I dine semi-frequently at Colette, as I live nearby. I lately have been ordering the same favourite dishes each time. I was surprised to read here on Yelp that the original famed chef left for a few years and recently returned, because I did not notice any major changes in the quality of the dishes I usually order. The current manager was my waiter this time, and he said that staffing has been a challenge; he himself also worked here, left , and returned. Colette offers a somewhat non-traditional, somewhat elevated menu, not as varied as other Chinese places, although they do offer dim sum and lunch specials. Note the menu on the website is old and kind of obsolete; the newer menu, which is laminated and has photos, is more extensive. The dish I always order is their fabulous chayote minced pork. I've also ordered their live lobster when I have a hankering. They have the lobsters and crabs in tanks on view, priced per pound. They can prepare it in several ways; I always choose stir-fried with ginger and scallions and add noodles. They also have some specialty dishes like winter melon soup that you must order in advance. I ordered 3 other dishes, only one for the first time. That was honey-glazed beef cubes. Slices of beef covered in sliced almonds on a bed of asparagus with an orange sauce that was similar to orange marmalade. Tasty and unique. The other 2 dishes that I've had before were the golden yolk luffa and the goo-loo pork (aka sweet and sour pork). Luffa is a gourd (like a cucumber) that is edible when young, but turns into the fibrous sponges we bathe with when mature. It's slighty bitter, here stir-fried with salted egg yolk. The pork was pretty traditional, slightly elevated with the addition of strawberries. For me, a reliable neighbourhood spot for Chinese. I hope they can keep it together. read more

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We used to come here with anticipation of a great meal. But no more. I ordered the chicken feet - truly normally very special here due to the abalone sauce - and they said they did not have it today. First time that ever had happened. Then ordered their flagship dish - shrimp paste and crispy chicken skin - and this time it was three times as think, gummy, gelatinous, and tasteless. Never again. Then the tofu with mushrooms used to be the only tofu I ordered out - but it was no longer freshly prepared! Instead the tofu must have come out of a box of pre-prepared breaded and fried bricks that were hard to cut! Awful! One redeeming quality was the honey walnut shrimp but the melon was missing. Then we heard that there was an ownership change! And the chef had left! I could not confirm anything because the sweet waitress did not know English very well. Just another mediocre Chinese restaurant to skip. SO SAD!!! read more

We ordered the crispy honey shrimp and crispy stuffed chicken among other dishes. I'm only reviewing these 2 dishes because these are one of the popular items they offer. Crispy Honey Shrimp - Lightly fried, sweet and somewhat sugary. This is delicious as they are jumbo size and split open easy to eat and get rid of the shells. They are somewhat sugary in my opinion, but still acceptable. Crispy Stuffed Chicken - Light crispy exterior, shrimp paste filling. I wasn't a big fan of the shrimp paste filling, but it was not bad. The light crisp skin was what balanced it out. I might try other dishes next time. The restaurants a little far out from where I live, but I can definitely consider if I'm in the area. Service was great, the place was about half filled, so no complaints there. read more

Colette - Crispy Stuffed Chicken (Half) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The environment is elegant and relaxing, and the service is attentive and friendly. The ladies there are all very kind, and the atmosphere feels just like eating at home. The food comes out very quickly, and most importantly -- everything is absolutely delicious read more

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Colette is a fantastic spot with great food, a lively atmosphere, and consistently enjoyable service. The dishes feel fresh, flavorful, and well-executed, with generous portions and strong presentation. Everything we tried had bold seasoning and a good balance of texture, especially the stir-fried dishes with crisp vegetables, tender meat, and rich sauce. The restaurant has a comfortable, energetic dining-room feel that works well for both casual meals and group dinners. Service was smooth and friendly, and the food came out at a good pace. 10/10 -- highly recommend for anyone looking for a flavorful Canton fusion meal in Pasadena. read more

Colette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

We ordered the Seafood Tofu clay pot and Black Pepper beef and it was so good! Everything tasted fresh and our server was very helpful in helping us since it was our first time. Colette has great vibes. We ate outside and the temperature was perfect. 10/10 would recommend eating here whether you're visiting Pasadena or local! read more

Colette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Very genuine Chinese food Good service, very fast to get on the table Pigeon was great, as well as the beef read more

Colette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

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We had no idea about this restaurant, but some friends ordered take out for us all and we were so surprised! We have now ordered on our own and the food is delicious. My husband can't stop talking about the lamb chops! I don't like lamb, but it's nice to see him so happy. The smacked cucumber salad is outstanding!! Absolutely delicious and refreshing. Loved it. We also had the fried sticky rice (amazing) and I had the mapo tofu, which I love but don't often get since my husband doesn't love tofu but since he got lamb chops... We are thrilled to find this restaurant, and especially because it is fairly close. Lucky us! read more

Colette - MAPO TOFU with rice麻婆豆腐带米饭 Shrimp Egg Roll (3pcs) Smacked cucumber French Style Lamb Chop - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

Dishes were well presented and tasted good. Service is nice as well. Would recommend the kurobata char siu and the king pao chicken. read more

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This place really can fit any vibe you want it to have. The dishes here are also really creative and different than other places, which I always love. I definitely would have to recommend the black truffle mushroom noodles or the black truffle fried rice. Both are incredible. I loved that rice so much because it was one of my favorite dishes (chicken fried rice) and then made even better with truffle! Anyways would go back for that dish and maybe try some more of their dim sum menu! read more

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First time trying Colette since they changed ownership from years ago. If I could, I would've given them a 3.5 stars overall instead of 3. Let's start off with the service. We arrived at about 5:00pm and considering the dining room only had one other party, we thought the 3 servers behind the counter took quite some time to bring us our waters, or take our order. After ordering, the kitchen did have our food out in a relatively quick manner (probably because there were no other orders ahead of us in queue). The food presentation was decent, but none of the dishes that we ordered really had a "wow" factor to them. In fact; the broccoli was too heavily salted. The best dishes were the honey shrimp as well as the diced beef cubes, but once again, nothing to "write home about". Overall the restaurant is clean, and the outdoor patio looks aesthetically pleasing for photos. The one bathroom however is not kept very clean and had a stench to it. I don't think we will be returning, especially for the price point of the dishes. read more

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This is your traditional Cantonese restaurant. Husband & I came here recently for dinner during the holidays with his family. We went home well fed & satisfied. There were 12 of us so we ordered about 15 dishes to share. Every dish we had was simply good if not delicious with bold flavor. My favorites were dim sum & crispy stuffed chicken. I like that they prepare their ingredients from their local farmers market. Ambiance was bright & clean. Service was friendly & great! I highly recommend this place if you're looking for quality ingredients & want to explore variety of family style dishes. I'll be back for sure. read more

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Wow! Just heard that Peter Lai, the original chef who created such a splash when Colette opened up, but then left two years ago, is returning. I'd be disappointed if Colette didn't regain its status as the best Chinese restaurant in the San Gabriel Valley. I never left a review back then, but it was definitely 5 stars. read more

This was a great brunch place but is now a Chinese/dim sum place! Came here for brunch with the family and remember the first time I was here. Decor has changed but menu is completely different. We got the dumplings which our daughter loves, the green beans, beef chow fun, cucumbers and sticky fried rice. Everything was yummy and the service was top notch! Happy for this transformation! read more

Colette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I stopped by here the other day with friends and we called for a reservation just in case. To my surprise the restaurant was pretty empty the entire time we were there. Service was great and they were attentive to our table. We ordered several dishes and a couple stood out for me (*): Kurobuta Char Siu* Smacked Cucumber Crispy Whole Chicken Golden Yolk Shrimp* Honey Glazed Shrimp Fried Sticky Rice Sauteed Cabbage with Bacon I'd like to try their Dim Sum dishes next time. Parking was easy to find. I see a patio section and I believe you can bring dogs here too. read more

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Had the pleasure of experiencing Colette when we were invited here for dinner. They have an indoor eating area, but if the weather permits sitting outside is a nice place to be. Service here is excellent. The servers and owner are very friendly and do what they can to make sure you have a great experience. All dishes are very good and nicely plated. The menu has pictures which makes the dishes even more appealing. Asian dishes but with a twist. There's a lot of good dishes to choose from. Favorites for me were the black truffle chicken salad, curry beef brisket, and Kurobuta char sui. I'll have to come back to try some of the other dishes. read more

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It says "Asian fusion" but all I know is it was really delicious! Curry beef brisket, chayote and minced pork, black truffle chicken, steamed black cod, garlic kale, Mongolian style cubed beef steak with mushrooms, a chicken dish that looks like roast pork, and a really good char sui (bbq pork) that was so tender! Portions were good and the presentation made it look really appetizing. The service was also friendly and attentive. I think it was the owner who was talking to our group - nice guy. There's seating inside and a good sized patio/outside seating, but it's covered so no worries about rain or sun. It used to be an American breakfast/lunch place, but they kept the name because they liked it. It's on the pricier side, but the ingredients and taste made it more worth it to me. I hope to go again soon and try out other things - or get some of the same. I enjoyed it! read more

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Very pleasantly surprised to find good Cantonese food in this area. We had the hainan chicken and Thai style spare ribs lunch specials. Those are a steal! They were delicious! And the portions are just right. We also got the abalone which is another very good deal. From the a la carte menu, we got the char siu and foie gras mushrooms. Both were good. Decor is simple. Service was very attentive for a Chinese restaurant. Can't wait to come back to try the other dishes. Good amount of parking spots outside the restaurant. There is patio seating for dogs! read more

New management is clearly trying to GET RID of loyal customers. CONGRATULATIONS !!--YOU'VE SUCCEEDED. I've been a regular here for a long time but Today's lunch special was an absolute JOKE !!! Do not go here until they fix the kitchen. Changed chefs recently and the food is now terrible. Tasted awful. What a waste of money！ read more

Great Chinese food spot in Sierra Madre. They share a parking lot with a few other businesses. I found parking easily, maybe because it was Memorial Day so the lot was on the emptier side. Even on a holiday, there were a lot of people eating there for lunch. I saw lots of groups and families. The menu was extensive, from dim sum to family style dishes to creative twists. I got the wagyu fried rice which was on the pricier side (around $40) but it was so tasty. You could tell all the ingredients in the fried rice were freshly made, from the rice and carrots, and beans. The rice comes in hot stoneware so you get that crispy layer of rice along the bottom of the pot. The wagyu chunks were incredibly juicy. My only gripe is that there was sooo little Wagyu and they came in the smallest little chunks. I expected a little more for the price point, but I was satisfied with what I got. The service is fairly attentive too. They greeted me in Mandarin as soon as they saw me. I got to choose between indoor and outdoor seating. Worry not, they also speak English just as well as their Mandarin. read more

Colette - Outside - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Total RIP-OFF !! I've been coming here for a while, but the quality has gone DOWNHILL fast. We ordered the "shrimp and eggplant Hong Kong bay style," and it was NOWHERE near Hong Kong bay style--completely MISREPRESENTED. What showed up was a pile of THICK,GREASY BATTER maybe three Tiny shrimp--chopped in HALF and buried inside. You literally have to HUNT to find them. When we asked where the shrimp were, the server pointed at the batter--that says it all. You're basically PAYING for FLOUR, not seafood. Not sure the head chef has any quality control anymore. At this point, even Panda Express does a better job, which says a lot. Between the misleading menu and the DROP in quality, this was a HUGE disappointment. NOT worth coming back. read more

We came back during Mother's Day weekend treated my mother in law and she has discriminating taste and she approves of the food. This time around we ordered their famous BBQ Kurobuta pork, steamed whole fish, crispy pan fried vermicelli with beef, stir fried black pepper diced beef, and golden yolk luffa. Our server is very skillful in filleting and deboned the fish and reassembled it together for presentation. This is my favorite Chinese restaurant. Well done! read more

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I have been to Colette's multiple times and each time it has been outstanding, the food is always amazing, the service is fast and fresh, the staff is friendly and the location is nicely appointed, I enjoy the patio, it light and airy. On this trip we decided to try the smacked cucumber salad which was absolutely delicious, the abalone sauce chicken feet were to die for, the crispy stuffed chicken is beautiful and delicious, the fried sticky rice was delicious and the Colette Kung pao chicken was spicy and delicious, I have nothing but good things to say about Colette, always perfect read more

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Yum yum yum. Great tasty food. I love chow fun a salt pepper pork. Chill vibes with great service. They have a good lunch special as well. read more

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One of the best Asian cuisine in Pasadena! Their outdoor patio is great for IG photos! I highly recommend their chicken with truffle, legit one of the best dish in whole LA. It is a must order and their service is perfect too. I loved all their dishes and highly recommend if anyone in the Pasadena area and wanting to explore! read more

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I was really looking forward to their Crispy chicken, hoping for a hearty meat and chicken dish. Instead, it felt more like imitation crab or shrimp! Overall, the food was just okay, but I wouldn't go back. I'm used to the authentic taste of Chinese food from Chinatown. read more

Authentic Cantonese cuisine and fusion mix. Everything so delicious and nice plating too. I recommend these must tried dishes: 1. Crispy stuffed chicken 2. Golden yolk fried shrimp 3. Well-done beef vermicelli 4. Seafood pouch in pumpkin soup 5. Black sesame glutinous rice ball (coated with peanut) My all time favorite is winter melon soup. It is a soup with seafood, meat, mushrooms etc cooked inside the gourd. You scrap the flesh off the melon and eat along with the soup. It is a clear soup and very refreshing. Good for big party Friendly and attentive service. Big parking lot. Indoor and patio seating. For big party, call ahead for round table. read more

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Came here on a Sunday right when they opened thinking I was going to eat dimsum but their menu was a little small so my friends and I decided to order a few things and share! The place was pretty empty once we got there, so it was nice and calm. Hot tea was great and they kept giving us many refills! We ordered the crispy stuffed chicken skin, green beans, crispy honey shrimp and laksa spaghetti seafood. All the food was great, especially the crispy honey shrimp (tons of flavor and probably my favorite dish!) and the stuffed chicken skin was really good too. I did not expect that texture/flavor but it was sooo good and unique! I would pass on ordering the laksa spaghetti as it was actually kind of bland and mostly coconut milk. Overall we enjoyed the food and the servers were really nice and accommodating to us! read more

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The chicken special till 3 o'clock feels like rubber $9.99 if you ask for rice it's $2.00 I asked for ice water the waiter ignored and saw him having lunch with the cook then i had to go grab water bottle from my car . I wont come here again. Rice is such a great commodity with this restaurant. They need to learn from panda inn. read more

Colette - Chicken rubber kung pow - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

What an amazing hidden gem! I am not aware of this restaurant until my co worker told me. Tonight we had our Chinese new year dinner with the family. There is plenty of parking while we arrived. The space inside of the restaurant is limited so if you have large party with a round table, special reservation is required. The menu has a good variety of selection. We ordered the lobster, taro chicken, steamed fish, salted egg yolk squash dish, braised tofu and the winter melon seafood soup. Everything is delicious. They also have $9.99 lunch special. I may come back to try it. read more

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Loved it. Came in for dinner with some friends. Inside is bright, clean, and spacious. Good place for groups or a foodie date. They also have a large, covered, well-lit side patio. The food was great. Dishes are for sharing or family style. We got the wagyu fried rice, a very solid option for a group to share. The crispy stuffed chicken is a must try. Crispy outside, chewy inside, great with the sweet and spicy sauce or soy sauce. We also got some siu mai, har gao, char siu bao buns, and spicy wings. All delicious and worth an order. Will definitely be coming back to try more. Service was great. Friendly staff. Easy parking shopping center lot. read more

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Lovely restaurant & beautiful dishes! Foods were delicious and the service was great! Great place for gatherings! read more

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Colette Pasadena Dim Sum Delights & Seafood Surprises Colette's Asian inspired menu is a flavorful journey that hits all the right notes. The black pepper diced beef? Tender, smoky, and perfectly spiced. Cola wings bring a sweet savory punch that's downright addictive, while the crispy honey shrimp offer a golden crunch with a whisper of sweetness. Chicken fried rice is comfort in a bowl fluffy, fragrant, and generously portioned. Pair it all with a soothing jasmine hot tea and you've got a meal that's both elegant and soul-satisfying. Bonus points for the chic ambiance and warm service that make every visit feel like a treat. read more

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tl;dr the modern Cantonese cuisine is more plain than prime; the only thing you can count on across the expansive menu is the consistently high price The San Gabriel Valley is host to a broad spectrum of regional Chinese restaurants, from grab-and-go to banquet style. While everyone has their go-to joint, chic spots continue to pop up. One such newcomer is Colette, a Cantonese sit-down-ery on the eastern edge of Pasadena. Once a humble dinner, Colette recently reopened under the mind of chef Peter Lai, formerly from the legendary (but now closed) Embassy Kitchen. Now, the menu aspires to sprinkle some modern flair atop Cantonese classics. The black awning pops against the slatted, two-story building. Inside, dark wood tables are arranged haphazardly around the small, asymmetric space. The whitewashed walls are minimally decorated, and retro filamented bulbs hang from the night-grey, exposed-ductwork ceiling. A trim, carefully curated bar space is straight ahead. Outside, Colette has a chic patio space complete with softball-sized orb lights, an ivy-laden wall, and a cursive neon sign. Our group of 5 arrived for an early Sunday supper, and we had no trouble securing a table. We ordered broadly and in bulk, with our eyes set on multiple classics. The unexpected highlight was the rich Fried Cabbage with Bacon. Each bite tasted strongly of smoked meat. Meanwhile, the Charcoal Grilled Wagyu Ribeye melted in my mouth, but the fatty-not-marbled meat wasn't of the highest quality. The signature Crispy Stuffed Chicken had an exciting texture, between the crispy fried skin and the bottom breading. However, the flavor was one-dimensional; it could have used more than a simple sweet-and-sour sauce on the side. The Salt & Pepper Tossed Calamari had a nicely crispy batter, but the fish-forward flavor was not particularly salty or peppery. The Garlic Kale was bland and boring; it wasn't even subtly garlicky. Finally, the off-menu Newport-Style Stir-Fried Lobster didn't live up to its namesake; rather, it felt toned down and less hearty. The complimentary peanut mochi balls at the conclusion of our meal were a nice addition, but they couldn't make up for an otherwise forgettable experience. The service was somewhat inattentive. Specifically, I would have liked my water to be filled more than just at the end of the meal. The bill ran an eyebrow-raising $500 across 5 guests. For that price, I would expect every dish to be a home run; instead, most of the dishes were equal parts hit and miss. Overall, the restaurant felt more posh than premium. For a more memorable (and affordable) meal in the future, I instead will stick with one of the SGV stalwarts. read more

Colette - Newport-Style Stir-Fried Lobster - A lobster dish with chopped green onions and sauce is served on a white plate, with other dishes and drinks visible in the background. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

Lunch special increased to $13 with smaller portion and bad cooking. BE WARNED! Bad chef and probably ownership change.

There are only a handful of upscale Chinese restaurants in SGV, and even fewer that do things exceptionally well - Colette falls into this category. The best way to experience this restaurant is to come in a large group with your family/friends and try more of the menu. We loved the modern, cleaner take on Cantonese cuisine. The food was less salty, less oily, and much lighter (no excessive cornstarch in sauces) than traditional Chinese dishes. My picky Cantonese family enjoyed it greatly! Like most Cantonese restaurants, you can request to have certain dishes cooked a different way based on your preferences, which is what we did for the vegetables and the lobster dish. Dishes are listed in order of preference: Must haves: - Black Truffle Chicken: amazing flavor from the truffle, chicken was juicy - Lobster with crispy rice noodles: the crispy rice noodles absorbed the addictive lobster sauce! - Crispy chicken with shrimp paste (half order): one of their signature dishes that's more of a shrimp dish than chicken. Half order was already a LOT. - Chayote with minced pork: great veggie to have Great dishes, order if hungry: - Curry beef brisket: SOO tender and it also came with many pieces of tendon which I love! - Kurabota Char Siu: nice and fatty with great flavor - Luffa vegetable: we asked for it to be stir fried with garlic (different from how it's listed on the menu) Good, but not must haves: - Wagyu fried rice - Salted egg yolk pumpkin - Chicken wings: the kids loved this Don't recommend: - Seafood Laksa Spaghetti: the least Cantonese and most random menu item LOL. It had decent heat to it but really paled in comparison to the rest of the meal. Depth of spices + flavor wasn't there, and I prefer a bouncier noodle over a wide fettuccine. - Pork ribs: the quality of the pork ribs wasn't that good. I think we were expecting something similar to DTF but the sweetness, stickiness, and sharpness (from vinegar) wasn't there. Ribs might be better if cut into smaller pieces I can see this restaurant being on the rotation for my family! I think the odd location delayed our visit for a while, and I regret not coming sooner. We ate a LOT during dinner and had leftovers, but this was one of those meals where we felt quite good afterwards. read more

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Set in a minimall with adequate parking. This Chinese restaurant has innovative dishes and great service. There is indoor and outdoor seating and lots of choices. We started with the calamari and fried mushrooms, and both were fantastic. We then had the ' fried chicken', their specialty, sticky fried rice, pork belly char-shu and lamb chops. The pork belly was okay but the sticky rice and lamb chops were outstanding. They had a okay selection of wine beer. Ambiance was good. read more

Colette - Interior - A restaurant interior featuring a bar with bottles of wine and spirits, staff behind the counter, and decorative flowers on the counter. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

4/5 stars Colette's in Pasadena is a solid spot for upscale chinese food. The live lobster was the standout--fresh, perfectly cooked, and full of flavor. We also really enjoyed the shrimp paste, which was savory, aromatic, and paired well with the herbs and dipping sauces. The menu has a lot of interesting options if you're feeling adventurous. Service wasn't bad--pretty attentive overall, and the staff was happy to explain the dishes. The ambiance is elegant but not stuffy, making it a nice place for a date or small celebration. Prices are on the higher side, but the quality mostly justifies it. read more

Colette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Pasadena, California

Oh my god where do I start. Top tier service. Top tier! The perfect amount of attention out making h me feel pressured to rush. The food was amazing. Everything is family style. Vegetarians and vegans can eat plenty here. Worth every penny every dime! Definitely can bring your own wine. They will cork and pour no extra cost. Beautiful ambiance. Very instagram-y. I love it here. Cause this food...baby! THE FOOD: Lobster fried rice - a must. It is MP but always a hit. Best to order on advanced on weekend nights. Chili Crab - takes me back to Singapore Lah. Very tasty. Chicken wings - not for me. There are much better items on the menu. The pumpkin something - delicious The mushroom something- delicious Can't wait to come a third time! read more

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Totally off the beaten path. Wasn't even on the radar. I found this place driving to Pasadena the back way because of traffic. The food here is amazing. Fresh, plentiful, and extremely tasty. Service was helpful. 4 stars. Ambiance here was nice and quiet. Very clean. Absolutely would recommend. read more