Husband and wife Phila and Rachel Lorn’s relationship has a lot to do with restaurants, writes Jason Sheehan for Philadelphia Magazine.

The couple met in a Philadelphia restaurant, both spent portions of their career working in Philly restaurants and now run a restaurant together.

They are the co-owners of Mawn in the Italian Market in South Philadelphia. The name means “chicken” in Khmer, the language spoken in Cambodia, where Phila’s parents and siblings were from before escaping as refugees after surviving the war in Cambodia. 

Rachel, on the other hand, is a Philly native.

Mawn is located in the original location of Kalaya, and features a one-page, single-sided menu of Esoteric Cambodian cuisine. However, one particular dish dominates the menu. 

In their words, the Lorns call Mawn “a noodle house with no rules,” with some of the noodle dishes including khao soi and kathew.

Guests can enjoy various other dishes, from crispy chicken skin and whole fish to ground rib eye on a stick. 

The menu and story of Mawn pays homage to both Cambodian history and Philadelphia’s current restaurant scene, which each represent the Lorns’ respective backgrounds. 

Learn more about how Mawn is building its reputation in Philadelphia Magazine. 

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