Opening a Star Wars-themed restaurant in time for a Star Wars-themed holiday (May the Fourth Be with You) is smart business and a sign of loving obsession from Hen Solo owner and chef, Dean Leevongcharoen.
The only thing Chef Dean is more lovingly obsessed with is making the juiciest, tenderest and most differently designed chicken-based meals (cutlets, tenders, cube-cut cheesesteaks, wings) with the most diverse array of inventive sauces and toppings known to Philly, in brioche, wrap, burrito and plus-sized seeded rolls. All touching on training with a Japanese ramen sensei and chef-ing sushi and ramen at Chika and Ramen Bar. And all in a galaxy not so far away: Manayunk’s Main Street.
It’d be corny to say Leevongcharoen’s Katsu Force Japanese-style panko chicken cutlet (with curry sauce, cilantro and Japanese pickle), tender-filled sandwiches such as Obi-One Wrap (fresh kale, Ceasar salad, shaved parmesan), C-3 Pineapple (chipotle mayo, smoky chili sauce, Cooper sharp cheese, picked onion), The Dark Side (Korean fried chicken in brioche, kimchi, spicy gochujang sauce), and self-explanatory sandwiches The Parm Strikes Back, The R-2 Rabe Sharp and The Caprese Rebellion are out of this world. But to mix metaphors and science fiction Ips, Hen Solo goes where no chicken has gone before.
“Hen Solo isn’t just about great food; it’s a fun mix of culinary creativity and my lifelong love of sci-fi,” says its chef.
Hen Solo came to life after Leevongcharoen grew up in his family’s Thai restaurant, cooked classic French cuisine at Paul Bocuse in Lyon, trained-traveled through Japan and ran Chika, but “deep-down missed building something fully mine.”
“I’ve always wanted to open a chicken spot, something small, fast, built for bold flavor with low overhead,” he says. “One night, rewatching Star Wars, Solo popped on screen, and it just clicked. The swagger, the independence, the name — Hen Solo was born — to serve international chicken flavors inspired by all I’ve cooked, eaten, and experienced around the world.”
Though fun and fast, Chef Dean’s Solo food is chef-driven, flavor-packed, and made with the heart he’s long put into fine dining. “Hen Solo is the rebel spirit of the kitchen,” Leevongcharoen pronounces.
The movie critic in Leevongcharoen remarks that there are good and bad films in the Star Wars chain, how Attack of the Clones’ pacing dragged, dialogue felt off, and that its romance between Anakin and Padmé was awkward (“Anakin was already teetering on the edge, confused and frustrated, especially after witnessing the loss of Jedi around him”). The best? “Hands down The Empire Strikes Back. It’s dark, moody, and epic from start-to-finish. That “I am your father” twist was mind-blowing It gave the whole saga weight. You felt the stakes.” That scene in A New Hope where Luke flies the X-Wing down the Death Star trench and makes the perfect shot with the Force? “Goosebumps.”
Goosebumps is what Chef Dean wants Hen Solo diners to feel.
“Just like Han Solo is an underdog with layers, Hen Solo chicken dishes have that versatility to go from comforting to exotic, all while packing big flavor,” says Leevongcharoen. “Whether it’s the spice of the wings or the heartiness of a sandwich, each dish is a mini-adventure where you never know what surprises you’ll get.”
The subtle surprise of a delicate brioche bun gives his sandwich a rich, buttery texture that takes it to the next level. “It’s the perfect contrast to the crispy, juicy chicken,” he says. The shock of a tender vegetarian option such as gently eggplant in his chicken is simple, yet elegant. If you’re Italian like me, chicken cutlet making is a competitive sport among family elders, and Leevongcharoen competes beautifully.
“It’s all about the seasoning and the perfect fry with the cutlet,” he says. “I go for a crispy outside while keeping the inside juicy and tender — it’s the balance that makes it unforgettable. A little love and attention to detail goes a long way.”
Two of his favorite meals at Hen Solo – the Vodka Pesto and the Inferno Supreme – are built from the perfect fried cutlet. “I’ve always loved spicy food. It’s in my Thai roots. Have those with our upgraded Parmesan fries for an extra flavor boost, and it’s a perfect combo when you’re craving something bold, satisfying, and full of flavor.”
And just in case you’re not a Star Wars fan – HEATHEN! – Chef Dean’s favorite cinematic trip is Back to the Future, all three films (“It would be amazing to go back in time and bring back authentic food from the past”) and has a deep abiding love of Japanese films such as The Last Samurai (“so traditional and inspiring; makes me miss making sushi and traditional ramen”). Plus, Dean is a huge anime fan, especially Samurai Champloo and Naruto, as those shows truly shape his creativity, as does Anthony Bourdain, a chef whose way of “traveling, eating, listening, learning,” all funneled into his work.
“That’s what I want to do. I want to take the flavors and stories I’ve gathered from around the world — from my family’s Thai kitchen, from France, from Japan, from Philly — and pour them into Hen Solo. I want people to laugh, eat, and have fun with food again.”
Just don’t ask him to name more items after Star Wars characters such as Darth Vader and Princess Leia.
“I try to keep it simple with chicken and steer clear of the mouse’s legal department,” he says with a laugh. “Pasta Leia and Darth Burger sound fun, but I don’t need Disney showing up with lightsabers and lawyers. Hen Solo is just enough of a wink without getting sued by the Empire.”
May the flavor be with you.
