Buddakan's longtime chef resurfaces

Two months ago, Scott Swiderski left the executive-chef's position at Buddakan after a 12-year run, citing a needed change of pace. He is planning his own restaurant in Center City.

For now, though, he's in the kitchen at City Tap House, the three-month-old pub at 3925 Walnut St. in the Radian building, helping his buddies Gary Cardi and Brian Harrington.

Cardi explains that the pub -- whose 60 taps makes it one of the largest beer operations in the region -- had used the summertime campus lull to work out kinks. But facing the late-August arrival of thousands of Penn students, they realized that they had to step up the kitchen operation.

Who better than Swiderski, who at Buddakan oversaw a staff turning out 450 to 520 dinners, plus bar food, on a typical Saturday night?

Swiderski is there as a short-term consultant, and is working with City Tap House chef Al Paris.

Anyone seeking edamame dumplings or angry lobster had better visit Buddakan, though. "There's nothing Asian-inspired on the menu," Swiderski said.