Restaurateur Marty Grims (known around these parts for the consistently tasty White Dog) sees his new Pan-Asian venture, Chew Man Chu, as an attraction. He has a lot to compete with, though, for Chew Man Chu shares its Broad Street locale with prominent sites such as the Kimmel Center, Wilma Theatre and UArts among others. In transforming a former branch of his DuJour restaurant into Chew Man Chu, Grims has brought innovation back to an ever-busy area surrounded by behemoth chain restaurants. Grims's new dig shouldn’t go unnoticed, as it mixes savory, fairly affordable Asian-fusion fare with a vibrant atmosphere.
The restaurant itself is certainly eye-catching. Painted rice bowls adorn the walls in conjunction with bright patterned decals and deep, complimentary colors. Huge light fixtures, reminiscent of paper lanterns, are quite beautiful, yet may be overlooked. We weren’t sure whether the focal point was the large white-lit circular bar in the center of the place or the bustling open wok station on the opposite wall. While the décor is capable of stealing the show, the food speaks for itself.
Grims recruited classically trained chef Tyson Wong to pioneer the menu, and Wong’s ethnic background is clearly reflected in what the restaurant has to offer. At this self-proclaimed “noodles-dumplings-wok” restaurant, diners choose from a navigable page of traditional Asian dishes alongside reinvented classics. Take for example the steamed pork buns ($8.25): Wong deconstructs the dim-sum staple and serves a generous slice of pork belly with a sweet hoisin sauce, fresh scallions and sliced cucumbers on an open-faced bun. These buns were the definitive highlight of the night.
Also impressive was the Pad See Ew ($14), a slightly spicier pad-thai with tender beef pieces and fat rice noodles that came fresh off the wok. The oxtail soup dumplings ($8.75) have the perfect ratio of flavorful filling to tender wrapper and are served in a delicious sweet tarragon jus and ginger broth.
The best way to take on the menu is to be adventurous; the standard classics aren’t problematic, they just don’t shine. A generous bowl of wonton soup ($5.75) gets everything right, but isn’t as exciting as many of the other offerings. With the crispy honey chicken ($17), the issues are the same. While the crisp is perfect, one could get an order of sesame chicken anywhere else and feel similarly underwhelmed. Where Chew Man Chu excels is in its creative interpretations of many traditional favorites that are completely worth the trip and the cost.
The restaurant opened only three weeks ago, and the standard missteps of new eateries have largely been accounted for. The service was incredible; our waiter had solid recommendations and knew how to be attentive without encroaching. However, Chew Man Chu might reconsider the tiny plates that beg to be piled high with family-style food. Some people just don’t like their sauces to mix that closely. While the wait time was minimal, dishes came out intermittently, so lose any standard-course expectations. Also, be sure to save room for Chef Tyson’s addictingly tasty chocolate-filled donuts laced with powdered sugar — a sweet way to end a scrumptious meal.
Chew Man Chu
440 S. Broad St.
(215) 735-8107
Don’t Miss: The pork buns. And a second order of the pork buns.
Skip: Anything you could find on the menu at Le Anh’s.
