hot & Spicy Beef Don was simply presented and delicious, although I had to crank up the heat with an extra dose of Korean spices. The Fresh Tuna Bi-Bim-Bop was excellent and offered a visual pop with its topping of cubed raw tuna on a bed of veggies and rice. Every item we sampled was very good and the service was also excellent.
While Tush and I enjoyed both the food and service, I was also captivated by the possibilities that the Sushi Happy Hour Offers (30% Off All Sushi - I guess I’m just a bargain hunter at heart). Granted, we didn’t sample any sushi during our first visit, but I’m willing to gamble, especially when I can bring my own beer (Tampopo 2 is a BYOB). The happy hour runs from 5:30 - 7:00pm Monday - Friday.
We had a great time at Tampopo 2. This is a great spot for a light meal for couples and groups alike. Fair portion sizes and with a diverse menu make this an ideal place to try different items with friends. It doesn’t hurt that it’s a BYOB. I can’t wait to go back - I’ll see you at Happy Hour.
Tampopo 2 is located at 719 Sansom St. Philadelphia, PA (215) 238-9373. Hours are: Monday - Saturday Lunch: 11:30am - 3 pm & Dinner 5 pm - 10 pm
[Tags]Philadelphia, Old City, Korean Food, Japanese Food, Tampopo 2, Jeweler’s Row, Podcast[/Tags]
Tags: Japanese, Korean, Old City, Philadelphia, Philly, Podcast
I’m so glad I saw this - I work pretty close by and had no idea it was even there. Thanks!
Love the look at the interior with the video!