Black Dragon churns out soul food-Chinese hits and misses - Review - Philadelphia - The Infatuation
"The menu at this bright counter service shop in West Philly is a handshake between two worlds—oxtail and mac and cheese here, crab rangoons and lo mein there. And because of the singularity of the soul food-Chinese mashup, their platters are as coveted as an open seat on the El. Unfortunately, this rabid demand translates to more than just a 30-minute wait—it also means imbalance when it comes to the food. Sometimes, you’ll get flavorful, super crispy fried shrimp, and other times, they’re so drenched in sweet Roscoe Sauce that they’re sponge-soggy. The flip-a-coin results mean the thrilling experience of getting a meal here is occasionally more exciting than eating it. Thankfully, there are a few sure things on the menu: the gooey soul egg rolls are unmatched, and the jumbo wings, drenched in spicy, slurpable sweet potato chili sauce, prove that when Black Dragon hits its stride, it’s fantastic. The best time to get here is noon, so set your alarm, and cross your fingers that the chefs—and the curry-spiced lamb skewers—are having a good day. photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO Pause Unmute How to get into Black Dragon Takeout The weekdays are the goal at this West Philly soul food-Chinese hybrid. They open at noon daily, and on the weekend, it's swamped with 30 cousins grabbing crab rangoons and couples ordering spicy chicken skewers for a game night later. On a Tuesday early afternoon, the chances of you walking away with an order is 100%—except if it includes oxtail. That's (almost) always sold out. Food Rundown Soul Egg Rolls This egg roll is packed with mac and cheese, stewed collard greens, and shredded BBQ chicken, and comes with a sweet and spicy General Roscoe BBQ sauce. There’s a perfect blend of tangy, creamy soul mash trapped in its warm, crisp edges. It’s the kind of comforting appetizer that you should be eating in the privacy of your own home instead of ravaging on the sidewalk, but here you are. PlayMute video credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO Maryland Crab Rangoon Inside these thin, crispy pouches, you’ll find a blend of Maryland crab and pimento cheese that borders on buttery. The one drawback is that there are only five in an order. PlayMute video credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO Fried Shrimp There are times we’ve had these plump and jumbo crispy fried shrimp and thought, “Damn, these people know their seafood.” And other times, it’s overcooked and underwhelming. When they’re done right, though, these golden nuggets—that have a spicy kick in the breading—will quickly become the only thing you’ll talk about for at least 24 hours. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo General Roscoe’s Chicken Chicken with a crackly texture, a sweet and smoky glaze, topped with toasty sesame. What’s not to like? photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Jerk Chicken Skewers We’ve never had a bad skewer here. With each bite, you’ll be met with something new—juiciness, some char, sweetness, and peppery jerk—as though the flavor is constantly on the move. Served with fluffy dirty rice and cabbage, it’s definitely one of their best dishes. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Yaka Mein A noodle dish that combines a subtle Szechuan ginger beef broth, shaved beef, grilled shrimp, and gets dressed up with a soft boiled egg. But, like the gumbo lo mein, it’s largely bland and so-so. Next. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Sweet Potato Donuts Someone’s always trying to find a new way to present a sweet potato: fries, casserole, pancakes, tots—this list goes on. But we’re happy donuts came to mind at this shop. They’re four doughy balls topped with a caramel-like drizzle and powdered sugar. A simple, sweet payoff for the fact that your feet hurt after a half hour of standing. photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO" - Candis R. McLean
