On arguably the biggest foodie strip in Philadelphia, Saté Kampar is one of the newest members of East Passyunk Avenue. Opened in February 2016, the Malaysian BYOB restaurant plans to serve the most authentic Malaysian experience in the city. Ange Branca and her husband, John Branca, started the business with Ange’s grandmother’s original recipes.
With one step inside, guests are greeted by a traditional display of Malaysian goods and trinkets. John played host and led us to a seat right in front of the open kitchen. The bustling of the cooks is reminiscent of open-air vendors on the streets of Southeast Asia. Though the juxtaposition of concrete and industrial metal accents against the warm exposed brick walls give it a unique, modern feel.
The menu showcases many street food-type items, such as rice and noodle dishes. First off, we ordered the Nasi Lemak Bungus. It’s described on the menu as a fragrant, flavorful magical pocket of Malaysian awesomeness, which basically makes it impossible not to order! It comes to the table wrapped tightly in Saté-Kampar-stamped paper and banana leaves, and you open it up like a small present. The Christmas morning feeling arrives as soon as the mix of scents reach your nose… sweet coconut rice, spicy sambal sauce, salty crisp anchovies and hard boiled egg. They all await to be messily combined for an explosion of flavors..
We thought the Mee Hoon Goreng Bungkus stir-fried noodles would be hot, but this little banana leaf packet was delivered closer to room temperature. The sauce was a flavorful surprise with sweet, sour and umami flavors. They paired well with a side of crunchy Ku-Mah’s Achat spicy, pickled vegetables.
However, the stars of the menu are the various types of saté a.k.a. skewers. Guests have the option to choose a meat from chicken, pork, beef and goat. The pescatarian option is shrimp and the vegan option is tofu. The waiter warns that the saté could take up to 15 minutes, as they’re freshly skewered and grilled over coconut shell briquettes in true Malaysian tradition. There are two styles of saté: Kajang, which is a sweet, nutty version with spicy peanut sauce, and a savory Melaka version with a pineapple peanut sauce.
The owners’ personal touch is not lost even though their restaurant has been open for over six months. Ange came out during our meal to ask us how everything was. She told us stories of Malaysia and how many of the menu items remind her of grabbing things to-go on the way to work and waiting impatiently to eat them.
With new daily specials, iced coffees and fresh coconuts to drink, Saté Kampar is definitely a new dining darling in town. Like many of their neighbors, it’s certainly worth the trip to East Passyunk Avenue. Get ready to be transported 9,000 miles away without a passport.
What are some of your favorite authentic restaurants in Philly? Let us know in the comments!
