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.

Very much enjoyed our dinner at the BYOB, Vientiane Café. Being seated in the front room, we were…read moreglad that there was a double door to keep the chill outside. Servers were hustling, but were on hand for questions or requests for more water. With six diners, we were able to try a number of the dishes, and all were tasty! Appetizers: - Sticky Tamarind Wings (fried and tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce along with chili, lemongrass, and kaffir leaves)--delicious and sticky! - Crispy Pork Spring Rolls (silver noodles, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, served with house sauce)--great sauce; - Steamed Shrimp Dumplings (stuffed with onions, carrots, and leaks, served with garlic soy sauce); and - Angel Shrimp (wrapped in wonton skin and deep-fried, served with sweet chili sauce). Mains: - King Soup (red curry broth served over vermicelli noodles with shredded cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, mint, cilantro, and scallions with tofu)--requested at a spice level 3, this was a rich, filling soup thanks to a generous hand with the tofu; - Deep-fried Whole Pompano Fish with Ginger Sauce (sautéed with garlic, ginger, chili peppers, carrots, and onions) served with jasmine rice)--diner ordered a Triple Flavored Sauce (sweet tangy, spicy sauce, served with steamed vegetables) at a spice level 5, but though spicy, it wasn't overwhelmingly so; - Homemade Lao Sausages (stuffed with chopped pork, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, served with steamed vegetables, roasted chili garlic paste with stick rice)--consensus was these were some great sausages; - Casserole (napa cabbage, clear noodles, basil, chili, in a red curry base)--ordered by two diners, both with fish; - Laab Salad (marinated with roasted rice powder, herbs, lime juice, with spring mix, and served with sticky rice). Desserts: - Mango Coconut Stick Rice--my favorite, not too sweet with perfectly ripe mango slices! - Banana ​Chocolate ​Spring ​Rolls--my banana-loving fellow diners thought this dessert was great! - Fried ​Banana ​Tempura with ​Honey--again, my banana-loving fellow diners thought this dessert was great - Coconut Rice Pudding--my rice-pudding-loving fellow diners thought this dessert was great! Will definitely return!

I tried Laotian food for the first time here! The restaurant is bigger inside than it looks from…read morethe outside, and I liked looking at the decorations while walking to our table. I also appreciated that the restaurant was well lit enough so that I could read the menu without issue. Our waitress was really nice and answered our questions about Laotian food. The pork spring rolls were super crispy and tasted especially good with the sweet dipping sauce. The Aw Lao was very dill-heavy (I learned that dill is often used in Laotian cuisine) but the flavors of the soup worked well together, and the sticky rice texture was great. I got the king's soup, and the portion size was big enough for leftovers. I wish the broth had been a bit saltier, but otherwise it was good!

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.

Everything was amazing. The food was delicious and most of all healthy . And the service was…read moreexcellent. It was a very calm and cool and comfortable vibe.

Vientiane Bistro is one of my top spots for Lao cuisine - I've been coming here for years…read more Their papaya salad[1] is a must. A lovely rendition, it's fresh, with a punchy fish sauce. At two peppers, it'll burn your taste buds off! If you must, ask to reduce the pepper level. Or, just get a Thai green iced tea - it's refreshing and will offset that spice kick. Budget conscious? Get their curry rice special, only $12 (as of now) and comes with a sizable crunchy chicken haunch, yellow curry rice, and steamed veggies, with a ginger habanero sauce that's more savory than spicy. While you're there, grab a bottle of Sunny's homemade chili oil. It comes in spicy and EXTRA spicy. Goes on anything: I sprinkle it on nacho chips and salads as a replacement for dressing. Credit accepted. Street parking. Convenient to the SEPTA L Huntingdon stop. Plenty of seating, so bring friends and family. Call ahead if you have a particularly large party. [1] My first choice for papaya salad in Philly? Usually the papaya salad lady at FDR Park - but Vientiane saves me from making that trip! Yum.

Bualoy in Devon rocks! The Pad Thai with tofu, broccoli, and carrots was absolutely delicious,…read moretossed in a light, flavorful sauce and cooked to perfection. Grabbed it on an impromptu car lunch stop on the way to the beach, and it ended up being the perfect meal on the go. Chopsticks included. Such a sweet little spot !

Pad Thai- very good. Classic pad Thai flavor. Mild has no spice at all so if you want some spice go…read morefor medium Empty, no one there on a Wednesday night Really fast service for to go order pickup. Friendly staff

Crazy good Pad Thai. Lao sausage and jerky with sticky rice were very good too. I want to try other…read morethings but the Pad Thai is that good so I don't.Staff is friendly and efficient.

There's one waitress running the whole place - tables and bar, so plan your time to spend there…read moreaccordingly. When I was waiting to be seated, I said one high chair. The waitress point to me where to get the high chair. Krapow chicken shouldn't have all those sauce. It is a dry stir fry. Shrimp pad Thai tasted like it was mixed with a bottle of pad Thai sauce. Paneng curry has peanuts in it. Never see that ever! Mixing with other fillers that shouldn't be in Paneng. Papaya salad is the only decent dish for me. Looking from outside, I would turn around and out real fast. Going inside, it could be worse, I guess.

Best Thai food I've come across. All made from scratch even brought me back to see how they make…read morethings fresh first thing in the morning. Friendliest owner and the best food. I don't usually eat Thai but I strongly recommend this to anyone who's looking for something delicious!

I've driven by this place for years but finally gave it a try because I was craving khao soi…read more The khao soi was a bit disappointing! it was too coconut-forward, pretty bland, and the noodles were soggy. It definitely needed more seasoning and salt. The Sakoo Sai Moo was the star of the meal, so flavorful and delicious! My husband's shrimp Pad Thai was also really good, especially since it wasn't overly sweet. The restaurant has a cozy, welcoming atmosphere, and the service was friendly and attentive. Overall, we'd come back to try more dishes!

Lovely decor, delicious food, and good service! The vegetable dumplings and drunken noodles were…read moredelicious and the Thai iced tea hit the spot. The gift shop is a delightful little bonus too!

I got some food to go at this street fair. They had crab rangoos, pad Thai, Thai ice tea and…read morepineapple fried rice for $5. I wanted pineapple fried rice but it had nuts in it. They offered to make me one without nuts. The crab rangoos were really good and freshly made. A great portion of cream cheese and crab. The pineapple rice was pretty good but needed more seaonsoning/sauce. They skimped on the chicken and pineapple but I get it it was $5. I would be curious to try their full menu one day when we are back in the area! The guy running the stand was very nice.

Definitely enjoyed the Papaya Salad! Delicious with just the right amount of heat…read more Chicken Wings were yummy, crispy and juicy. Finger lick in' good! The Minced Chicken Salad, so flavorful and just simply delicious with the lettuce wrapped. Love the fresh veggies that comes with the orders. I will definitely come back for more authentic Lao/Thai food from Flaming Basil!

(2.5 stars) Sadly disappointed by the lemongrass beef. Pretty much indifferent to the taste, and…read morenot content with the price ~$12 and the portion size, which was mostly just white rice. Really wish the beef or vegetables had some kick to them, or at least a savory sauce to make it mix with the rice. And that the rice wasn't white rice, it just adds so little. Each bite just sort of fell flat.

We had a 15-20 minute wait, but it was well worth it! The million dollar bacon is EVERYTHING!…read moreLoved my Tri-Fecta meal & mint mocha iced coffee was delectable! Excellent service & very helpful staff

Eaten there many times, never had a bad meal. Recipes are from local sources, specials change…read moreregularly and are creative and interesting. I take friends and guest here, always impressed.