Restaurants in Pennsauken

Visible from the seats bordering Jade Spice's noodle house, chefs handcraft doughy strands in the Lan Zhou style. The history of this technique stretches back 160 years, to when nomadic people of northwest China began serving the pulled noodles in clear, aromatic broth to their honored guests. Jade Spice's own honored guests savor these handmade noodles alongside a broad menu of meat and vegetarian dishes, washing them down with beverages brought from home. Drawing inspiration from 30 years in the restaurant industry, owner Hong Zhang masterfully blends tradition with modernity within Jade Spice. Ceremonial vases and statues make their homes amid a sleek decor of red booths, red walls, red rafters, and bashful greenery.

Yokohama Japanese Restaurant's owner, Cindy Chan-Sze, shares ownership with her son, who infuses the largely traditional fare with creative new recipes. The eatery's cooks craft selections from a multifaceted menu that includes fire scallops, filet mignon, and salmon cooked atop a flaming hibachi. In the middle of the restaurant's dining room sits a full sushi bar, where chefs roll fresh-caught fish and supple sticky rice into maki, sushi, and sashimi beneath the glow of traditional Asian lanterns. Guests can watch the skilled knife work from the sleek, leather chairs that surround each dining table or by scaling the modern screens that climb up each wall for a better view.

Sofia Karakasidou drew on recipes from her childhood in Thessaloniki to open her Zagat-rated restaurant Kuzina by Sofia. Her second venture, Kuzina Express, brings a more casual take on fresh Mediterranean cuisine to the Moorestown Mall food court. Karakasidou imports many traditional menu items, such as moussaka and housemade dolmades, from her flagship restaurant. But she gives other classics modern twists, stuffing pita burgers with spicy bifteki patties and crowning flatbread pizzas with gyro meat, crumbled feta, and tzatziki sauce. She cooks with fresh, local ingredients when possible, preparing for the winter by freezing enough farmers to provide fresh produce until spring.

Thai 2 Go’s chefs draw on traditional and modern influences to concoct their own recipes for noodle dishes, curries, and sizzling stir-fries. Aromatic basil leaves, spicy chilis, and coconut milk season dishes such as pad thai and panang curry. No matter what you order, expect leftovers—even sturdy chopsticks begin to resemble toothpicks when considered beside the huge, family-size portions.

Underneath its red awning, Mexico On The Square's large front window bears the words Tacos, Burritos, and Tortas in thick block letters. Inside, the menu shows much of the same: classic Mexican dishes with a foundation of thick, housemade tortillas that envelop savory fillings, such as a carnitas sope's deep-fried pork, refried beans, and pico de gallo. The menu also includes burritos, tortas, and picaditas packed with savory steak, shredded chicken, or veggies. American favorites such as burgers and hoagies offer more familiar bites, and in the morning, omelets and egg platters provide pleasant wake-up calls that are the culinary equivalent of a rooster's soulful saxophone licks.

Since it was launched in 1904, the Moshulu has led a colorful life: sailing the seas of Europe, South America, and Africa, circumnavigating Cape Horn 54 times, and ferrying around all sorts of goods, from lumber and grain to copper ore and nitrate. But by 1975, the Moshulu, tired from the stress of constantly evading sea monsters, was ready to retire. Today, it’s docked at Penn’s Landing, the largest four-masted sailing ship afloat and a restaurant serving the culinary creations of executive chef Anthony Bonett. Bonett matches the extravagance of the luxury liner’s interior with an equally upscale menu of modern American cuisine paired with an extensive wine list.

With 360-degree views of the Philadelphia waterfront and skyline in the background, his staff decorates crisp white tablecloths with plates of North Atlantic jumbo flounder, 9-ounce cuts of filet mignon, and highly praised Hawaiian ahi tuna tartare. Private parties can be held in a tented space, heated and floored with weathered hardwood, or aboard multi-level decks left open to fresh sea breezes and the quiet whispers of passing mermaids.