Was finally able to grab ANOTHER coveted Mawn reservation after a year of trying for 4:30pm (right…read moreas they opened) on a Thursday night! This time having had one visit under my belt, we decided against the chef's tasting (no hard feelings, just didn't want to end up with another whole fish) and not a single thing disappointed. We started off with the head on soft shell shrimp, mahope samut seared scallops, and burmese ginger & melon salad which were all so fresh. I think of the group my favorite was still the tasty head on soft shell shrimp. For our mains to share we tackled the all star seafood fried rice that was prepared with uni, lump crab, bay scallops, shrimp, crab fat butter, trout roe and then also had the delectable yellow curry noodle soup that featured blended coconut curry, shaved cabbage, long beans, herbs, peanuts, and we chose chicken as our protein. For two people it was MORE than enough to share and we even ended up taking home a portion of the fried rice. For desert we had the jasmine rice pudding which was to DIE FOR and really icing on the cake to a perfect meal. The service was prompt, pleasant, and the staff very frequently changed our plates and silverware which I'm coming to expect in "hard to get" restaurant experiences. The venue itself is small and intimate, but you don't feel squished in the slightest. Cannot wait to be back in another year!

First time at Mawn from a last second reservation cancel!…read more There were so many good sounding appetizers I wanted to try but we decided to stick with the papaya salad, clams, garlicky cabbage. Clams were cooked well with a very flavorful tom yum and cheese buttery broth mixture. Papaya salad was some of the best I've had and I've eaten a many papaya salads... it was more vinegar/fish sauce side. The garlicky cabbage was my waitress' favorite menu item and i was kind of dissapointed. The cabbage had a good flavor from the mixture of furikake and the sauce but overall it was very oily and salty. The scallop toast was one of the specials and it was absolutely delicious!!! Best item of the evening. There was scallops on a toast, brown butter, and salmon roe. Honestly, we were very full by the time our main dishes, the khao soi and yellow crab ramen came out but we made an effort to eat both. Neither was overly impressing, the khao soi was some of the better khao soi around but the usage of ramen noodles rather than flat egg noodles which I'm used to, definitely took away from the experience for me. The yellow crab curry was surprisingly more spicy than we expected, which could be a good or bad depending on the customer. The vibe here was very fun. All the staff were extremely attentive, engaging, friendly, and helpful! You have a window view of the streets of south philly to a low lit room with a sophisticated moodlit room.

Thoroughly loved their noodle dishes! Got the veggie in both Mee Kon Tang (Stir Fried Chow Ho Fun)…read moreand Mee Chha (Shir Fried Egg Noodle). We were seated quickly and food came out quickly too! Would love to frequent more and glad I gave them another chance.

I am not as familiar with Cambodian food but thought the food here was pretty good! I wasn't as…read moremuch of a fan of the papaya salad here though (tried the version with tomato) - there was a second version that I might try next time. The lort chha was tasty and the pin noodles were a new type of noodle for me - as a noodle lover, I enjoyed the chance to try something new. The noodles were chewy and soft. The chow ho fun was alright but I think I prefer Cantonese beef chow fun instead which has a bit of a smokier flavor to it. We ordered delivery so I can't comment on ambiance but our food was delivered quickly and well packaged. Interested in trying the beef skewers and frog legs as well as some other dishes that come highly recommended in the future!

My friends and I had such a good meal here! We ordered four dishes to share, and we devoured them…read moreall. I loved the stewed pumpkin in the somlor kor kou, which also has strong lemongrass flavor. The chicken curry was very sweet and coconut-y; the sweetness definitely grew on me. The brahok ktis and the prorhok sauce were two flavor profiles that I've never had before. The brahok ktis was a little sweet and very distantly reminded of pork floss flavor. The steak was cooked well, super juice and soft and the sauce was delicious with meat and veg. Not pictured was a big whole of white rice for us to share. These four dishes were all good sizes and affordable. There's a difference between cash and card that's listed on the receipt. The staff was nice, the space was very bright/well lit :)

Wow, the food was truly authentic. You could tell the owners/cook loves what they do. Hubs is…read moreCambodian, so he knows true authenticity. We tried a bunch of dishes like whole fish, long bean salad with beef, prahok, sour soup (green), and more. Everything we had was delicious. The whole fried fish was light and so tasty. The soup was definitely one of my favorites. Loaded with beef and perfect with all the other dishes. The bean salad could have used a bit more of the sauce, but it was still good. I will be back, for sure!

Super affordable food and the taste is not bad. I'd def recommend hủ tiếu over bánh canh, but like…read moreit is just normal. Cash only. The neighborhood is kinda sketchy tho.

Delicious. We both had the mi nam vang (egg noodle soup) with the fried donut. It's so delicious…read more This place is no frills, feels like you're eating in an auntie's kitchen, and it's so good. The spot is busy with diners & to-go orders but the staff got the food out quick.

HOW DID I JUST FIND OUT YOU CAN CHECK IN HERE?! Omg, I've been coming here all the time and…read moreapparently only have ONE check-in. What a crime. Anyway, I absolutely adore this place. It's usually PACKED, but one of my little tricks is to come on a cloudy day or when it looks like it's about to rain. The crowds thin out a little, and honestly, I prefer it that way. More room to wander around and figure out what I'm going to eat without having to squeeze through a sea of people. What can I say? I LOVE everything about this market. There's such a great mix of Southeast Asian food, along with other Asian cuisines, so you can come back over and over and still find something new to try. My personal favorites are the Cambodian skewers and the Vietnamese rice shrimp cakes. Those are always on my radar whenever I come here. One thing I've noticed is that the vendors and their locations can change around more than I expected. I initially thought the same vendors would always occupy the same spots, but nope! There's always the possibility of stumbling across something new. This time, I found a Chinese skewer stall near the left entrance that was almost completely sold out by the time I got there. That's how you know people are coming through! I also spotted a new Taiwanese-style place. Meanwhile, my friend was having trouble finding the lemongrass Philly cheesesteak lol. And the newer fried crab stall? ALWAYS has a line. That's part of the fun, though. You never quite know what you're going to discover on your next visit, and you can easily turn this into a whole food crawl with friends. Even the little details add to the atmosphere. The leftover sugarcane bits scattered on the ground almost look like wood chips, and somehow it all adds to the lively, slightly chaotic market feeling. It's not some polished, sterile food hall, and I honestly wouldn't want it to be. The vendors and staff are usually absolutely SWAMPED because of how many people come through, so I'm not coming here expecting fancy restaurant service. I'm here for the food, the variety, the atmosphere, and the chance to discover something new every time. It's charming, lively, delicious, and such a fun way to experience different Asian cuisines all in one place. Bring friends, come hungry, and be prepared to walk around several times because you'll probably keep spotting things you want to eat. I love this place. Clearly, I come here enough that I should have figured out the check-in situation sooner. See you again soon!

I have been following Ca's Tra on Instagram and specifically went today to get their Milk Tea - we…read moregot the Ca's Special Milk Tea and The Creme Brulee Roasted Coconut Milk Tea (today's special) - both were phenomenal! Definitely get their Ca's Special, it is loaded with fun colored jellies, boba and flan! We also stopped by at a Thai vendor to get the Khao Soi. The broth was rich and flavorful, the fried egg noodles were fresh and crispy and the meat was perfectly cooked. This weekend market is a must if you are in Philly between April to October.

Little C. is located in the heart of South Philadelphia. It's pure Cambodian culture at its best…read more For the most part the people are very kind and peaceful. It is really a very tight and closed community. There's a temple of worship that was built by hand from the monks that reside there as well as the people within the community. Often you find families outside playing in front of there homes or in the park across the street. It's common for the locals to be grilling in front of their house and selling there food for a small profit. You will find the unique scent of whatever is cooking in the air all year round. On the downside it's very dirty. The sidewalks and streets are lined with food scraps and debris. It is not such safe place to travel at night. It is known to have gang activity.

The corridor of 7th street between Oregon and Tasker can best be described as 'Little Cambodia.'…read more For those willing to brave the neighborhood, there's some secrets to be found here in the warmer months, May to September. The groceries in this area are cheaper than any place on Washington avenue and just as varied (if not moreso). The real reason to come down here is the street food. Anywhere in this area, but particularly along 7th between Ritner and Snyder, you'll be able to find street hawkers selling freshly open-air grilled beef and chicken at a single dollar per serving (two servings and some sticky rice for $2 for a total of $4 is enough for a meal). The best thing to try to get in this area if you're adventurous is the papaya salad from any of the hawkers (I prefer the fat lady at 7th just south of Winton, around 2130, I guess). In Thai, it's called somtam, but it is of Cambodian origin and called bok l'hong. Its hot, garlicy, salty goodness is fantastic at $5 no matter which hawker makes it for you (and it's prepared fresh to order by all of them, too). It's an enormous amount and really, it's enough for six people as an appetizer salad. Goes great with sticky rice. There're also hawkers along Moyamensing between 8th and 4th and around Mifflin Square at 6th and Ritner (NOT Mifflin, oddly enough) and they all carry the same sort of stuff. If you're worried about the area, there's a hawker on the south side of Jackson St near Mildred between 9th and 8th and that area's a tad less rough. I'd give five stars, but sometimes you'll venture here and find no hawkers. Their availability changes with the weather and on colder or rainy days, you'll find no one.

My partner and I absolutely love Cafe Diem!!! It's our go-to spot for breakfast, lunch, and dinner…read more We might be a little biased, but the food is always served to perfection. The space is small, but the service is quick, so you can easily get in and out within an hour. We always leave happy and satisfied. Our go to order is a small & large order of the Bun Bo Hue. Large order of Banh cuon. And drink.

Very good bun Bo hue! Cash only establishment. Service is quick! Restaurant is quite small…read more Municipal parking next to the restaurant.

The food here is great. I've been here many times and have never had any complaints. Their food is…read moreflavorful and authentic. Owners are very nice and super friendly. They also offer these huge bone marrow soup which is delicious. Their Thai boat noodle soup is also very good and authentic. I have no complaints about this place and would recommend this place it to anyone.

Came here for the boat noodle soup and it didn't disappoint. Never had this dish before so I don't…read morehave anything to compare it to but overall a solid noodle soup. Full of flavor and filling serving size. Also really liked the little condiments and add ins on the table. Service was friendly and quick. No complaints.

You like Kuytiev Phnom Penh? You like Banh Mi Thit Nguoi?…read more Nam Vang has some of the best bang for your buck in both categories in the whole city. My oldest brother and my sister in law swear by this place and they're from the old country. I was born in the new country, not too far away on West Chew Avenue, and had been going to the attached market formerly known as Hong Kong Supermarket since the 90s, and Nam Vang is just as much the real deal for me. I usually go to South Philly for my Asian groceries, but I'm really tempted to start taking an extra five minutes of driving time, losing 5 minutes of parking time, and coming up here to shop while also grabbing a bite. The banh mi are well-filled with super creamy pate, crunchy pickles, jalapenos that are actually spicy, and the coarse ground ham and cha lua pork roll we all know and love - all toasted to flaky perfection. It's honestly in the running to unseat my all time faves at Cafe Saigon further down Adams Ave, and is comparably priced. Only $6 gets you one of the best sandwiches in town. And finally, the real thing you came for, the Kuytiev Phnom Penh, or as seen on Viet menus across the city, Hu Tieu Nam Vang. The broth is perfection. The combo of meats and toppings is comprehensive. The standard "pork three or four ways plus shrimp" combo has got everything you need. A squeeze of lime, some bean sprouts, and chili oil or pickled chilis gets you past where you thought you could go on Flavor Ave. Pho wasn't my first noodle rodeo as a kid. A big pot of Kuytiev was. And to be honest, when I was a kid, I hated flavor. Too stimulating. I was also much skinnier. I have the opposite problem now, but I legit regret every bowl of of my Aunt's home made kuytiev that I barely ate, back when my metabolism could handle more than one bowl a month. These noodles taste like a happy childhood. Or if you're less poetically inclined, they taste like some of the best, most underrated noodle dishes in all of Philly. Get some.

I wish there're more meat in my Hu Tieu Nam Vang but it's pretty good. Not 100% what I expect a hu…read moretieu nam vang is but it cured the craving. The Bun Bo Hue is great too.

Pretty clean restaurant in this Asian strip mall…read more I think even if you're not a Vietnamese cousins aficionado you'll be comfortable here. Some servers speak pretty good English. The pho dishes are all pretty good. I usually get the steak pho. Prices are reasonable. And service is good - responsive.

My first time dining in this iconic stretch of Washington (shameful) and I'll be coming back to Nam…read morePhuong again and again. Food, vibes, service, prices - all impeccable. I went with foodie friends and we all enjoyed everything we ordered. I grabbed #182, a crispy noodle dish with chicken, squid, shrimp, and more. It was so delicious and truly so much food. I also got to try the crepe with tofu which was excellent. Fish sauce, tea, and waters were brought out to get us started, and food came out incredibly fast. I love that this spot is diner vibes and very family friendly. You're really not going to go wrong with anything on the menu. I am not a huge pho fan but am obsessed with vermicelli dishes, so I look forward to coming back and trying more of those ASAP. Thanks for the great meal, Nam Phuong!