Many foodies recognize jasmine as being a sweet smelling flower and also a delicious type of tea. Jasmine Asian Bistro located in Glenside, Pennsylvania builds on the mystique of jasmine by offering flavorful dishes that astound as much as they satisfy.

“We decided to name the restaurant after the jasmine flower because we hope that every diner who stops by will be as enchanted by Jasmine Asian Bistro as we are by the sweet taste of jasmine tea,” says owner Kim Ngov. 
Jasmine Asian Bistro is a shining culinary gem nestled in the heart of suburban Glenside. Boasting an unpretentious yet stylish décor; a creative and vegetarian-centered menu; and a bounty of scrumptious offerings, Jasmine is the perfect place to go on a culinary journey.

Able to seat around 70 diners and covering an area of 3,000 square feet, Jasmine is stylish, artistic, and comfortably Asian in many ways. Hoping to provide patrons with a novel visual experience, owners Kim and Houy Ngov created the interior by using both classic and contemporary elements. Aside from the Asian-inspired pieces of artwork on the wall, the restaurant is also furnished with vinyl-upholstered booths and white-linen tables.

Perfect for celebrating a birthday party or holding a family get-together, Jasmine brings diners a myriad of tastes from China and Southeast Asia. Not only does Jasmine have an extensive main menu, but they also have a broad vegetarian menu as well as monthly specials featuring seasonal ingredients—thus, you will never go wrong with this large selection of food choices. The restaurant features a medley of Chinese classics like General Tso’s Chicken and Peking Duck. In addition to the commonplace Americanized Chinese entrees, Jasmine has also added dishes with a twist of ethnic Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Thai flavors which are then further enhanced by using a bundle of spices and herbs, such as curry, basil, and lemongrass. These exotic dishes include the popular Pad Thai, Rice Flats Phnom Penh Style, and Vietnamese Seafood Soup.

Unlike most Asian restaurants which offer a small number of vegetarian dishes, Jasmine goes a step further by offering a truly massive amount of vegetarian options that include a bevy of vegetarian beef, poultry, and seafood dishes.

It took around one year of learning, researching, and experimenting to “beef up” Jasmine’s vegetarian menu. The “meat” in these dishes is actually imitation meat that is made out of wheat, soybean, and flour gluten. The choices on the vegetarian menu reflect the owner’s take on the industry but is also influenced by his own viewpoint and understanding of what his customers want. Ngov figured out that flour gluten is the key for vegetarian cooking after learning more about vegetarian dishes and doing further research on customer taste preferences. In recent years, restaurants around the nation have been adjusting their menus to better appeal to health conscious diners.  Although not a fit for customers who require gluten-free meals, the vegetarian menu has received rave accolades from customers, especially customers who fast during traditional festivals. The offerings are healthy, tasty, and also come with various sauces that help enhance the flavor and add a richer texture to the dishes.

The innovation at Jasmine doesn’t stop there. Ngov and his kitchen staff work to bring in new, enticing creations by altering their specials menu on a monthly basis. They do this by combining seasonal ingredients and new cooking methods together. Always looking to offer a menu that flows with industry trends, Ngov and his staff continue to amaze foodies with a parade of new menu additions.

“I just started offering Mango Chicken, as mango is now available and fresh,” says Ngov. Adding new dishes to the menu doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes a good amount of time to experiment with new tastes. Ngov always lends an ear to customers’ suggestions, and then utilizes them to develop new dishes for the menu.

Raised in Cambodia, Ngov is a veteran chef with a wealth of cooking experience. His experience in the domestic restaurant industry began when he arrived in the U.S. in 1981. Ngov has engaged himself fully in the restaurant industry for over 30 years and in that time has opened eight restaurants. He began his restaurant career by opening a little take-out restaurant in 1985. After opening several restaurants, Ngov later opened Jasmine Asian Bistro. He can often be seen racing about the restaurant, chatting with staff, and visiting customers at their tables.

Every restaurant owner knows that customers are only satisfied when they are provided with tasty food and attentive service. Ngov approached the issue of service by adding his own personal touch. A natural extrovert, Ngov is cheerful and always happy to help out around the restaurant. Sometimes he acts as a waiter by greeting the customers, other times you’ll see him placing the orders and carrying bottles of tea or water to the table. Or, he might journey back to the kitchen and help out there.

Like a veteran helmsman, Ngov has successfully sailed his ship into a safe harbor. Safe harbor for Jasmine has meant recognition in the community and brisk business. The restaurant has been recognized as being the Readers’ Choice in the county four years in a row. From this, it is evident that Jasmine is well on its way to spreading its name far beyond Glenside in the coming years.  

Jasmine Asian Bistro

Location: 138 S Easton Rd. Glenside, PA 19038
Phone: 215-885-4333
Offers: Dine-in, Take-out   
Cuisine: Chinese Cuisine
Year of Establishment: 2007
Website: www.jasmineasianbistro-glenside.com