FRONTIERS MAGAZINE

January 16th 2007

Dining Agenda
The Fabulous Dining Duo

Red Pearl Kitchen: Mao on the Wall Miso in Your Mouth

ONLY IN L.A. CAN YOU EAT DINNER with gorgeous people all around you and be in a reality show at the same time. The Hills was filming at the table next to us. and we couldn’t decide who was more beautiful, the women or the men.

The Dining Duo enjoyed an unparalleled Asian feast at the happening Red Pearl Kitchen. Theres a separate bar and lounge area, and the restaurant is a giant room filled with lanterns, warm creamy booths, and dark teakwood tables.

The crowd is definitely young and pretty—and the waitstaff matches the look. Even if you strip away the appealing facade, you’re still left with great service and dynamite food. Thai chef Ped brings the influences of his homeland to each dish. The tasting menu, which the chef creates on the spot, is the way to go, and even though one half of the Dining Duo is a bit of a control freak (guess which), we went for it and we just about burst ($45, which is plenty of food, or $75 per person if you have not eaten in days). Make your server aware of any preferences you may have, which the chef will then incorporate into the feast.

 
For some of the highlights, start with a selection of dumplings with pork and shrimp, which are delivered at a perfect temperature and always accompanied with some surprises on the tasting menu—the ribs simmered in strawberries and cinnamon ($9) were tasty but a tad fatty, and the minced chicken ri lettuce cups ($8) was a perfect symmetry of unusual spices. The use of exotic seasonings made the udon noodles smothered with a generous amount of duck and yellow curry superb ($11). Chef Ped is big on shrimp, and every variation we tried was memorable. Try the black-pepper-and- caramel shrimp ($16) for a spicy and mouthwatering treat. The chicken- and-mango fried rice, laced with basil ($10). was a wonderful combination on a normally staid dish, and was accompanied by the udon noodles simmered in bacon and smoky miso and topped with a fried egg ($12).
The desserts are called Thappy endings, and they were—don’t miss the Vietnamese coffee sundae, the correct combo of ice cream and coffee, accompanied by the syrup on the side, which just about made us have our own happy endings ($6). Hang on to your receipt, because if you come back the following Monday. Regardless of how many folks you bring, the eats are half- price on everything. —MICHAEL H. EPSTEIN . SCOTT E. SCHWIMMER

VITAL INFO

Four out of Five stars

Red Pearl Kitchen
6703 Melrose Ave.
323/525-1415

Cuisine: Pan-Asian fusion The Scene Metrosexual hipsters
Must Try: Close your eyes and point to a menu item
Average Cost: Prix fixe is the best option. $45—75