The Spice Table

114 S. Central Avenue 

 Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 620-1840

Forget the 18-hour plane ride to Southeast Asia, and instead drive downtown to Central Avenue in Los Angeles.  Step off the street of Little Tokyo and straight into what might be a back-alley store front in Saigon.   

Above the din of the crowd, ubiquitous lighted bird cages dangle from the ceiling, casting a sexy glow over the wood tables, and more than 100 year-old aged brick walls. 

Loft like ceilings and silver ducts remind us that we’re in modern day L.A., but Vietnamese Kim and her Singaporean Chef-husband Bryant Ng have nailed the ambiance in this deservedly trendy downtown venue.   

Bryant cut his chops at Pizzeria Mozza, and Kim knew that if they were going to save their marriage, they better open a labor of love together; and that they certainly did.

Conveniently located off several freeways, and tangent to a validated parking lot for parking ease, this gem is right in the heart of the hip and happening Little Tokyo scene.  Although you could park and walk into almost any restaurant with great results, this one stands out because of it is a southeastern flair for both exotic food choices and spices that will send your mouth into an eating orgasm.

We recommend asking your waiter to “just bring a variety of food” to the table.  You’ll avoid squirming over western awkwardness to things like “pig’s tail” and “bone marrow” if you just don’t know what they’re serving, and you’ll most likely surprise your taste buds with the results.   

Although the preparations are a bit salty for the Dining Duo’s cleaner tastes, it was worth the bloat the next day to sample their creations.

We started with their famous Kaya Toast ($7.00), and we highly recommend that you do as well.  It’s served almost like a grilled cheese sandwich, but it’s actually coconut jam on toast, and then a 45-minute soft-boiled egg is provided, along with white pepper and soy sauce for dipping purposes.  It’s divine; don’t miss every finger-licking bite of it.

Scott particularly enjoyed the Lamb Belly ($10), with cumin and turmeric, which was served satay style on a stick.  The lamb was tender and the taste was off the charts fabulous. We cannot speak highly enough about the grilled brussel sprouts ($9). Scott wouldn’t even eat one until a few years ago and even now he has to be pushed.  If we ate nothing else here, it would be these morsel bites of crunchy yum. 

We could make a meal out of three orders of brussel sprouts (with bacon and dried shrimp), which are not overly spiced but prepared, to perfection.

Be daring and try the Pig’s Tail with a selection of lettuce and a enormous herb concoctions ($13), it is something you’ll be talking about with your foodie friends for days to come.  It was a bit fatty for our tastes, reminding us of “baboy” we ate in the Philippines, but we really need to revisit it again.  Try the creamed kale ($10), which comes complete with paneer (fresh cheese of Indian origin) and grilled pork belly; scrumptious.

 On a very minor basis compared to our great meal, we thought the “per glass” wine selection could have been broader and we also had mixed emotions about the Spiced Cognac dessert. 

Michael found it unusual and satiating after the spiced items we ate; it was bursting with different flavors.  Scott thought the sweet dessert fell short, just missing it.  That said, The Dining Duo has loved traveling extensively throughout Asia and Southeast Asia, and we found the desserts from those countries to be odd flavors for the American palette.  Maybe we just need to broaden our perspectives when it comes to dessert, but lets face it, there’s nothing like chocolate.

Putting those minor points aside, we woke up the next day wishing we lived closer to The Spice Table so we could go back the very next night for another fantastic meal; now that’s a great restaurant!

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710 West First Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-617-8555

Are we in Vegas, Hollywood circa 1940, or Havana? Nope, it’s finally L.A. that blends together style and great food. From the moment we cross the threshold we are transported to a time gone by, an era of smooth-as-silk jazz sounds set to a cool blue glow of hidden lights bathing the restaurant in transforming hues.

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Blue Velvet
The Flat
750 Garland St
LA 90017
213 239 0061

The Scene: Downtown very chic
Cuisine: California eclectic
Must Try: Hormone-free burger
Star Rating: 3
Best Dish: Lamb Shank Paperdelle


Smooth like velvet, the scene and atmosphere at this new eatery is a knock- out. Located at the old Holiday Inn which was previously in the midst of a “lock your doors and don’t get out of the car” neighborhood, the new incarnation is sleek and sassy, and designed by Tag Front. The friendly valets whisked our car away as we were escorted into a side door that revealed floor to ceiling windows with vistas out to an inviting pool, affording a view of downtown L.A.’s increasingly nifty skyline. Lustrous woods, walls of stacked river rocks and comfortable intimate seating immediately made us forget the schlep downtown.

Pretty young faces were omnipresent. We hotly anticipated great things, but alas the overall service was, albeit friendly, somewhat ill trained; but the food more than made up for it; Michael was more forgiving in that Blue Velvet has only been open six weeks at the time of our first visit; Scott had loftier expectations. That being said, Aliza, our waitperson, was gorgeous and sweet, and worth the drive alone for our women (and some of our men) readers.

Getting past the fact that we were unceremoniously dropped at a table by the host, that we had to ask for bread and other items several times and that the person delivering our food described Chef Kris Morningstar’s (Mason G) creations with the fanfare of a garden slug, we did adore several items on the menu. For example, The Duo of Pork, which is a crispy belly and braised shank, superbly seasoned with pork broth and udon noodles and priced at $24, was the highlight of the night for us both. The Lamb Shank Papardelle with rapini and olives at $17 for lunch was one of the most glorious dishes that we have tasted in a very long time, perfectly seasoned and cooked. Michael who is not a huge fan of lamb devoured this and it left him wanting more. The hormone free Velvet burger with bacon onion compote was delivered at a perfect medium rare without even having to ask and at $14, is a delight. Another dish worth experiencing is the slow-poached Ocean Trout ($26) with soft scrambled eggs, smoked Yukon gold potatoes and crème fraîche.

The desserts were a highlight, with particular note, the Blood Orange Soup, one of the most unusual desserts that we’ve savored of late, at $8, it is served with Vanilla Ice Cream, caramelized pineapple, mint leaves and candied macadamia nuts.

When Michael returned from the restroom, he announced that Scott should really see the incredibly designed unisex bathroom; our new lady friend seated next to us nailed us when she said, “Now that’s just so gay”!

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