what a sweet little gem! star leaf was the perfect place to celebrate one of my friend's birthdays: the restaurant was lively, the interior is decorated in a moody art deco vibe (but bright enough to see the menus), and the food was SO good! we ordered multiple cocktails that were all so good and the server had great recs when we asked him what drinks he would recommend. as far as food we ordered the royal crown fried rice (incredibly beautiful and yummy), papaya salad, a yellow curry, and a noodle dish. would definitely come back again! read more

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Mama loved their papaya salad so we came back and this time mom was impressed with the fried rice and dessert!! Great food. Nice atmosphere and amazing host! read more

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My Appreciation Of Star Leaf Restaurant I would like to express my appreciation to Mr. Ivan for the service you provided for our son's graduation party on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. The food was delicious, and the service was excellent. The table setting was perfect, and thank you for replacing the flower I ordered with your restaurant's own 2 flower centerpieces. Our guests enjoy the food, service, and environment. Merci, Thanks to Athena too. She was friendly and very professional. read more

Awesome service and great vibes. Came here to celebrate an end of year networking gathering. Great happy hour menu. We enjoyed the chicken wings, edamame, short rib tacos and angus beef roll. read more

Star Leaf - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I love the decor and atmosphere of this place. To me, it feels like dining somewhere between a jungle and a speakeasy. It definitely feels upscale but not pretentious. I've only been here for happy hour, but maybe I'll come here for a special dinner or date night someday. Coming at around 4 pm on Friday, I found plenty of bar seating and was served quickly. The happy hour menu is small but high-quality. For drinks, I got the lychee martini, and my partner got the peacock margarita. Both drinks struck a balance between strong and not too sweet. We also shared the sea bass and short rib tacos, and both were delicious (though I prefer the sea bass as it paired well with the sauce it came with and the fresh salad). Perfect location as you could swing by Vromans to window shop (or actually shop) afterwards! read more

We have been here twice for lunch so far and we enjoyed both times. Aged short ribs so flavorful and soft. Branzino so tender and fresh. Royal crown fried rice seasoned perfectly and not oily nor salty. All dishes we ordered were all consistently good both times. Decor is modern and fancy. Service is decent. We will return quarterly to use our Resy credits of course. read more

I visited Star Leaf for lunch on 5/14 for the first time and I loved every bit of it. I started with a lychee martini and 2 appetizers: the bakka salmon in Thai vinaigrette ( I wish I ordered another one of these) and the Saigon summer rice paper rolls. Both were very refreshing, and I really loved the sauce on the bakka salmon in combination with the mint leaves. Since I'm a huge seafood lover, I ordered the Thai royal curry with lobster tail, lime steamed Chilean sea bass and the royal crown fried rice. This was my first time trying curry and I found it delicious, I'd love to visit Star Leaf again specifically for this dish. I really enjoyed the texture of the fish roe on top of the fried rice - I've never had something like this before. I also ordered the truffle wok seared noodles with beef (I liked the mushrooms in this dish). For dessert, I had the Vietnamese coffee flan and the pink mekong. I loved the presentation of the pink Mekong, and the various fruits were yummy. As for the atmosphere, it was very cozy and I took a lot of nice photos in the front of the restaurant by the pond. This restaurant would be perfect for a romantic date night or a lunch with the girls. The service was great - everything was very timely and detail-oriented. Everyone was kind and attentive, I felt very welcome. read more

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This is a place to remember! I'd definitely love to come back. Every dish was bursting with flavor. I don't even know what was my absolute favorite because every dish was just so amazing. Jordan our waiter was really open and honest and I love that about him. He was great. He recommend a drink that I would definitely have to order next time around. Layout was fancy and spacious. read more

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Excellent.. service, food, ambiance. The waitress was fabulous (Athena).. the pre dinner cocktails were top notch and the appetizers were awesome. By the time the entrees came (party of 4) we were all almost stuffed. Nice portions for the prices. read more

Absolutely loved the experience here The curry lobster was definitely the highlight - so flavorful and perfectly cooked. The cocktails were amazing too, super well balanced and creative, and the desserts were the perfect ending to the dinner. Such a beautiful spot for a night out read more

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I was really excited to try this restaurant, but unfortunately it didn't quite meet my expectations. The space itself is large with a nice interior design and a well-thought-out layout, which made for a great first impression. We ordered the shrimp cakes, crispy short rib, and truffle noodles. I would skip the shrimp cakes--they weren't anything special and honestly tasted like a frozen item that had been fried and served. About 20 minutes after placing our order, we were told the crispy short rib was sold out, so we switched to the grilled lamb chops. These were just okay--mostly fatty and a bit chewy. The puree underneath them also didn't add much and wasn't very good. The highlight of the meal was definitely the truffle noodles, delicious and absolutely worth ordering. On a positive note, the staff was very friendly and attentive, which I appreciated. Unfortunately, the food overall just didn't live up to the experience I was hoping for. read more

Everyone was super nice and helpful :) i unfortunately feel like the plates look better than it taste.. 1. Appetizer platter - they started off strong. The tropical mango fish was soo good. Battered and fish ratio was perfect, cooked well, tasted even better. Shrimp cake skewers was very meaty and fresh. The wings were just okay. The som tu. Salad was so good, hubby doesn't eat a lot of veggies but he loved these! 2. 12hr braised Angus = of course it was super tender :) first look, hubby thought it was gona be tough but it was super soft. Just needed a little bit more of finishing salt then it would be perfect. But it was good. 3. Lime steamed Chilean sea bass = underwhelming. Inconsistent cook.. I don't see why they wouldn't steam it all together? But some of the fish was tougher than others. There was just 2 pieces that were actually great. 4. Pineapple fried rice = reminded me of fair food :( 5. Banana leaf chicken = loved it because u can taste the rosemary and hunt of banana lead...a bit tough but it was my 2nd fave amongst everything we ordered (1st was the mango fish). Hubby thought it was mediocre. read more

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Food was acceptional. We ordered a bunch a stuff. Mango payaya salad, Thai royal shrimp curry, orange chicken, pad Thai, crispy fish, pork collar, salmon belly carpaccio Best thing was probably the payaya salad. Food was pricey but wasn't really that great. It is a Thai "fusion" restaurant. They didn't even have chicken satay. read more

I have been to this restaurant three times and a couple of those occasions was lucky enough to be served by a wonderfully smart and memorable server, Athena. The first time I went with one of my friends and got the Tropical Mango Sea Bass. I recommend trying different dishes at this restaurant -- they're all good, but each is a different experience and it's worth while to experiment and find one that suits your own taste and sensibilities. Next trip -- this time I went with several poet friends -- I ordered something I liked even better, the Malay Captain's Curry. Recently, I went on my own, dropped in for the Happy Hour and ordered the Prawn Ceviche, an appetizer, but so good I'd like to make a meal of it. What a delicacy! -- especially for those who like spiciness which, these days I do. read more

Went for a birthday celebration and everything was divine! The restaurant felt royal and had a lively ambience. Our server was super knowledgeable and gave great service. The food was a modern take on thai classics and it was so delicious! A standout dish for my family were the crispy lime short ribs and the Tom Yum soup! Can't wait to come back. read more

Dining here was an experience!! Ambience: The vibes hit as soon as you enter the outdoor patio. The eastern decor and lush plants immediately welcome you into a peaceful oasis. The inside is even more ornate, with gorgeous chandeliers and charming seating arrangements. Food: The shrimp skewers were larger than expected and fresh from the fryer. But the star of the show was the bakka salmon sashimi Silky, buttery, and packed with flavor! Clean, fresh taste finished with a spicy, citrusy chili verde on top. Pure perfection Also ordered were the strawberry matcha and yuzu mocktails. Both were good, but not necessarily outstanding. The bill came out to ~$90 for the two small dishes and two drinks. And even though the dishes are all made to share, the price tag is still a little steep for me considering they were not full entrees. Service: The servers were patient and very helpful with suggestions, but what really made an impact were the front hosts. They were so friendly and eager to share Star Leaf's legacy with me (it's the first US location!) read more

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I brought my gf here on her birthday and we had such a nice experience. Staff were very kind and attentive. We ordered the 12hr braised short rib, royal crown fried rice, sam beach egg rolls and mango sticky rice for dessert. Everything was delicious. I wish we had more of the short rib. Maybe next time we'll come back to try the lamb. The fried rice is a must!!! Its so nice and fun to eat with the masago on top. The mango sticky rice wasnt served the traditional way but it was so delicious. I would highly recommend trying out this place if you havent already. Im craving the fried rice all over again just typing up this review. read more

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From food to ambiance to service, everything was excellent! Parking was free validation at 44 Madison structure. Or there was free street parking for an hour around the restaurant. We ordered the Pineapple fried rice, pork collar wrap, and crying tiger salad with cocktails. All were so flavorful and delicious! 10/10 . They also provided towelettes and served complimentary shrimp chips before our meal. I would come again to try their other dishes, everything looked presentable and tasty. read more

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Unfortunately the food isn't as good as when they opened. Not at all. But the prices are up. I don't like to criticize, but when you pay a lot for an evening out you hope it tastes better then Panda Express. (Sadly it isn't even as good). Time to hire someone with better recipes. read more

I've been wanting a chance to check Star Leaf out and was finally able to stop by for a light lunch with my boyfriend. Ambiance Star Leaf's ambiance during the weekend lunch hour was relatively relaxed while still feeling upscale. I've never been for dinner, but it looks to be the type of place that would be quite busy at night. Food and Drinks We ordered a cocktail each (my boyfriend ordered the Lychee Martini and I ordered the Jade Royale), and an entree to share. We had the Thai Royal Curry with lobster tail, and it was phenomenal -- the lobster tail meat was succulent and sweet, cooked perfectly, and was even removed from its carapace and cut into bite sized pieces.It was served with both bread and a steaming pail of white rice. These both were put to good use -- the sauce was so flavorful and fragrant that we sopped up every bit of it. Location (+ Notable Neighbors) Star Leaf is located in a very walkable part of Old Pasadena, and there's a lot of cheap parking and things to do nearby. It's near the Pasadena Playhouse and Vroman's Bookstore, which are both worth checking out! We were pleasantly surprised by our experience and look forward to coming back again. read more

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The service provided by Cameron was great. He provided suggestions and was attentive. We ordered the sampler which is something I recommend. The fried crab balls were excellent. We also ordered the Royal Crown fried rice which was good but wished it had a little more flavor, it was a bit bland so the chili garlic sauce was definitely needed which we had. We also ordered the curry with fried soft crabs. It was solid but again I wanted some more punch. I was very impressed with the fried dishes, exceptionally crispy and perfect. read more

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A trendy take on Asian fusion, I approve! Stepping into this restaurant you feel like you're in white lotus with the ambiance and service. I loved the creative cocktail menu. The royal thai iced tea with coffee jelly was so good, while the pandan strawberry lemonade barely had any pandan flavor. The lychee martini also looked good. Food: 10/10 shrimp egg rolls 10/10 salmon with Thai vinaigrette 8/10 crying tiger beef salad 8/10 pork collar wraps 5/10 scallop truffle noodles (just tasted like panda chow mein w truffle oil) 5/10 pineapple fried rice (comes in a pineapple w pork floss but too sweet) Dessert: 8/10 pink Mekong - great for groups, lovely presentation 8/10 The flan was also good I'd definitely come back to try some of their other dishes! read more

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The interior is stunning, featuring elegant decor and a great vibe. Service was friendly. We were seated quickly by the hostess, and both drink and food orders arrived without waiting too long despite a significant dinner rush. While our waiter was friendly, the high volume meant he didn't check on us often after the food arrived, which was a minor drawback but understandable during the peak period. We had the Malay Captain's Curry, it wasn't too sweet or too spicy, and it had tender meat and potatoes (except for one overly fatty piece of beef). The Crying Tiger Salad was disappointing. The ribeye had good flavor,but had a tough strip of connective tissue that made a large portion of it hard to eat. The Thai Prawn Ceviche was light and fresh, with a touch of sweetness. The Ube Old Fashioned was a fantastic. It looked amazing and it delivered a very different, honey like taste. It's certainly sweeter than a classic Old Fashioned. I highly recommend giving the drink a try for its unique flavor. read more

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Ambiance - Absolutely gorgeous place. The outdoor eating area is very clean and pretty. It feels classy and elegant but not super uptight. It's covered so you don't have to worry about too much sun or any rain. Service - Sweet and patient. We have never been here and we also had trouble deciding what to get! Employee did her best to give us suggestions on what would be good. Food - For the most part, great! Everything was tasty and felt high quality and fresh. Night Market Shichimi Tofu - I wasn't a big fan only because of the soft tofu used. I thought it would be a firmer texture. The flavor is fine but the texture kinda mushed up in my mouth. Thai Sen Yai Salad - Delicious! So refreshing and satisfying. The tofu had a light lemongrass flavor to it and was a great pair. I would have loved it better if it was salted some more but it's also fine the way it is. This dish is savory, a tad sweet, and tangy. Made me feel healthy and I enjoyed every bit of it even though I couldn't finish everything! Mom review of her dishes: Siam Beach Club Egg Rolls - Super crispy and had a great satisfying bite. The lemongrass was fragrant and tasted great with the ground shrimp. Tropical Mango Fish - The papaya salad on top and the sauce were too spicy for her but she's not good with spice to begin with. The fish was crunchy and not dry! Still good and juicy. Dessert: Slow-drip Vietnam Coffee Flan - WOW. Creamy and decadent! Super delicious and rich. I loved it! If I may be a bit of a critique, I think a crunchier sugar cage would be better because it was on the chewier side so it gets stuck in the teeth. Maybe a bit of a longer wait but I wouldn't mind. While delicious, I'm confused where the coffee comes in because I didn't get any hint of it in this. Vietnamese coffee is typically a strong and bold flavor too! Don't be shy, this would be elevated so much more if we could taste the coffee. Overall, great experience! I'd love to come back to try the rainforest curry. read more

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WOW. Absolutely exceeded my expectations! Amazing food, drinks, and vibes- perfect for a date night. It was pretty crowded on a Saturday night- def make a reservation! Decor was beautiful and we were offered a glass of champagne while waiting for our table. Wild salmon sashimi (10/10): salmon was so fresh and the herby, tangy sauce paired perfectly. A nice refreshing starter! Thai royal curry w/ soft shell crab (10/10): my favorite dish!! The crab was deep fried yet still light and succulent. Curry sauce was so good paired with the side of crusty baguette. Only thing I personally thought was unnecessary was the bed of mashed potatoes underneath. Grilled pork collar (7/10): I was most excited for this dish but it wasn't my favorite (but still tasty). It's eaten as a lettuce wrap with papaya salad, herbs, and cucumber. The meat itself wasn't fatty enough for my liking, and didn't have a bite to it like I was expecting. The sweet sauce on the side was ok, it could have been spicier and more acidic to contrast the sweetness of the pork. Peacock margarita (10/10): delicious! The passion fruit flavor really stands out. I finished my drink within a few minutes lol. Overall great experience, definitely will be back! read more

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I came here with my friend for their new happy hour menu. I was quick to judge this place and think their food would be bland in flavors but it was bold and delicious. Every dish we order was a surprise. Some look a bit plain but packed with flavors. Like their chicken wings and the sauce it goes so well with it, the curry with the fried rice paper, sea bass is spicy and I can taste the combo of flavors, and what surprises me most is that shrimp chips or something. It was a new item too. The drinks are a must. It was tasty and fantastic service here. I will definitely come back here to try their dinner menu. I would definitely recommend this place. Please try out their Happy Hour Menu and lmk what you think of it. I hope this helps. Please follow me if you like my vibe. XOXO JJ read more

Star Leaf - lol. Ironically it was my bday!! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pasadena, California

Confused by the rating. The food here was dry and missing that good Thai taste. We couldn't finish any of the dishes. So many other delicious Thai places in LA that are better (and cheaper) than this. read more

I went for a friend's birthday and the food was amazing. The service was great and the ambiance is great. They let you take a picture with their polaroid before you leave. We ordered the Saigon summer rice paper rolls, tropical mango seabass, malay captain's curry, truffle wok seared noodles with scallops, and madame noi's pork collar for dinner. For dessert we had pandan ice cream and mango sticky rice. I just wasn't a fan of the dragon fruit rice. Parking can be challenging because it's street parking, as far as I'm aware. Definitely would like to go back and try other dishes. read more

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Came here on a Sunday around 12:30pm and was seated right away. Parking was a breeze on the structure at 44 N. Madison. Our server Cameron was very friendly and gave us recommendations. For starters we ordered- Papaya salad: nice and crisp texture Crying tiger: the steak was tender and delicious in the dipping sauce Salmon in Thai vinaigrette: the sashimi was fresh and melts in your mouth Prawn ceviche (upcoming item): sauce was sweet and not overly spicy For our entrees we ordered- Soft shell crab curry: curry was not overpowering and perfectly sweet Pineapple fried rice: sweet and savory Roe vermicelli (upcoming item): packed with flavor and the roe didn't have a pungent taste The presentation of the food was lovely and food was just as delicious. The Thai tea was such a treat. For dessert we had the pink Mekong which was a coconut cream with fruits, red bean, lotus seeds and peach gum. The restaurant validates for an hour of parking but we ended up staying a little longer than that so paid $5 for parking which isn't bad at all for a weekend! Overall, loved my dining experience here. The restaurant is beautiful! Love the decor. read more

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This is a great place if you're trying to impress guests or clients. Every corner of this place exudes elegance. The lighting and color is earthy and soothing. The design of everything even the bathroom hallway is gorgeous. I was taken in immediately by the lovely rabbit statue near the host counter. The food is Asian fusion and most dishes seem to be Thai but other than the Tom Yum Soup and maybe a few other recognizable names everything is new to me. Once the food came, I still felt the same way. Nothing was like what I expected but in a good way. The food is prepared carefully and presented beautifully. The actual thing looks like the glamour shot pictures in the menu! Servings are generally large and meant to be shared. The flavors are unique and the amazing sauces are made in house. We learned that all the ingredients are imported so that also contributes to the distinct flavors. We can't eat spicy food but they are able to adjust the heat level on most items. The unfortunate one they couldn't adjust was the sea bass sauce. So delicious but way too hot. This sauce is great as a dipping sauce for the French bread though and eating it that way dampens the burn a lot. Tom Yum Soup - Prepared in the kitchen but finished table side with fresh herbs and seafood by our server. It was a low key show and a conversation piece. We ordered the soup for 4-6 people even though it was just two of us and don't regret it one bit. Best Tom Yum I've ever had. Shrimp Eggrolls - Beautifully presented in a leaf wrap and perfectly crispy. The more standard tasting of the dishes we ordered Thai Royal Curry with Lobster - Perfectly tender lobster in a pool of rich and creamy yellow curry. Personally not a fan of yellow curry but very flavorful 12 Hour Braised Short Rib - Melt in your mouth tender with a contrasting crispy skin edge. Something you savor Royal Crown Fried Rice - Wow! The taste matches the amazing presentation. Topped with a layer of fish eggs, every grain is so flavor rich and there are large chunks of tender shrimp and scallops throughout. A must try Dessert - Had the Thai tea ice cream which taste like it sounds and the panna cotta which I would highly recommend. It's a whole coconut full of coconut pudding on top of jellied coconut water and topped with fresh fruit. I scraped the entire inside of the young coconut before calling it a day. Service is impeccable and very professional yet easy to have a conversation with. JoJo was awesome at welcoming us and explaining the restaurant. Ellysha was our main server but everyone there helped each other out. read more

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finally tried star leaf and everything was so delicious and flavorful. a bit boujee, but overall really enjoyed every dish. the soft shell crab curry was my favorite along with the sea bass. the sea bass wasn't fishy at all and had a nice lemony zest to it. the interior of the restaurant is also really nice. service wasn't bad either considering how busy it was. read more

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Finally got around to trying this place after it replaced Roy's and not sure where to begin. The entire place spared no expense in upgrading the experience. It's fancier than Ding Tai Fung in Downtown Disney. Service feels upgraded and more fancy then Fogo De Chao or Houston's nearby. And you feel like a VIP. Food is mix of asian fusion with a lot of emphasis on Thai cuisine. This place is gonna to spoil you when it comes to quality, attention to detail, service, and ambiance. The perfect place to take a date, host a company party or meeting, or a place to wind down. First visit: Shrimp paste egg rolls are crunchy and a delight with the included chili sauce. The highlight for me was the 12 hour braised short ribs which were beyond my expectations. I remember poking it with my fork and thinking let's see how tough it's going to be when it felt more like I was stabbing bread. It's beyond tender to the point I was convinced it was hollow. There has never been another place that comes close to this preparation. This is a must order if you love beef. Also ordered the fried rice that came topped with tobiko. Tons of shrimp and scallops upgrading the white rice to more delight. Thai Tea Ice cream now one of my favorite flavors is definitely a must order. This establishment ends the spot on service, ambiance, and quality of food. Highly recommend it! Will be back soon. Shout out to the staff not limited to Elysha (super server) and the rest that greeted us especially the runner which was cheering us on on each order (maybe an Alex)! Thank you Jo Jo for explaining everything to us and welcoming us! read more

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Came here for dinner on a whim without reservations on a Tuesday night and had to wait before getting seated. We came about an hour or two before the restaurant was closing, and while the restaurant was busy, the there were still some available tables open. We had to wait near 20-30 minutes before getting seated, but weren't sure why because again, there were a lot of open tables available from what we saw. Regardless, we eventually got seated and were served with waters and menus. The service was pretty slow. We waited quite a while to get our food served and couldn't even order desserts at the end of our meal, which was a bit disappointing since their items looked good. Thai royal curry (5/5): I really liked this dish, it was flavorful and the soft shell crab was crispy and tender. Spicy tom yum (5/5): Really good, the tom yum flavor was fragrant and pungent. I wouldn't have mind having it spicier but the flavor overall was good. Spice level was more mild than actual spicy in my opinion. Crying tiger salad (3/5): This was okay, wasn't a stand out dish to me. The steak was cooked well though. Overall, I did enjoy the food but it was pricey and the service was not the best. It's more of an upscale restaurant so I felt like there was a certain demeanor/appearance you had to had in order to get served better. I do recommend this place, but I personally wouldn't frequent it. read more

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We had a large party and were seated at a beautiful long table. This is a gorgeous spacious restaurant. Service was outstanding and our host had curated menu of her favorite dishes for us. The food was amazing from the appetizers to the mains to the dessert. Food presentation was impressive, and every dish was delicious in its own right. Highly recommend. Bonus was a fun magician who added great entertainment towards the end of the meal. read more

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I sat at the bar for their happy hour menu (3-6pm) before seeing a play at the Pasadena Playhouse. The bartenders took very good care of me! They're so nice and the bar is a class act. I started with their lychee martini, which smelled amazing before my lips touched the glass. It was SO DELICIOUS, but it packs a punch!! Love it!! I had their tropical fish bites, which was SO crispy on the outside, and so tender on the inside. After that, I had the mango sticky rice, which for one person was a champagne class with sticky rice on the bottom, had 2 scoops of different flavor ice cream, topped with chunks of mango. My eyes rolled to the back of your head with every bite. Outstanding!! I told the bartender, "Please tell me this place is Michelin starred." Yes, that good!! I was there around 5pm, so it was still quiet before the dinner rush, but a very Zen Asian type decor. I can't wait to come back for more! read more

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Wow! Star Leaf has been in my bookmarks for a while now, as I was saving it for a special occasion and my husband and I went for date night recently. They had a Dine LA special so we were excited to try out their dishes for the first time since we LOVE Thai food. The restaurant is beautiful. The decor is moody, contemporary, and slightly eclectic. We were seated within 10 mins of our reservation and every one of the staff was extremely polite and welcoming. We selected our meal from the Dine LA menu, I went for the crying tiger salad (yes the dressing is spicier than the curry), the vegetable curry (so flavorful and slightly sweet), and the coconut pana cotta for dessert (this was the only let down of the meal, pretty bland and very unsweet, looked and tasted like a granola cereal with milk). My husband got the tom yum (delicious and just the perfect size), the soft shell crab curry (amazing), and the Vietnamese coffee flan (OMG probably the best bite of the night! Very little coffee flavor with chocolate drizzle but just perfect to end the night). Overall it was a wonderful experience, parking is in a 1 hr validated lot off of Madison Ave. The dishes are SPICY, keep that in mind! They do have a lunch and happy hour menu FYI. read more

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How much can a place impress you before you decide this is the standard it should be? Star Leaf is a Thai restaurant that popped onto the scene in Pasadena just a year ago and from its introduction to Southern California it has seen a slew of satisfied diners. Though I'm usually not a fan of high priced Thai food it didn't take long for the place to win me over. Let me tell you why Star Leaf is worth your appetite. Design - Modern Meets Palace With a large fire, stone elephants, and a water display just at the entrance of this restaurant you get a feeling of grandeur before even entering the building. Once inside, you start to see the styling is a mixture of old world with modern touches. The tables for two have large analog lamps floating above them. The booths have black leather and rich wood materials. The kitchen is open for all to see. The interior is dark enough to create intimate dining within each party, but bright enough to see what is going on on the dining room floor. Their menu also needs to be highlighted because not only do they have a menu listing their food in texts, but also a large photo book showcasing each dish visually. If we eat with our eyes then this menu is a trailer for great things to come. An extensive drink menu also arrives and Star Leaf is a restaurant where drinks should be tried. I highly recommend their mango sticky rice cocktail, with or without alcohol. It was a highlight and one I'll remember for a long time. Service We had Athena as our waitress and she was incredibly welcoming and knowledgeable about the cuisine at Star Leaf. She gave great recommendations for both drinks and food, including the best lamb chops I've ever had. She checked on us often and made sure we knew when our food would arrive. Even when the bar was backed up and my drink didn't come till the entrees arrived she comped it and apologized for the delay. If you get a chance to have her as your server you're going to be treated well. Food - Grand Ideas with Mostly Delivered Results We went through an extensive amount of food and instead of detailing each of them let me give you the highlights and lowlights. Highlights - The grilled lamb chops were phenomenal. Grilled perfectly with barely any pink, the meat was so tender you could pull the meat off the bone without resistance. The minted chimichurri sauce next to it is exquisite and worth diving a forkful of lamb each and every time. A balance of fresh, sweet, and savory this amazing sauce could make anything taste better. Paired with a perfectly grilled lamb and you have one of the best bites you'll ever taste. The Thai Royal Curry with shrimp was amazing. Large, plump, meaty shrimp bigger than your spoon fills this savory and flavorful curry. Paired with a crusty outside, pillowy inside bread and you have a dish truly making you feel like royalty. The Bakka Wild Salmon in Thai vinaigrette is an amazing starter. The sweetness of the sauce reminds me of a semi-sweet aji sauce with a slight kick at the end to let you know you're alive. It was just the right amount of taste to tease your appetite and start you off right for your dinner. Finally, I would be remise if I didn't bring up my favorite drink, the mango sticky rice cocktail. This drink is made of fresh mango, condensed milk, pandan infused oat, and coconut milk. It feels like drinking a creamy version of the dish and it is well received after taking in so much spice from the mains. An oasis for the taste buds and one you'll be dreaming about long after the meal is finished. Lowlights - The Crying Tiger salad really doesn't feel worth the money. Essentially a spring mix with a vinaigrette and a protein of your choice the salad isn't terrible, but compared to everything else on the menu this isn't worth any of your appetite or money. The desserts are all sweet and will fulfill that desire at the end of your meal, but compared to everything else it feels a bit flat. Often too sweet or just okay, the best item might be a scoop of their pandan ice cream. Conclusion A well thought out menu with warm staff, well designed interior, and an energy that's exciting for those involved, Star Leaf is a restaurant unlike others and worth the try. Though by no means will the bill be under $100 for two people, the quality of the experience will be worth every dollar. Perfect for dates and special occasions, Star Leaf is a must try Thai restaurant in Pasadena. read more

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There was so much hype about Star Leaf when they first opened. It was in social media, I had friends raved about it and they were always featured on some foodie apps. After a Yelp Elite event here in 2024, I was excited to come back with friends and family, because the service was amazing. I came here a few more times and really wanted to be amazed, but it never happened. On one occasion, we were a party of 7 for a weekend lunch. They were short staffed so the manager came by to take care of us. It felt like many things were beneath him, as he walked by our table full of dishes and said he'll get someone to clear them, which took a while for anyone to come by. By noon, they were already out of a dessert I really wanted to try, the Slow Drip Vietnamese Coffee flan. I mean, it's noon and you have no more to serve for the rest of the busy day, through dinner? He also had a habit of addressing me as 'dude'. " Hey dude, I'll get someone to clear your table. Dude, here's your check. Dude, we're out of the flan. " ... Very unprofessional. Recently, I decided to give them another chance for DineLA because friends were also talking about it. The service was better as they seemed to have more staff, but this time the food was questionable. Royal Thai Curry, one of their popular dishes came to us a bit cooler than room temperature. We asked our server about it. She brought it to the kitchen and came back to tell us the chef says this is how it's supposed to be, because they can't serve it any hotter. That's a lie because we had it before and it was served hot. It was a pretty lame explanation. The Singaporean Laksa was bland. It's like a healthy very mild version of what Laksa should taste like. The Bakka Wild Salmon had the most flavor and was a good starter. The shrimp skewer was consistent with the previous times. Desserts were very underwhelming. The panna cotta was absolutely bland. There was no sweetness nor flavor. It's like we were eating tofu, and compared to the photos on Yelp, it looks like they ran out of serving dishes and just placed ours in a coffee mug. I finally got to try the Vietnamese coffee flan and was disappointed. There was no coffee flavor at all and they ran out of the sugar topping that was supposed to be served with it. Our server just said casually "They're out, so this is what you get." Wow. I really want to like Star Leaf but the experiences from our few visits aren't making it easy. There's so much potential for them, but it seems they need to hire an experienced general manager to fix the kitchen and staffing issues. read more

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Star Leaf is definitely worth checking out. I'm only giving it 4stars as it was our first time. For our introduction though, we were blown away. Our server, Colin greeted us as if we were long time friends. It was a great feeling. That combined with the quiet feel of the restaurant made us feel at home. Our drinks arrived from the bartender himself and, Old Fashioneds are, they were spectacular. We had the Chicken yellow curry and Pad Thai for main dishes and we do so recommend. Right amount of everything and the dishes are big enough to share. We did not go away hungry. Our desserts were the sticky rice Mango and The Vietnamese Flan, both delicious. Please, run, do not walk to Star Leaf. It's amazing read more

All three: good service, excellent meals and ambiance. We had the curry chicken and shrimp Pad Thai and both were very flavorful and delicious . The portions were enough to share between 2 people. The desserts- flan and the mango with sticky rice. Incredible. Again the flavors were just right! read more