Thai-French collaboration at its finest

If you're looking for a fantastic meal in the West Philadelphia area, and all that you can think of is Pod, the White Dog and La Terrasse, then you are missing out on one of Philadelphia's greatest treasures.

It's possible to go four years at Penn without knowing about Nan, a Thai-French restaurant quaintly tucked away a few blocks off campus.

Nan is located on 40th and Chestnut streets, amidst a host of diverse restaurants. But unlike the Indian and Thai joints in the surrounding area, Nan offers a true culinary experience.

The restaurant, which is named after a river in Thailand, categorizes its fare as "modern food" -- but don't let that scare you.

In addition to the delightful food, Nan also offers a warm and enticing atmosphere.

Nan is quite small -- reservations are recommended on busy nights -- but it is welcoming.

The walls, which are painted a basic white and accentuated by a few green plants and decorative rugs, create a cozy atmosphere.

The highlight of the restaurant is its beautiful ceiling that is delicately colored with impressive architectural detail.

Nan's food is a delightful collaboration of flavors, combining Thai spices with French creations.

If you are a vegetarian, Nan's lure may be somewhat lost, as nearly all of the entrees are meat-based.

Nan has a wide-ranging menu comprised of fish, poultry and meat dishes. All entrees are served with a fresh, steamed vegetables and a plain, but tasty potato, cheese and onion casserole.

My companion and I began our meal with the special salad -- fresh, thinly-sliced salmon on a bed of greens, tossed with a champagne vinaigrette.

We also tried the special appetizer, a delicious crabcake topped with endives and smothered in a lemon butter, white wine sauce.

For the main course, I opted for the filet mignon, encrusted with goat cheese and doused in a wonderful, soy-fruit fusion sauce.

The meat was tender and the sauce amazing.

My companion choose the special entree -- Peking duck in a five-spice sauce. The meat was tender and juicy, and the sauce complemented the flavor exquisitely.

At Nan, you must save room for dessert. We chose to share the warm chocolate cake, which was surrounded by a creme Anglaise and raspberry sauces, and the ginger ice cream. All of Nan's ice creams are made on the premises.

Unfortunately for us, Nan was not serving its signature dessert last night -- a warm apple puff pastry. Speaking from past experience, it is worth saving room for.

Although Nan is slightly pricey, with meals ranging from $15.95 to $19.95 and up, it is worth the trip.

Nan is BYOB, but the staff is eager to open and chill your selection.

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