December 2006 / January 2007

By: RICHARD ANDREOLI

RED PEARL OFFERS A KITCHY TAKE ON TRADITIONAL CHINESE, BLD IS
FINE WITHOUT THE VOWEL, WHILE EMPRESS WELL, THE NAME SAYS IT ALL.

My partner, Steve and I have worked in entertainment long enough and attended enough Passover Seders in Hollywood to no longer be star-struck. But when Tyra Banks enters a room? Well, even we will pause and reflect in her fierceness.

Such was the scene on a recent Monday night at the newly opened RED PEARL KITCHEN (6703 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, 323-525-1415). The clientele is peppered with celebrities, entertainment folk, gaggles of gays and that rare breed of LA diner who actually enjoys a leisurely meal over the course of an evening. You’ll still find a smattering of older couples that have grown accustomed to a more “mature” restaurant being in this space — which, on the upside, means it’s a safe place to bring your parents if they’re in town — but clearly Red Pearl Kitchen was created for a younger audience.

Offering a hip, kitschy take on the traditional Chinese restaurant, the space features cute and friendly waitresses in traditional silk uniforms; a dimly lit bar with pool table; low seating, banquets and small tables under large paper lanterns; and projected red and yellow lights that dance across the white interior ceiling. The kitchen itself is now shrouded by a clear red screen that offers a glimpse of the culinary chaos happening inside, but without making it look like a giant TV screen, as was the case during the restaurant’s Meson G incarnation.

Small plates are the order of the evening, and we started with the pineapple Kobe beef satay — savory, but with a hint of sweetness on the back end — and the bacon-wrapped asparagus that came with a spicy/creamy chipotle sauce. While the ginger chicken potstickers are very good and we liked the crisp pan-fry on the bottom, there isn’t anything particularly innovative about them. However, the duck and banana lettuce wraps are wonderful, as is the spicy chicken-drunk-man noodle with tender pieces of meat hidden amongst the large flat noodle; it offers a nice hot punch that isn’t overpowering.
Curry lovers should definitely dive into the short rib, pumpkin, and curry dish for a delightful mixture of meat, sweet, and earthy flavors melding together. A more traditional taste is the hot Kobe beef with red curry and rice noodles, and the shrimp and bacon garlic fried rice is a solid hit.

Finally, among Red Pearl Kitchen’s “Happy Endings”(desserts), the two we love most are the banana fritters with a cardamom egg custard, and the chalice cream alongside moist banana cake that’s drizzled with jasmine-scented caramel. Luscious, and yet none of them so large that you feel guilty for the indulgence.

All around, the food is a nice change and yet completely accessible, so you shouldn’t be nervous to try something new. Unfortunately, we never did learn what Tyra ordered for her dinner; we were too obsessed with enjoying our own meal to care.