To put it simply, a 10/10 experience
I have watched and been a fan of Chef Shirley Chung for many years. Top Chef season 11 she was a finalist, season 14 she was the runner up, and now she is currently fighting in Guy Fieri's Tournament of Champions 3 for the title of champion.
Saying that, when I judge a restaurant I try to be as unbiased as possible.
It’s all about the food!
Speaking of food… YUM!
“Wontons in Chili Oil” 9.5/10:
The wontons were 10/10 delicious, full of flavor and cooked to perfection. The chili oil was unique, complementing the wonton it packed a punch and had an earthy spice to it that was unlike normal chili oil. Before ordering, know that I love spice, and it was SPICY! (only reason it wasn’t 10/10)
“Wonton Soup” 10/10
Shockingly good, possibly my favorite dish of the day. Like I said the wontons can’t get any better, but what really made this dish was the broth. A light elegant duck broth… OH MY GOD! After eating the wontons, I picked up my bowl and drank that broth until there was nothing left! You’ve gotta try it.
“Jumbo Cheeseburger Potstickers” 8/10
Known to be a famous dish Chef made on Top Chef, I found it to be very good, just not quite on the level of the other dishes I had. The outside and inside were cooked perfectly and the cheese melted in ooey gooey fashion. From taste alone, it was the definition of a cheeseburger.
“Lu Rou Mein” 10/10
STUNNING!
Who knew food could be sexy?
The appeal doesn’t only come from the looks. Every bite was another bite of heaven. The noodles… OH THE NOODLES! Smooth like silk, cooked perfectly. Mixing in the vegetables, spices, and toasted sesame seeds, made it a completely cohesive dish. It checked all the boxes, a must order item.
“Chicken Fried Rice” 10/10
I ordered this just to try a bite and man was I surprised. The chicken was juicy and moist, the rice crispy not crunchy, with beautiful bright cauliflower, carrots, and edamame. It surpassed my expectations.
“Pork Belly Tots” (Weekend Brunch Special) 10/10
Luckily, I went on a Sunday and was recommended this dish. That recommendation was spot on! Even though the tots were on the bottom they stayed crispy, not soggy. On top you’ll find mixed up pork belly (heavenly) and vegetables with a sunny side egg to complete the dish. A must have brunch dish.
EAT IT WHILE IT'S HOT!
“House Made Scallion Pancake” (Weekend Brunch Special) 8.5/10
Very solid. If you like scallion pancakes, order it. It comes with two sauces, I recommend using the spicy aioli. These are pretty big scallion pancakes. The taste is spot on, the texture to me was a little thick.
“Passion Project” 10/10
If you’re looking for a delicious drink that practically makes you beg for more once you’ve finished it, look no further. This drink is absolute perfection, light and sweet but not too sweet. A must get item. I struggled to not order another… Oh wait, I did!
“White Peach Sangria” 10/10
When you see a drink on the menu with white peach in its name how can you not order it? Although, sometimes when you order white peach it just tastes like normal peach, that was not the case. As soon as you take a sip of that drink that true flavor of white peach smacks you in the face. So refreshing, so good. I didn’t get to try their Lychee drinks but that's being saved for round 2!
Mochi Donuts (GF) Black Sesame Sugar, Lemon Sugar, Cinnamon Sugar, Matcha Glaze, Chocolate Glaze, Strawberry Glaze, Blueberry Glaze:
Of course I didn’t stop there, I had to try some “mochi donuts” before leaving. I recommend the Black Sesame Sugar and the Lemon Sugar options. They were 10/10. The Strawberry was a little too sweet for my taste and the cinnamon was too top heavy with cinnamon.
At the end of the meal Chef Shirley came out of the kitchen to say hi and we thanked her for the delicious food. She couldn’t be more sweet and had the same happy/badass personality she does on screen, she lived up to her name as
the dumpling queen.
I have been looking for a great Chinese restaurant in LA for a long time. While I was an undergrad at Emerson College in Boston, I lived in ChinaTown eating Chinese most nights. To be honest the well known Chinese restaurants in LA such as Mr. Chows and Din Tai Fung, don’t even hold a candle to Chef Shirley.
Serving large portions at an amazing price, I highly recommend Ms. Chi’s Cafe. The menu is also friendly to everyone having plenty of Gluten Free Options with (GF) next to the dishes title. The restaurant experience was fantastic and reheating the food the next day was still 10/10 quality.
I can confidently say Ms. Chi’s Cafe is the best Chinese food in LA.
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