My food was great. Loves the crab Benedict. Especially with the sambal sauce. Will definitely be back! read more

Bone Kettle - Crabcake Benedict. It was delicious! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

Overpriced. Lack creativity in flavor. Mandatory 20% for the basic of basic service is unreasonable. Last time at this restaurant.

You can't help but get drawn to the comforting and savory smell of their slow-cooked bone broth as you walk past Bone Kettle. We got to dine outdoors over the weekend and it felt intimate and had a nice "date night" vibe. We ordered the oxtail dumplings, sisig appetizer, Prime fatty brisket noodles and broth, as well as the Rendang carbonara. Everything was aahmazing!! If you come here you must order anything that has the bone broth, it's sooooo good! We were so full after this meal, we didn't have room for dessert, but I will be back again soon! read more

Maybe my expectations were too high for this restaurant but it sure was a disappointment. Service: The host or server who seated me was very welcoming and I got seated right away with a reservation. The service was okay. Food came out quick, about 10-15 minutes after ordering. Don't expect a fancy restaurant quality service here. The servers are attentive but are kind of like bussers just running food out. Food: The noodle was what I was most excited for but it turned out to be the most disappointing. The broth tastes basically like pho broth and the noodles are the cheap ramen noodles I used to see when I worked at a cheap ramen shop. The omelet was bland with no striking flavors or anything. The crab cake benedict was good. French toast was great, but something you could get anywhere else. Honestly, if you're coming here just for the vibes, the ambience and interior of the restaurant is nice so go for it. If you're coming here for the food, you might as well go somewhere else. Don't think I will be coming back but was a good experience. read more

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It was a chilly night and we were meeting our friends here for dinner. I ordered the top sirloin noodle soup and my friends ordered a variety of other soup dishes. My girl and I liked our selection and we actually added two small spoonfuls of table chili and our mouths were on fire in a good way. My Japa friends did not like the low quality noodles in the soup dishes and compared them to top ramen from a bag. Great attentive service and the food is reasonably priced. read more

Bone Kettle - Chilly night - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

When we take a trip down memory lane and make a left turn on Asian-Fusion Blvd, things can go all the way up! Or... down hill REALLY quick. Bone Kettle? Made right then to "question mark" avenue. Parking is challenging, usually, because it's old Pas. Food is Asian, like, really Asian. Not much western influence at all. Bone Marrow - piping hot and greasey. Was looking for some freshness and citrus to knock it back. No luck. Oxtail Dumpling - Good flavor, soft and pillowy. Not too surprising, given that i'm asian myself. ;) Maps Todu Fries - All I can say is.. it is not what you'd probably imagine. Soup is good, real good. Especially the Fatty Brisket. Decor is modern asian contemporary. Nice cute date spot. Oh, their beverage list is fairly standard, gets the job done. read more

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I've been wanting to visit Bone Kettle for quite some time and my wife and I finally made it for my birthday this year. It was a Tuesday evening, we had a reservation and it was a good thing we did. I was immediately surprised with two things, it was a packed house with a long wait list on a Tuesday night. This could partially be attributed to DineLA, but none the less I was impressed. Secondly I was surprised by how small it was. The capacity was listed at 65, there was a small bar and one dining room. I enjoy smaller restaurants, so this was a positive. We arrived 10 minutes early and we were immediately seated. Then something unexpected happened. We waited a solid 15 minutes before our waiter arrived. Once he arrived he just said ok, grabbed his pen looked at his paper and waited for our orders. I felt like I was in china town. This was a bit odd for a nicer restaurant, but we knew what we wanted so we put in our order. Gado Gado - this may have been our favorite item of the night. It was the most uniquely Indonesian item we tried. This reminded us of a similar salad we had while honeymooning in Bali. Foods that can invoke emotion and transport you back to a certain memory are the best kinds of food and this hit the mark perfectly. Oxtail Dumplings - it's easy to see why this are such a crowd favorite. The dough has a wonderful chew the meat is moist and tender and the sauce is lick the bowl satisfying. Would definitely recommend. Nasi Goreng with Chinese Sausage - this was exactly as we had hoped for. In the end it is fried rice, but it is a wonderfully done fried rice that leaves you wanting more. Nothing is incredibly unique, but it is much better than any take out you could find. Bone Broth with Fatty Brisket - once again I can see why this dish is a favorite. The Broth was as advertised. Deep, flavorful, and hard to stop guzzling down. I felt the Brisket was a little bland and would opt for a different protein next time. The carrots were definitely over cooked also. All things considered this was still an excellent bowl of noodle soup. Dragon fruit lychee lemonade - this was tasty, but nothing special. The lychee flavor dominates the drink. It was prettier than it was flavorful. Passion Fruit Nigori - this was strong, like really strong. The coconut flavor was dominate. This is the one thing we tried that I would not recommend at all. Overall it was a good culinary experience that could have had better service. The menu is relatable but also had adventurous options. The brunch menu seems enticing and next time I'd like to come back to sample that menu . read more

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Never disappoints and is reasonably priced. Pasadena can be a hit or miss sometimes, but Bone Kettle always satisfies. This place is usually packed so join the waitlist or make a reservation. read more

Bone Kettle - Half dozen oysters, Nasi Goreng, 20oz bone broth, Bone Kettle Noodle Soup - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

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DineLA #6, July 2018 Summer Edition, Dinner Menu $29. This time, traveling to Indonesia via Old Town Pasadena w/Yelp Buddy Isobel L., lol! Bone Kettle is located on Raymond Avenue right next to the Meat District Company (Restaurant). They are famously known for their 36 Hours Braised Bone Broths, which they also sell separately if you're interested in buying. Parking: Street metered parking (free after 6pm) & tons of paid, public parking lots all around. I found street metered parking right in front of Pop Champagne Bar & Restaurant. After browsing through the DineLA Dinner Menu, here's what we got & shared: Drinks: Chilled water refilled throughout our meal. Isobel got a $7 Sparkling Rose from their Happy Hour Menu, delicious! As for me, I got their delicious & photogenic $5 Lychee Dragonfruit Lemonade, consisting of dragonfruit flavoring on top & lychee lemonade on the bottom. Sweet & refreshingly cool to drink. A MUST GET! FIRST COURSES: Gado Gado (Tofu tempeh salad). Mixed w/peanut sauce & consisting of green beans, cabbage, bean sprouts, tomatoes, apples, quail eggs & rice cakes. This vegetarian salad was refreshing, chilled & slightly sweet. The tofu tempeh (deep-fried fermented soybeans) was plentiful & great for sharing between two people. For an extra savory taste, sprinkle on some crispy, dried fried shallots on top (part of the condiments container). Crab Lumpia (Eggrolls): Consisting of blue lump crab, cabbage, carrots & fennel. Comes w/two large lumpias cut in half. I wished they added a little more blue lump crab meats since the taste was very subtle. I do prefer this more than the Gado Gado. Served w/sweet chili sauce for dipping. ENTREES We decided on the Braised Oxtail & Ginger Seared Chicken Bone Broth & Noodles dishes. The noodles, proteins & veggies (sliced carrots & assorted greens toppings) are brought out first. Afterwards, the bone broth is poured out from a kettle & onto the noodles. We both ate the first half & then switched bowls (yea, we trust each like that, lol!). I ate the Ginger Seared Chicken first & it was delicious! Indonesian version of chicken noodle soup, lol! The bone broth is so light, comforting & the ginger wasn't overpowering. The seared chicken itself had huge pieces & was tender & juicy. The ramen noodles itself were also delicious & hearty. This noodles dish would taste best on a really cold day, or if you have the cold/flu; the ultimate comfort meal. Afterwards, Isobel & I switched. The Braised Oxtails Bone Broth had an opposite taste. Not only does it have a savory taste, but it's heartier & richer in flavor. I also like that you don't feel greasy or heavy afterwards. Fantastic to have, & the braised oxtails was also tender, seasoned nicely & meaty. The ramen noodles were also tasty too. DESSERTS We decided on the Pandan Crème Brulee & Black Rice Pudding. We both ate our first half & then switched again. I ate the Pandan Crème Brulee first & I.LOVED.IT! Then again, when any dessert has Pandan flavoring in it, I'm all over it, lol! I love how green & adorable the dessert was! The taste was A-MAZ-ING! Smooth, fluffy & creamy, not overly sweet w/a nice caramelized crust on top, I could definitely eat this all day! Topped w/a sliced strawberry flower on top, simplicity at its finest. The Black Rice Pudding was a softer & mellower dessert as compared to the Pandan Crème Brulee. However, I still dig it. The Black Rice was plentiful & plump. Topped w/sweet corn & a light cream sauce over it, great way to end the meal. Service: Our waitress, Tammy was sweet & professional as well as the rest of the staff. She checked in on us periodically & made sure everything we ate & drank was up to par. They were also quick to remove away our empty dishes & bring out our new entrees. They were also great at refilling our water & getting us anything else we needed too. Ambience & décor: A cozy & fancy upscale Indonesia restaurant w/ efficient & organized seating spaces. Simple & modern décor, somewhat dark & intimate as well. The atmosphere is very relaxing & welcoming. We didn't feel rushed being there, which was wonderful. The Women's Restroom was also well-lit, well-stocked & clean. Overall, my Indonesian fine dining trip was delicious & so glad that Isobel recommended this place for our Pasadena DineLA adventure. I would definitely come back here again. The food, drinks, service & ambience is well worth the 5 stars, woohoo!!! read more

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They have a nice menu with lots of tasty options. The small plate options that are good include crispy brussel sprouts, chicken wings, and sisig (crispy pork belly). The bone broth with noodles top sirloin is also tasty. read more

I've passed by here on multiple occasions but never really noticed Bone Kettle until it popped up on the list for DineLA week. Appetizers - crab lumpia: very light and crisp shell. The flavor of the crab paired with their sweet and tangy sauce was delicious. - chicken wings: can't go wrong with fried chicken, another good app to start off the meal. Main dish - braised oxtail: the oxtail was tender and flavorful. - ginger seared chicken: chicken was cooked dry. Both dishes came in a bone broth with noodles which was pretty tasty. The only issue is the soup comes out at a searing temperature so be sure to let it cool down for awhile before digging in. Dessert (probably the best part) - Trio of seasonal sorbet: this was the perfect way to cool off my tongue after the burning hot soup. The flavors available during our visit was watermelon, key lime, and strawberry. - Pandan creme brûlée: Smooth cream with a thin layer of sugar on top, this was hands down the best creme brûlée ever. Not sure if it was only special to their DineLA menu but this alone is enough to get me coming back. read more

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I used to love this place, but now in addition to the drastic price increase, i had to wait for 40min to get the noodle I ordered. That's not even the worst part... they used to always bring you the broth soon after the noodle arrives, tonight I waited for 10min with a bowl of dry noodle sitting in the cold wind outdoor and no one came. My friend had almost finished his entree, so I had to stand up to *find* a server to ask for the broth... Very disappointed by the service, I was then greeted by the check that asks for 20% mandatory service fee and the server told me I didn't *have to* tip. read more

WOW OH WOW! I've been wanting to try this place for so long and finally got a chance to. I placed a phone order on a Friday night and suprisingly, our food was ready for pick up within 20 minutes. Typically, I'd expect at least 30-45 minute wait on a Friday night. I really loved the Nasi Goreng as the indonesian fried rice went really well with the garlic steak. It was just an explosion of flavor within that first bite. My 2nd favorite dish was the rendang carbonara. This dish had everything I'm looking for in a pasta dish but even more. The braised short ribs was so soft that melted right away and the red chili peppers added a kick of spice to the dish. And don't forget the papaya salad! This dish balanced our meal as the other fishes were fairly heavy. The salad was light yet flavorful and I couldn't get enough of it. When this pandemic is over, I will make sure to dine in to get the full experience! read more

Bone Kettle - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

Amazing dinner date! Def on the pricier side but a very unique dish that you cant get else where. read more

Bone Kettle - bone kettle soup, passian orange guava - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

This place was a mixed bag for us, and I am hoping they were having an off night when we visited, otherwise, we wouldn't recommend. While certain dishes (like the bok choi) were among the best we've ever tasted, another dish (the spicy lobster) was so tough and chewy, it was inedible. When we brought this up with the waiter, there was no offer for a discount on this 36-dollar item. Mix this with a place that lacks a full bar and only serves their own cocktails and pre-made soju-type drinks, the experience became a disappointment. On top of all that, we were automatically charged a 20% tip for a table of only four people even though the second half of our service became very slow as the restaurant got busy on a Saturday evening. We likely won't be back unless things change. read more

Excellent food. Horrible service. The worst part comes to the table we were assigned. The front of the house had an idea where we had to sit... and would not accommodate any other table because they were reserved (just like ours btw). They don't get the little things that make a customer happy or not... read more

This place is so bomb, and I will definitely have to come back to try other menu items. I normally don't like asian fusion, but the food we ordered turned out to be creative and authentic in terms of the flavor. We ordered: 1. Bone broth with st. helen's oxtail - Highly recommend and this is very filling. The braised oxtail meat was falling off of the bone, and the broth was so rich and yet non-greasy 2. Clams with donut - the pepper sauce was very flavorful and the donut (you tiao) was so fresh and crispy! 3. The papaya salad - this is the only dish that I think can be improved on. The traditional dish usually incorporates candied shrimps instead of fresh shrimp and cilantros, and this one was missing those two key elements. But I might be spoiled too. Til this date, I still think Little Sister has the best papaya salad ever. 4. Ube cookies - I thought it was okay, but my bf loved it 5. Matcha IPA - great for IG pic. The matcha flavor was a bit on the milder side Overall, their service was really good. I felt welcome and well taken care of. I will definitely come back to try other dishes, and I will start buying their bone broth from whole foods! read more

I came here for my birthday dinner and was very disappointed. We made reservations and didn't get our order for nearly an hour! The server came, took our order, and completely forgot about us. Tables around us came and went and we were still unaddressed. When they finally checked in on us, they didn't acknowledge their mistake or even apologize. On top of it, once we finally got the food, two of the dishes (sisig and crispy rice) tasted overwhelmingly of lime juice that's all you could taste. Was excited to celebrate a special occasion here but the experience fell so short of expectations. read more

Oh no no no. I loved this place, I did. However, I will not be a returning customer. There is now a 20% service charge added to your bill. Understandable I guess but plates are already priced high for what they are. My main issue is, the service. Typically service is great in all my previous visits. However, I hadn't been there in a while and was craving it. Well, my cousin and I ordered a few dishes to share some of which we hadn't tried before. Everything was good except for one dish. I can't even remember the name but it was a salad type dish. I took one small bite and knew it wasn't for me. My cousin took one bite to try it and wasn't a fan but tried to take another small bite to see if she could force herself to eat it so we wouldn't waste food. Unfortunately, she didn't like it either. We brought it up to the waiter politely but there was nothing she could do because we had ate from the bowl. Mind you 95% of the salad was STILL in the bowl. I was just mind blown that by just simply looking at the salad I was supposed to know I wouldn't like it. It didn't make sense at all. If we licked the plate clean or even ate 70% of it I understand. However, like I said we only tried and didn't even make a dent in the portion size. Mind you the portion sizes are already small there. Unfortunately I will not be back. Flavor is good in the broth they serve but that's about it. Nothing really stands out to be worth the cost. read more

If not for the super friendly and professional staff I would have given it a two. The bone marrow soup is definitely great but other than that it was ok. The fried rice was a disappointment too salty for me, the Calamansi Margarita has no alcohol in it. It was our family's first time here and I would not drive back here. read more

Overpriced and underwhelming. The carbonara was not good. It's giving me, Tuna Helper. Plus the eggs were raw. read more

Bone Kettle - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

This place has a lot of hype, and it really lives up to it. Most of the hype is for the bone broth. The bone broth is pretty good, as are the ramen noodles they stick in it. Oxtail, however, is where Bone Kettle really shines. Whether paired with broth and noodles or inside dumplings, it's consistently tender and melts in your mouth. If you're getting an appetizer, it should be the oxtail dumplings, which feature al dente skins wrapped wonton-style around their excellent oxtail topped with mushrooms marinated in oxtail gravy. It's just too bad you only get 5 to an order. We also tried flat rice noodles with shrimp, which was also very well done. There's a good mix of sweet and sour in the sauce, and the noodles are the right balance between cooked through and too soft. For dessert, we enjoyed the black rice pudding, which comes with cream prettily laced into it and embedded with jackfruit. read more

Bone Kettle - Oxtail dumplings - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I love bone kettle! A nice higher end restaurant for those who love Asian food in Pasadena. Their bone broth soup is light but full of flavor. All the meat options are super tender. They've also expanded their brunch menu lately to make this place a great choice for a weekend brunch. I particularly love the ube toast! read more

Fantastic! As a chef I often despise going to restaurants because I always feel I can make it better at home. But this place is amazing. From the staff to the food. You cant go wrong with getting a broth dish off their dinner menu. That 72hour stock changed the game. I've started doing it myself now. Great experience & will definitely be going back in the future. read more

We had a wonderful dining experience at Bone Kettle on Father's Day. Although very busy, the staff were welcoming, attentive, and very accommodating. The food we selected was flavorful and well prepared. The 7 of us shared a variety of dishes including Nasigoreng with soft shell crab, bone marrow with toast tips, oxtail dumplings, garlic prawns, rendang carbonara, chicken satay, and the top sirloin bone broth soup with sabo noodles. I couldn't pick a favorite because each dish had its own unique flavor and texture that made it delicious. We sat in the front near the bar and appreciated the larger table because it easily accommodated our group of 7 and the numerous dishes ordered. The dads in the group were very happy. read more

Omgerd. The food was so sooo good. We got the bone marrow. It was a great place for a birthday dinner. The only small thing was that it was packed and we normally like quiet places. But the food was good read more

TL:DR - It's all about their bone broth. 36 hours of straight brewing and every drop is liquid feels. ------------------ Time, and time alone can create the best flavored broths. Let something cook over a low heat for an extended period of time and the end result is always amazing. I've been coming to Bone Kettle ever since it opened and the one thing that I always order is their bone soup and noodles. I'll admit I don't have a lot of experience with Indonesian food, and cannot comment on how faithful it is to the culture. What I can comment on is the flavor. The flavor is a deep meaty flavor with a slight after taste of lime. Unlike the heavier ramen broth, the bone kettle broth is very light and refreshing. Bone Kettle says they cook the broth for 36 hours, and it definitely shows; there is no other noodle shop that I can think of that has a similar flavor. In fact, I can't think of any type of noodle soup that even closely resembles the flavor. It just has that home cooked flavor that you would find in any Grandma's kitchen. The noodles are also the perfect texture of firmness and chewiness. I can't stand for over cooked noodles that are too hard, or noodles that are too soft that just fall apart. Bone kettle's noodles are that goldilocks texture and they will melt the heart of any noodle haters out there. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the oxtail. Oxtail is not a very popular meat in America, and it used to be very cheap at the grocery stores. With the rise of Asian cuisine in America, oxtail has risen as well in popularity. It's soft and falls right off the bone, and the flavor is more akin to an umami taste than meat. Bone kettle serves it still on the bone, and that's the best way to serve it. You get the full flavors and textures of the meat, fat, and bone. If you're on a first date, this might be a hard meat to eat without looking like a caveman, BUT if your date is as well versed with oxtail, then they'll understand the lack of manners and will dig in with earnest too. If you're still unsure about oxtail, try their oxtail dumplings; it's still that same oxtail goodness, but in a portable carry-and-go pouch. read more

The food was great, but I can't help but wonder why the service fee is fixed at 20%. I understand that most restaurants automatically charge a 20% tip for large groups (more than 5-6 people). However, since there were only two of us, I found it odd to see a "service fee(20%)" on the bill. We weren't given the option to choose a different tip rate. Is this normal? read more

The style of the restaurant is very clean and stylish, and the workers are very friendly. They came to our table at least 5 times to check on us and give us more water which was nice. The food was flavorful and presentation is great! However some of the dishes didn't quite meet our expectations for an Indonesian restaurant. We were looking forward to trying the very unique dish Rendang Carbonara, but it fell flat for the 4 of us eating. The rendang didn't taste like rendang at all and was just beef short ribs. Quite misleading, but still good. Basically tasted like carbonara with beef short ribs. The fried rice was yummy, the bok choy was garlicky goodness, the oxtail dumplings were good, but the chicken wasn't very crispy or lime-y. Overall not a place we would go back to, but maybe we just didn't order the right dishes... read more

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Tried it first for brunch before a show...100%. My daughter then wanted to celebrate her birthday here with friends and family.EVERYONE loved it, including my 6YO niece! Note they do charge a $15 cake cutting fee. Flavors are exquisite. Cocktails are too strong, not really balanced and mixed at the right ratio. That's the only thing it's lacking. Great service, ambiance, selection, clean, and I will definitely return. I'll just skip the cocktail and will try a mocktail. read more

I had a great time eating here with my gals for my belated birthday lunch! We were a bit bummed the lunch menu didn't feature the bone marrow but we loved the oxtail noodle the pandan waffles with duck so much. So juicy, flavorful and well cooked! Our waitress was darling and even brought out a bright green crème brûlée and sang happy birthday to me, heehee! I highly recommend this family establishment, for classy ambience, quality of food so delicious, and variety of food and drinks. If you find yourself in Old Town Pasadena, come by!!! read more

What a good dining experience! Just remember to make a reservation, the restaurant gets packed very quickly especially during peek hours. For our first tine we tried the soup and a couple appetizers. I definitely think the broth does make the soup dish. They give you the soup first & come by with a carafe of the soup broth. We enjoyed the chicken wings app but the cauliflower app not so much it was just meh. Overall this restaurant is a great addition to the Old Town Pasadena foodie scene! read more

Straight up the best restaurant in Pasadena. The broth? Chef's kiss. It had soft, fatty brisket all the way to the bottom of the bowl. My dad got the Sisig (Filipino pork belly with yummy tomato, egg, peppers, and lime in a small sizzling pan) and he kept complimenting the flavor. To top it off we finished with the Turon dessert. It was elaborate and not expensive for all the work and time that goes into making every little thing. Love that this place has unique, delicious desserts and not the basic tiramisu and cake that every other restaurant has. The restrooms are in the bottom floor and are spacious. The service is quick and the waitresses are very nice and patient. I'll come back with my friends next time. read more

I really wanted to enjoy this place but our experience was lukewarm. Showed up 30 minutes before the reservation; they said they couldn't seat us yet. I said that's fine, we'll grab a drink next door. It was chilly and we didn't bring jackets so I requested a seat inside. Was told they could make that accommodation. We showed back up exactly on time and we're notified that the girls in front of us got the last inside table. They would seat us outside. Ok, fine, I took it in stride. It was chilly but we made it work; now bring on the food! In summary, the rest of our experience: -After waiting 45 minutes, someone else's drink order was put on our table (we had not received ours yet!). We corrected the waiter and then had to wait another 30 minutes for ours drink order because they 'forgot'!! Their words! We were almost done with dinner by the time our initial drink orders went in; even if we wanted to order another drink we couldn't. We didn't complain because it turned out to be the theme of the night! -We opted for the DineLA menu; had a similar experience with the way the food was brought out. It took a long time and they forgot so many things, or brought out the wrong dishes. My colleagues ordered the oxtail and they had to wait 15 minutes to get the broth! After about 15 minutes of watching the noodles and oxtail get cold, someone ran over and poured broth in it and apologized. We all sat there watching our food get cold in the cold. Finally, we all got different desserts - they brought out one dessert, gave us the check, we paid, we waited for the other desserts (we were certainly billed for everything), we were asked if we needed anything, we said ... our desserts? they had forgotten again! Anyways, the food was decent but not worth the treatment or price. I think we left a nice tip anyways, but wow. Haven't had an experience like that in quite awhile! Don't think we'll be coming back. Didn't feel particularly welcomed. read more

Simply incredible! Love everyone on this menu at Bone Kettle. The mapo fries, chili lobster and bone marrow has a special place in my heart!

They denied me entrance because of my SERVICE ANIMAL, NOT an emotional support dog, he is a full on SERVICE animal that was assigned to me because of my MEDICAL CONDITIONS. It is completely illegal and I'm already speaking to my lawyer to sue the owner for illegal discrimination of a person with disabilities. The owner can expect to hear from my lawyer VERY soon read more

Bone Kettle was the only participating DineLA restaurant that I could squeeze in for July 2018. We got last minute weekend reservations and the hostess was really accommodating on the time. The dining room was pretty packed upon our arrival at 6 pm on a Sunday. The restaurant lights are low, so it is dimly lit. Bad for photo ops but great for mood and ambience! The art and decor is modern and minimalistic. There is a large mural of chaotic gorillas and sneaky little monkey lights throughout the restaurant. The mural is kind of dark but the little monkeys add a playful vibe. Jonathan Gold said, "this restaurant seems custom-designed for third dates" and he certainly nails it on the ambience. The dineLA dinner menu at the restaurant varied slightly from the dineLA website. It had an additional 1st course choice of chicken wings and dessert choice of black rice pudding. First Course: Gado Gado - this tofu tempeh salad is all sorts of textures which I appreciate. It's crunchy from the green beans and cabbage; tangy from the tomatoes and apples; lightly sweet from the peanut sauce; and soft from the tempeh, rice cake, and quail eggs. Condiments were brought later but this would have tasted good with the crispy shallots sprinkled on top. Overall, the gado gado is perfect to start off light in anticipation of the braised oxtail noodles. Second Course: Braised Oxtail with Bone Broth - curly / chewy ramen noodles are topped with carrots, microgreens (basil?) and onions. The bone broth is seriously amazing. It's perfection in a spoonful. Every drop of that soup is worth savoring. Unfortunately, I have no action shot of the server pouring the broth because my friend texted me that Jonathan Gold had passed away. I was so crushed when the news broke out that Sunday afternoon. I drank spoonfuls of soup in disbelief. It was comforting to know that he spoke highly of this bone broth. Overall, that broth seriously turns anything it touches into gold. Third Course: Black Rice Pudding - fluffy black rice topped with sweet corn. It is garnished with some flowers and a drizzle of light cream (or possibly coconut milk). Rice pudding and corn is too filling for a dessert. My friend let me try some of the pandan creme brûlée. It was airy, lightly sweet, and super yum! I would get the creme brûlée next time except the pandan color is just a bit too green. Pandan is for the most part tasteless as a natural dye and usually paired with coconut. Not sure why they need to add so much pandan to make it such vibrant green. Until we meat again, I won't forget you bone broth! read more

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The food was quality but besides that there is much to be desired. Portions are a-bit small even for a high-end restaurant. But the primary reason for 2 stars is the service, we had to constantly call for waiters/waitresses, they forgot about rose we ordered(and ended up even ordered the wrong drink, which we just accepted), but the worse part was there was mandatory 20% gratuity despite the service. This is the type of place you should try once, but not come back again. There are better places to spend your money. read more

We found this place to be very kid unfriendly. Made a reservation for 3 and requested a high chair. When we arrived at the restaurant, they were going to seat us at a table for two on the sidewalk ?! I asked for a bigger table and they said we can have it, but we have to be done in an hour due to other reservations. Well, I made a reservation for 3, not 2. When I asked the manager if this is how they usually seat families, he said yes because the baby doesn't eat. Why would they assume that? They know nothing about my 1 year old's abilities. Besides, placing a baby at a tiny table with all the hot plates is very unsafe. This restaurant only cares about making money and doesn't use any common sense or common courtesy to accommodate its customers. What a horrible way to run a restaurant. read more

Reservations are a must, this place stays busy, and for good reason. The food and service are always great. Every dish we've tried is full of flavor, a must-order is the bone marrow butter(although this might be seasonal or new to the menu), garlic prawns, sisig & rendang carbonara. read more