Sampan – Philadelphia, PA
Small Bites Radio has been named Top Hospitality Shows on the Planet from 2020 – 2023, #Bluejeanfood.com named Top Philadelphia Lifestyle Blogs, Websites & Influencers from 2021-2023, Best Philly Food Blogs and Websites 2023, nominated by Metro Philly Newspaper 2022 Best of Philadelphia Arts & Entertainment, and winner of Metro Philly Newspaper 2023 Best of Philadelphia Arts & Entertainment.
From their website, ‘Michael Schulson is the chef and restaurateur behind the Schulson Collective restaurant group whose imagination and vision have made him one of Philadelphia’s most successful hospitality professionals. In 2008, Schulson opened his first restaurant, Izakaya, a modern Japanese pub in Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. At Borgata, Schulson found himself among the likes of Bobby Flay and Wolfgang Puck, earning rave reviews and immense popularity. He opened his second restaurant, Sampan, in 2009 in Philadelphia’s bustling Midtown Village. The contemporary Asian restaurant and bar was promptly named one of Bon Appetit’s “Top Six places to Taste Asian Fusion,” and Schulson was named one of Esquire’s “Chefs to Watch” in their annual restaurant issue soon after. Sampan is an oasis of contemporary Asian small plates located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia’s hot Midtown Village neighborhood. A dramatic back-lit wall mural sets the scene for artful food, emerging from the restaurant’s centrally located open kitchen while a carefully curated selection of wine, beer, sake and cocktails compliment guests’ experiences.’
After coming to Philadelphia 2009, Michael Schulson has been on a tear and Schulson Collective restaurant group is a major player in the area as well as expanding to Miami, FL recently. One man may have a vision, but it takes a team to play the game. Since the group brought on Michael Parisi in 2016 as Chief Financial Officer at Schulson Collective the group’s expansion, dominance at excellence, and fortune have increased tremendously. They also have stamped their place as a constant contender to be the location to see and be seen in the region. The entire team is on fire, yet their attention to detail has not slowed down one bit.
Even though Sampan has been open since 2009 and has consistently been named one of Philadelphia’s Best Of for numerous awards and is always a very popular Happy Hour destination, I somehow missed the memo to visit. The message was finally received and they are just as fantastic as ever. From start to finish this was dining at its finest. From sitting down exactly at reservation time, decor, ambiance, service, food, pace of meal, and price point everything was hitting perfectly on all cylinders. To perform at such a high level after all these years and many other restaurant openings in different areas and markets speaks to the dedication of leadership from the top all the way to the bottom with everyone still believing and executing the vision. Job well done to everyone involved and our server Jonathan was great.
Enough of the blah, blah, blah now to get to the food. Really enjoyed everything. Huge highlight was the General Tso Soup Dumpling. I have been to many places that say they specialize in soup dumplings that weren’t half as good as these and it was just as fun eating these as when I visited Din Tai Fung in Taipei, Taiwan. Another shining star are the Kung Pao Chicken Wings. Again anyone who serves wings should take notice. Crispy on the outside, super juicy on the inside, and a flavor that just pops with every single bite. The Wagyu Beef Satay was no slacker either. You can tell a happy cow makes a delicious piece of meat on a stick and they are so tender and yummy. Beef Short Rib Lo Mein was a delight with the beef able to be cut with the chopsticks and noodles seasoned wonderfully. It was a joy to eat every bite. The Roasted Branzino was truly delectable and green beans were a magical treat to eat. Something a little different was the kim chee fried rice that was a nice side dish and the crispy spring roll was good. A wonderful treat was the ice cream. Vanilla Swedish Fish & Chocolate Cocoa Puffs were the perfect way to end the meal.
Sampan is a culinary gem of the Philadelphia dining scene and you should definitely give them a try or visit them once more if it has been awhile.
Again, in 2023, Small Bites with Donato Marino and Derek Timm of Bluejeanfood.com was blown away by winning the Best of the Best in the Philadelphia Region Arts & Entertainment category out of 80,000 votes tallied in total through Metro Philly’s Best of Philadelphia for 2023. Truly appreciate everyone who voted for us.
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