Stephen Starr may be a restaurateur extraordinaire, but when it comes to the iconic example of American cuisine - the hamburger - his originality is less than brilliant. The Teriyaki Kobe Beef burger ($10) on the Pod lunch menu offers little of the creative spin that Starr's restaurants are known for. The teriyaki marinade provided a subtly sweet layer of flavor to an otherwise plain hamburger. The kitchen tried too hard to make the burger fit with the Asian fusion items on the menu, but after the first bite, the hint of teriyaki disappeared. What the dish needed rather than ketchup on the side was some sort of spicy ginger or wasabi sauce to offset the sweetness of the meat.
Instead, the only recognizable Asian influence was the Chinese takeout container that held the addictive, yet overly salted, shoestring potato fries.
The patty itself had little of the tenderness one would expect when ordering Kobe beef. For only $10, it was probably a mixture of true Japanese Kobe with a less delicate cut. Although the burger was ordered medium, the meat was very overdone, with a somewhat crumbly texture that made it difficult to eat.
There is nothing better on Penn's campus than Pod for their fresh sushi, innovative pan-Asian dishes, and rainbow colored cocktails. If all you want is a hamburger, however, go to the fast food joint down the street instead. And the Pod hamburger is only available for lunch, so when you need your dinner calf, you'll have to head elsewhere.
Pod Restaurant 3636 Sansom St. (215) 387-1803
