Katherine
I love that this place showcases all parts of Malaysia, which is a very diverse country with many different influences. Here you can experience food from hawker stalls, Malay cuisine, Indian cuisine, it truly has it all. To start we had the crispy tofu and the cheese and naan. Both of those were absolutely incredible. The sauce on the crispy tofu blew me away. Next, we had the hawker noodles and the fried chicken. The noodles had a lot of anchovies and unfortunately, I think the anchovy taste really overpowered the dish so I didn’t care too much for it. The chicken wings tasted good, but they were a little dry and a little tough. The atmosphere of the restaurant was very cozy and beautiful. The servers were all very knowledgeable and knew the menu in great detail and even could give cultural relativity to the dishes. Would love to come back here and try more things!! Oh and the cocktails are to die for!!
… moreJem’ma A
The best and most interesting meal I’ve had since moving to Philly. Every single item we tried was delicious. Balance of flavor, texture, and respect for ingredients was evident in every bite. Not only was the food amazing but the bar program and customer service was unmatched. Highly recommend.
… moreT C
I don’t think this place is as bad as some reviews paint it. The food portions are actually quite decent, and I liked the flavors on everything I ordered except for Nasi Lemak. I will say the food is less spicy than I would typically anticipate for Malay food but I am assuming that is to cater to Philly customer profile. The drinks we’re delicious and really enjoyed the non alcoholic ones. My largest complaint for the restaurant is it gets super loud. Almost like the walls keep the sound in as a chamber. I could barely hear my friend sitting across the table from me.
… moreLily Ngo
Food was so good! Cocktails were great! Service was great — chef came to chat with us! Vibes were good. Definitely more on the $$ side, but would come back again!
… moreGary Trinh
It’s an interesting Chinese and Indonesian food restaurant, food was pretty good, but more expensive than Panang. Their food is more more tasty and authentic. It is worth to try. But it is very difficult to.find parking if you go in the weekend.
… moreJordan Shapiro
I was a big fan of Sate Kampar, their old restaurant. I went all the time. I was so sad when it closed. But now they have this new place, which is different, but also incredible.
We started at the bar, with a signature cocktail and a samosa coated in paint-like rich and tangy sauces, a pile of chopped chives on top. Then, we ordered the chef’s tasting at the table and everything was so good I forgot to take pictures because I was too excited to dig in. It featured familiar ingredients like noodles and beef and chicken and rice, plus things I’m not accustomed to eating, like goat kidneys and goat lungs.
Everything was great. Kampar’s flavors balance perfectly. Sweet and savory and curry and cumin and spice–with tons of umami. Fragrant coconut milk shows up everywhere: in the rice, the braised beef, the tapioca dessert. Sweet and sour pickle-tang veggies cut through the richness and heat.
But what I find most impressive about Kampar is the variety of textures. Each dish has a unique mouth feel. Crunchy. Noodly. Creamy. Tender. Chewy. Crisp. I don’t really know if this is the norm in Malaysian food, but I know it’s delicious.
The service here is also top notch. All my interactions with the staff were friendly and welcoming. The host. The bartender. The servers. Everyone seems super happy to work here and self-expressed. The chef/owner made multiple visits to our table to tell us about the food. She also gave us a lesson in Malaysian history. She laughed with us and made is feel like old friends.
My only criticism is that the dining room is very loud. It was sometimes hard to hear my companions. So, if you go to Kampar, expect great food and service, an outstanding and magical culinary experience, but don’t imagine you’ll have long, deep and nuanced dinner conversation.
I’ll be back again, no doubt. I’m already fantasizing about sitting at the bar and ordering their Ramly Burger. This place is a new favorite.
… moreShrobona Guha
Had dinner here before a show. Really delicious food. We had the tofu and the rendang with coconut rice. Both were really good and unexpected. For drinks, I got the koptini, which was like a sweet espresso martini. Would love to come back for the tasting menu.
… moreJohn Kanarr
Amazing food and dining experience. The Ramly burger was a great starter and is a must order. The nasi lemak was flavorful and a great accompaniment to the beef rendang and achat pickled veggies. The chili pan mee was my personal favorite. Super friendly knowledgable servers and staff and great cocktails. Would highly recommend.
… moreRachel Wong
I cannot rave enough about this place! My friend and I stopped in for dinner and thankfully were seated without a reservation. We got the pomfret for the Ikan bakar (grilled fish). The sambal coupled with the fresh fish made for the perfect blend of aroma and spice. We have been longtime fans of the chili pan mee and highly recommend that as well. It is generous in portion size and will definitely fill you up. Savory food paired great with the cocktails – they have specials all the time! Ange is a fantastic host and cook. Philly is so lucky to have this back open in town!
… moreT V
Really great Malaysian food. The staff was very knowledgeable and walked through the menu comprehensively. I got the ramly burger which was featured in the NYTimes.. so gooey and fully of savory and nutty flavor, unlike burger out there. The fried tauhu was also good in terms of flavor but could have been crispier. The cocktail was also very unique with asian flavorings and spices. Would definitely recommend
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