I'm not sure why a few of my friends and I thought it was a good idea to gather for a Christmas Eve happy hour this year because Center City was shutting down early and Philly was a bit of a ghost town by 6 p.m. Everything was closing early including Sampan where we eventually wound up. Gotta say, really glad otherwise another year may have gone by where I was unaware this little gem of a bar/restaurant existed.
I know they have a daily weekday Happy Hour, and I'm sure it's as special as it was this past Christmas Eve where they offereed $4.00 appetizers and $4.00 speciality cocktails, all of which tasted great and went down very smoothly, at a super-friendly bar with a beautiful, bright asian-influenced decor. I can't say for a fact that the staff is always this accomodating, but on this night, they couldn't be more so...the bartender's were so friendly, knowledgeable about the product and restaurant, and perhaps because they knew they would get done early, went above and beyond to make us feel so welcomed. We all were getting into the holiday spirit(s)!
Sampan (124 South 13th Street)truly is an oasis of contemporary Asian small plates located in the heart of Center City, with a friendly staff and beautiful atmosphere...and that's why I recommending you check it out for yourself sooner rathter than later :). http://sampanphilly.com
