Whether you think of the food as Chinese-inspired soul food or Black American-inspired Chinese takeout, one thing is for sure: You’ve never had anything like it. From the outside (and inside), it’s pretty unassuming: basic lighting, a small storefront area, a modest number of stools for dine-in customers. But once you taste the culinary hybrid that Chef Kurt Evans dreamed up for this Cedar Park gem, you’ll understand why it’s so special.
Black Dragon was envisioned as a solution to Chinese-American takeout spots closing down around Philadelphia. “The second-generation Chinese-Americans were no longer taking over these family businesses, leading to a significant gap in food deserts, where residents had relied on these establishments for quick, hot meals for decades,” the Black Dragon website explains. Not only does the resto aim to fill this void in a uniquely delicious way, but it does so with the goal of revitalizing the community and serving locals—without the Plexiglass barrier that most takeout spots in the neighborhood have between the owners and customers.
The food is fusion at its finest. Think collard green egg rolls with mango chili sauce, jerk chicken rangoon with sweet plantain, oxtail lo mein with gravy, sweet potato sour chicken, and Magnolia Project beef in NOLA-style lemon pepper sauce. If chicken wings are your go-to takeout main, get them with sweet-and-spicy General Roscoe’s sauce, inspired by St. Louis-style BBQ sauce.
The vibe: A casual, hole-in-the-wall takeout spot on a residential corner in West Philly
The food: Soul food meets Chinese-American food
The drink: Chrysanthemum limeade, hibiscus lemonade, and blueberry lotus lemonade
Time Out tip: First-timers should feel inclined to get the Soul Egg Roll. It’s filled with mac and cheese, collard greens, BBQ chicken, and house BBQ sauce, so you’ll get to sample a few key elements of the menu without ordering them individually.