"With so many unique cuisines in the area," says Chef Kiong Banh, "the customer has many, many choices, which challenges me to constantly update and improve my menus."

Once upon a time, business partners actually respected each other. Bosses hung out with their employees, and owners truly cared about their customers. This was a time when the community took care of itself, a place where competition still carried a heavy dose of camaraderie. The Land of Oz, you ask? Far from it. This fairy tale unravels every day at Audrey Claire and Twenty Manning, two of Philadelphia’s hottest restaurants, located on trendy Rittenhouse Row.

Owner Audrey Claire Taichman, 36, owner of both restaurants, is the only woman to own two restaurants in the city. Perhaps a few adjectives can explain why: smart, approachable, wildly energetic, creative, gorgeous. She’s clearly our princess in this land of make-believe. Then there’s the wizard—Kiong Banh, executive chef at both restaurants and a partner in Twenty Manning. Banh is sincere and focused, with a heart of gold and an impeccable culinary talent. In Taichman’s words, “He is the wisest man I know.”

Audrey Claire opened in 1996 as a casual, unpretentious corner bistro smack in the middle of one of the more upscale sections of the city. This adds a hint of irony to our fairy tale. In an area where menus, prices and clientele can often intimidate, Audrey Claire offers a refreshingly warm and friendly dining experience. It’s BYOB. Weather permitting, the restaurant’s giant windows remain open, so diners can enjoy the view of this always interesting neighborhood and passersby can sample the delicious aromas wafting from Audrey Claire’s open kitchen. In a rare moment of tooting her own horn, Taichman does take credit for starting the now popular open-air window trend.

Perhaps even more toot-worthy is Audrey Claire’s simple, affordable and delicious Mediterranean menu featuring such classics as Prince Edward Island mussels in a spicy plum tomato broth and grilled ahi tuna with artichoke and roasted pepper salad. “It’s all about the olive oil and garlic,” says Taichman.

At age 25, Taichman couldn’t afford a liquor license at Audrey Claire, but diners still lined the street, wine in hand, waiting for a table. Often, customers waited for their table at the restaurant bar down the street. Four years later at 29, Taichman did what any smart businesswoman would do—she bought the bar down the street.

Now known as Twenty Manning, its Asian fusion menu is a bit more sophisticated than Audrey Claire’s, but the atmosphere is just as inviting and friendly. Partner and Executive Chef Banh manages to create an amazing “New American” cuisine with heavy Asian influence, or as Taichman jokingly calls it, “urban Asian fare.” Chef Banh selects 90 percent of the ingredients himself on his daily morning trips to the produce, vegetable, fish and Asian markets throughout the city. “I love doing the shopping as much as I love cooking,” he says.

Raised in Vietnam, Banh came to Philadelphia in 1985 at age 30 and pursued his love of cooking. Working under renowned French-Asian chef Phillippe Chin, Banh honed his culinary skills and soon became chef de cuisine at Chin’s second restaurant, Chin Chin. In 2002, he joined Taichman at Twenty Manning and the fairy tale continued.

Taichman attributes the enduring success of her restaurants to the fact that both she and/or Banh are present at their restaurants nightly overseeing everything. “Philly is an owner-operated city,” says Taichman. “You don’t go to a restaurant in many other cities and see the owner nightly on the floor. I also think—and I hope I’m not wrong—restaurant owners here in Philly have each other’s back. We are all comrades working together to survive.”

Banh is thrilled with Philly’s booming restaurant scene. “With so many unique cuisines and talented chefs in the area,” he says, “the customer has many, many choices, which challenges me, as a chef, to constantly update and improve my menus.”

Banh also considers the well being of his customers when preparing his entrées. He strongly believes that delicious food can also be healthy. “I owe it to my customers to look out for their health. They trust me to create dishes that taste good but are also good for them.”

And, like every good chef, it’s a given that Banh also worries about his staff’s health. Huh? You guessed it. When an employee comes down with an ailment ... the flu, a cold or headache, Banh takes him or her to his office and performs ancient Asian healing rituals to rid them of their illness. Is it any wonder why the staff at Audrey Claire and Twenty Manning hardly ever leave?

So what’s next for this culinary fairy tale? Taichman and Banh are considering future projects, including a gourmet market or bakery in Philly, or perhaps a restaurant in the Hamptons. Audrey insists that she would never take on any future endeavors without her partner, friend and advisor. Rest assured, whatever adventure they embark upon next, you can bet Taichman and Banh will live happily ever after.