Yi-tzi Peking: Give kosher food a chance

You know those guys walking around campus with yarmulkes and those girls in the absurdly long skirts? For still-confused freshmen not hailing from New York, we're called Orthodox Jews. Due to our strict adherence to Biblical and Talmudic dietary laws (known as kashrut), our eating patterns could be summed up in three words: Hillel or starve.

The other thing to know about Orthodox Jews is that we're all desperately trying to get married before we graduate. So with only a handful of kosher restaurants in Philadelphia, the few (read: one) that offer anything close to a romantic dining experience become all the more important.

Thankfully, Yi-Tzi Peking - a Chinese-Japanese restaurant in Bala Cynywd - is a pretty good option. We were seated promptly, received polite and efficient service and got the chance to survey an expansive menu - all things relatively foreign to the world of kosher eateries. Even the prices were reasonable (entrees ranged from $11-15), a pleasant surprise given Yi-Tzi Peking's monopoly on upscale kosher dining.

Yi-Tzi Peking was no slouch when it came to the quality of the food either. The sushi tasted fresh, the portions were large and the food hits the notes one expects from authentic Asian cuisine.

With creative offerings - like sushi pizza and Japanese fries - and impressive presentations, Yi-Tzi Peking's dishes aren't just tasty, they're interesting. With long lists of appetizers, soups, vegetable entrees, lo meins, sushi rolls, and chicken and beef dishes, there's plenty more to try.

One word of warning: The fanatically health-conscious may want to keep their distance. Salads were nowhere to be seen and, like many Chinese places, Yi-tzi Peking has a soft spot for its frying pan.

The restaurant is small, only seating about 30 people, but manages to provide a subdued ambience with a sense of intimacy for its customers.

We could have done without the screaming children and a gaping hole in the ceiling, but hey, beggars can't be choosers. All kidding aside (sort of), dim lighting, Asian art and a front-and-center sushi bar add to the sense that this is a real restaurant, one worthy of frequenting dietary restrictions or not.

Admittedly, Bala Cynwyd makes Yi-Tzi Peking a bit of a schlep - 20 minutes by car and not easily accessible by SEPTA. But for those who keep kosher (and are thinking about popping the question), it's well worth it.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.