Susanna Foo’s Chinese Restaurant

1512 Walnut Street, Philadelphia PA 19102
(215) 545-2666

Some folks call the cuisine at Susanna Foo’s "East Meets West", others tout it as "Fusion." Still others find the culinary genius here a "Marriage Made in Heaven." I find Chinese roots at the base and the underlining force, with French presentation and overall composition atop. That makes Susanna Foo's cooking a blending of the two greatest cuisines in the world, each dish loaded with subtle, hidden beauty and balance of both schools of cookery.

The entrance to the restaurant is subtly hidden, too. Look for it behind a simple yet elegant gold-scripted entryway. Be rewarded with its understated carpeted entry and low-key Chinese decor. Walk up two steps, turn right and soak in subtle colors, low seats, and a small desk. They greet you as does a lovely hostess backed by windows on to two streets. This restaurant is on a corner and inside its own corner behind you are spectacular flowers and an elegant almost ceiling-height wooden sideboard.

The eating area also has muted colors accented with white napery and a small purple orchid or two in a small blue Chinese vase on each table. The wait staff, all male each time I've been there, provide additional contrast in their formal black attire. They provided almost, but not quite, perfect French Service. What is perfect at Susanna Foo’s Chinese Restaurant is the ambiance and the food.

Don't expect typical Chinese food and Chinese typical restaurant prices, if you do, you'll be disappointed. Rather you get every dish prepared and plated perfectly, every dish served elegantly, every dish has its price, and every dish tastes delicate and delightful; and provides much more than you expect.

This reviewer drove from New York just to dine there on three occasions---one an Easter Sunday, a notoriously busy restaurant day. The reward was fantastic food, a sophisticated setting, dishes plated on white Rosenthal China, and superb Chinese meals with French-style desserts. What a way to end a meal! Allow me to recommend the luscious Triple chocolate Mousse with Berries and three chocolate sauces; it and other desserts are tempting treats for your indulgence.

Appetizers are not to be missed, either. The Pan Seared Sweetbreads with Veal Dumplings say they are very spicy. Not true, just correctly made with Ancho Chili Sauce and served with Sichuan pickled relish and crispy shallots. They are only a mite piquant crowned with a thin topping of pastry. Four of them sit atop steamed spinach which itself perches atop a little sauce; every item carefully plated in a deep soup bowl. (Should you want to try them, they recipe for the dumplings follows after the second restaurant review; it is from Susanna Foo Chinese Cuisine published by Chapters in 1995. The book was reviewed in Flavor and Fortune, Volume 4(?), 1997, page 30-31; the Ancho Chili Sauce recipe follows it in the book.)

In every dish, Ms. Foo’s Chinese taste mixes with current French presentations. On almost every plate there is decor in tiny pieces of tomato, baby beets, shredded vegetables, or creamy corn cakes, to mention but a few. Every one of them looks and tastes terrific.

The Dim Sum Sampler with Pickled Napa Cabbage sported pan-fried chicken and veal dumplings, spring roll, sui-mei, and Asian eggplant; it truly did dot-the-heart. Each was delicate in size and taste and together they did not overwhelm or satiate before the main course.

Soups are available as are noodle dishes. On one visit, folks at the next table were enjoying Seafood Wonton Soup with Shrimp and Scallop Stuffing; I knew that beauty and savored it with them. At a table beyond, people could be heard delighting in Ten Vegetable Hot and Sour Soup. Halfway across the restaurant, yet others were enjoying Pan Fried Noodles with Seasoned vegetables and Lobster and Squid Pad Thai with Chives, Bean Sprouts and Tofu. Be careful, only order one of these. If your party is four or more, try it in place of one main entree; portions are large and main courses come on oversized dinner plates while appetizers, soups, and noodle dishes arrive in European-sized very deep soup plates. And, do keep those desserts in mind when ordering, too.

Main courses are magnificent. The Grilled Mongolian Venison and Scallion Pancake with Glass Noodles came as seven thin rare barbecued slices. They were a mite piquant placed around a tower of super-soft savory pancakes interspersed with two more superbly flavored slices. Each was interleaved with a fennel confit and a mite of tomato sauce; all were atop cellophane noodles. This dish was, for me, a winner on two occasions.

The Stuffed Prawns, Poached Salmon, and Diver Scallop platter had squid beautifully cross-latched and so very tender that it was a beauty to see and savor. The prawns were perfect and the scallops super in size and taste. The salmon was naked and unfortunately the only item in any dish at meal eaten that was nothing special.

Every main dish comes with special adornments not to be missed. The pair of Eight Treasure Quail has caramelized lotus seeds stuffed with Chinese sausage, taro root and glutinous rice and more; the Slow Roasted Arctic Char sports roasted shallots and ginger; the Pan Seared Tuna Loin delights with a rosemary and jalapeno pepper marinade on a three color potato salad bed; and the Crispy Duck has a star anise sauce, apple kumquat chutney, and a root vegetable puree to delight over.

Rice needs to be requested. When it comes, it is the only item to quibble over. On one occasion, it arrived slowly in its smaller than usual rice-bowl and barely filled. In the restaurant's defense, however, when all was consumed the requested seconds came appropriately filled and fast.

Selecting the kind of beverage you want offers fine choices; there are several good teas to be had. I always ordered high quality green tea which came packed into a small Japanese tea pot. There is need to request another teapot just with hot water so that the concentrated tannins don't take over the taste.

Susanna Foo’s Chinese Restaurant is worth the trip and lots of folks know about it. It was the 1997 James Beard Foundation award-winner as restaurant with the best chef in the mid-Atlantic region, has four stars from the 1998 Mobil Guide, is an ISACC Jade Chopstick Award winner, and Mrs. Foo is a frequent guest chef at major food events. This great restaurant is always great, even when Susanna is not there. I've eaten food she cooked especially for me, a meal when she was mothering every detail from the table we shared, and eaten there when she was not on at the restaurant. I've also eaten her food "on the road" so to speak. Each time, it was worth the drive (over 100 miles each way from my place to hers) and worth the price (plan on $50 or more per person at hers).

Keep in mind that the average five star French restaurant costs double that much and is only half as good. My recommendation---call for a reservation---go hungry and with a lot of friends---and do return often to taste her creative cuisine. It is guaranteed to reward!