dineLA: Starry Kitchen

 

My first dineLA meal this round was lunch at Starry Kitchen this week. I went with a friend and we shared everything. I think the ideal number to go with would be three people though since there are three choices for each of the three courses. We got the savory pork wontons in chili oil and the cilantro scallion meatball soup to start.

I really wanted more wontons! We ended up spooning the sauce on other things. SK describes the chili oil as “oil-liciousness.” The other choice would have been the sweet and spicy ginger fried tofu wraps. They sounded really fun.

I always love the dressing on the salad. This came with my pork belly meal. The citrus really helped cut the richness of the pork belly that followed.

As much as I love veggie meals, I passed on the jalepeno tofu green curry in favor of the pork belly and the salted plum chicken wing meals. Of course I got the pork belly with spam fried rice. Nguyen Tran of Starry Kitchen said the chef, his wife Thi, had confited these babies. The meat was definitely falling-off-the-bone tender.

Although I missed trying the pandan doughnut holes at LA Street Festival, I opted for the coconut pandan panna cotta. My friend chose the apple fritters. I have to make a note that as someone who doesn’t like grated shredded coconut, I was pleased to find none in my pork belly or panna cotta. The coconut flavor is subtle and actually very nice.

Without any apologies, I swiped the third fritter before anyone could blink. I figured it was even steven since I got only one wonton earlier. Heehee.

Go hang out at Starry Kitchen for lunch, it’s a fast-paced way to enjoy dineLA.

 

Starry Kitchen

350 S Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90071 – (213) 617-3474