RIGHT: DONG PO BRAISED PORK BELLY
RIGHT: PAN-FRIED PANCAKE SHRIMPCredit: Carla Rhea
The young, talented team at Kei Concepts (that’s the group behind this gem) is no stranger to success—it seems as though everything they touch turns to gold. INI Ristorante—an eclectic blend of Asian-inspired Italian cuisine—earned a spot on Orange Coast’s list of Best New Restaurants in 2023. And Kei’s other concepts—there are six, some with multiple locations—all quickly gained a following.
For QUA, Executive Chef Viet Nguyen turned to his family roots—more specifically, his grandmother’s kitchen—when crafting the menu of authentic Chinese and Vietnamese offerings like Dong Po pork belly, a classic dish from China’s Hangzhou region. Two sizeable squares of the cut are braised in a salty-sweet mixture, and served with baby bok choy, a bowl of jasmine rice, and a pair of kitchen shears to cut the soft, jiggly layers of meat and fat. A house specialty, it’s rich and luscious and unlike your average pork belly offering.
The crab roe is another signature. A thick, flavorsome blue crab stew, it comes with a choice of clear wide noodles, wheat noodles, or rice, and small bowls filled with marinated wood ear mushrooms, pickled cabbage, and slivers of ginger that you mix together to suit your taste. Another must-try: the abalone in XO sauce, the latter being a complex concoction that originated in Hong Kong back in the 1980s. Slices of toasted baguette are served on the side—perfect for soaking up that sauce.
Once you’ve dined here, you’ll want to try Kei’s other concepts—INI Ristorante, KIN Craft Ramen & Izakaya, NEP Cafe, ROL Hand Roll Bar, SUP Noodle Bar, VOX Kitchen, and Kei Coffee House.