Discover Sampan: Philadelphia’s Premier Destination for Modern Asian Cuisine
Sampan is a modern Asian restaurant offering a unique experience through its small plates concept. Instead of ordering a single entree like you would at most restaurants, it’s infinitely better to try and even share several dishes mixed and matched from different sections of the menu. With a menu like this, you get a broader tasting experience but it also makes for a nice social dining experience where you can discuss the flavors and textures you’re experiencing and learn from your group what else you might like to try this time or the next.
It was a beautiful day so we ate outdoors. There was a good amount of foot traffic, and because it was the weekend and the start of Pride month, the area was very high energy, but that’s something I enjoy about being in the city. Someone initially recommended Sampan to us for its outstanding happy hour, so our original plan was not to have food. While I didn’t get a chance to visit the Graffiti Bar, it was clearly a very popular spot. There was a steady flow of people the entire time we ate, which suggests to me that it’s a great place to grab a drink and, later in the evening, enjoy the Philadelphia nightlife if you’re into that.
The first thing that stood out to me from the hot + cold menu was the crispy shrimp made with radish, yuzu, and chili aioli. If you’ve been to a restaurant that has bang bang or boom boom shrimp, this is a fresher take on that dish but still with the satisfying crispy crunch that I think makes breaded shrimp delicious. I always expect small plates to be very light but still dynamic in flavor, and although it doesn’t make a difference in the taste, I also expect small plates to be beautifully presented. I love the color that the radish brought to the dish while the yuzu and chili aioli gave the shrimp a really nice balance of citrusy brightness and gentle heat.
The Crispy Brussels Sprouts were the least impressive thing I ordered, but they were still relatively tasty. The fish sauce and chili made the dish a bit more savory, so I would have liked a tad bit of sweetness to balance it out. Regardless, with the puffed rice, it’s a unique take on a classic vegetable that I love.
The real star of the show was the Kim Chee Fried Rice. I am one of those people that rarely finishes an entire meal when I eat out, but I can promise there was not a single grain of rice left by the time I finished this dish.
Shrimp fried rice is my lifelong favorite Asian dish, but there was just something special about this version. Kimchi is not something I eat often at all, but I feel like it gave this dish the perfect amount of bold and tangy flavor. Shallots are also an ingredient I’ve not historically used when I cook or eaten very much of, but more recently I’ve been using it as the lighter, sweeter cousin of garlic and onion, and i’ve found that I really enjoy the dimension it adds to a dish.
I would say the Kim Chee Fried Rice alone is worth the visit to Sampan.
