Five Reasons Why Saté Kampar is Quietly One of the Most Exciting Openings of 2015

Meet Ange Branca and her husband, John. They're going to be the owners of what could be one of the most exciting openings (in the old Bottle Shop location) we've seen on East Passyunk Avenue since the last most exciting opening on East Passyunk Avenue.

Ange moved to Philly a little over a decade ago, and had the idea of a saté house brewing since she stepped foot on American soil. Don't know what Malaysian saté is? Check out her Facebook post about it:

Get pumped:

1. Tradition: Her godmother was a freakin' recipe writer and preservationist. The recipes are coming straight from her hometown, straight from her family.
   
   
2. Technique: Traditional saté is cooked over a grill, and in Malaysia, they use coconut shell briquettes. That's right: coconut shell crushed into powder form, and made into briquettes. They burn hotter and cleaner than normal charcoal — changing the cooking process and flavor profile to a degree.
   
   
3. Authenticity: As mentioned above, Malaysia is one huge kettle pot of cultures.  Around 50% of the population there is Muslim — so they'll have two custom-made grills, one of them being strictly Halal.
   
   
4. Coconuts: Saté Kampar will have a bar even though it's BYOB, and no, it won't be a food bar. It'll be a Malaysian coconut bar. An entire bar with one item for sale: a Malaysian coconut with a straw. Ange hopes to bring a "machete man" from Malaysia to hack open coconuts for diners, but if she can't find the right talent, a coconut with a straw sticking out of it will be just fine.
   
   
5. Location: Ange claims that there isn't another restaurant in the country like Saté Kampar, at least not to the extent that she plans to bring to East Passyunk Avenue. The opening of this ~50 seat BYOB is as exciting as it is important: bringing diversity, and a different price point, to an avenue in much need of it.