Harrison T.
Yelp
I have been dining at Mustard Greens regularly since it opened decades ago. I lived in the Queen Village neighborhood for almost thirty years and itt's that unique gem: a neighborhood fixture that is an unexpected "find" for visitors. (I go there at least once everytime I am back in Philly, usually a half-a-dozen times a year. When I lived in the area, it would not be an exaggeration that we ate there almost weekly for those decades. That's a LOT of data points about the consistency of quality and "standing" to review.)
A previous reviewer, Clarissa V., called it an "American-Chinese style" and a "take-away" kind of place. Another, Joe D., clearly has a a palate tuned to and only accustomed to "takeway" restaurants, where tables are an after-thought.
As a 72 yr. CHINESE-American person, who has likely eaten in MORE Chinese restaurants, in and outside of the USA (China, UK, France, Brazil included) AND a greater variety of dishes than these two, I take great exception to those comments as being very off-the-mark.
As more discerning reviews have noted - and please read the professional food critic reviews: one is laminated and displayed in the entry area that has a small bar and a few seats - the cooking is distinguished by FRESH ingredients prepared healthily and SIMPLY (vs. over-salted, over-spiced) so that their natural flavors come through. For palates used to over-salterd, over-MSG, etc., it might taste "blander", but that's your tastebuds being badly conditioned about Chinese cooking and now being gently re-educated to the flavors that you should be experiencing. (I've talked to Bon Siu, the owner-chef, who opened Mustard Greens and who is in the kitchen EVERY day. How do I know? My random drop ins always finds him there, plus I ask! When you have the same kitchen crew AND your brother comes and cooks with you and covers when you are away, you get CONSISTENCY, which is important for a restaurant to do well. Mustard Greens also has had the same core two waiters for at least twenty years, with a couple of "youngsters" (everyone is a youngster now!) who I hope become "veterans", if they are good!
As the for prices and ambience. ALL food prices have gone up. I've noticed it myself, not just there but everywhere. On this last visit two nights ago - and I am coming back with a group of other Penn alumni/friends this weekend - I asked Ming, one of the waiters about that. He said that Bon had to because of their increased costs. I get it, unfortunately.
Besides the dining area downstairs, there is also an upstairs, which is set up and used by larger groups and overflow. Because it's a neighborhood restaurant, it does do a take-away business, which helped it survive Covid, but it's not decorated like one. Bon Siu displays original artwork, often of artists from the neighborhood - currently, from a photographer associated with The Inquirer newspaper - and sometimes even his own. (He studied also at The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts at one point, THE premier art school in the USA, arguably. A man of many talents.) The vibe is warm, friendly, the kind of place where Bon comes out from the kitchen regularly with a sharp eye to make sure all is smooth, but mainly to stop by at tables to greet regulars - and often "force" a glass of wine on them! Even now, the odds are great that I will see someone I knew when living in Queen Village. Try it for the food, come back for it and because it will be a place that will know your name.
Oh - I have NO connection to Mustard Greens except being a loyal customers won over by the quality/consistency of the food and the warmth of the place. "Try it, you'll like it!" (Of the two friends I brought two nights ago, one had never been there and is a selective eater: she loved the dishes we ordered. Make sure to have the garlic string beans and the fried dumplings. My daughter, now in her 40s and who grew up on them, still has those as her gold standard for fried dumplings. Me too. Enjoy!
