WHERE: Los Angeles (DTLA) / What happened to NoHo??

THE MENU: (2/20 - 2/24)

HOW+WHY: Our Story / LQ@SK

LQ @ SK / PARKING / CATERING / ARCHIVES

Contact us (anytime!): info@starrykitchen.com

Hello again SK KARA-GE (aka “Japanese Popcorn Chicken”)

And Bye-bye (after this week) BRAISED COCONUT JACKFRUIT & Coconut Rice!!

(sorry, no sexy picture of Coconut Rice ‘cause it kinda looks just like white rice in pictures! LOL)

And if no one noticed, I did… I don’t think we’ve had THIS much chicken at the same time on the menu before… which is WEIRD (but the SK KARA-GE’s pretty tasty though, so it’s worth it)

WHERE TO EXPAND/OPEN NEXT?

I know we’ve been talkin’ about this for a while, but while you’re waitin’ to see if we REALLY do expand (we will.. I promise/think!), if you don’t Facebook stalk us check out and chime in on the Facebook survey on where you (or something else you know that might like us more ^_^) want us to go next. Check it out (& maybe even vote) HERE!

Otherwise not much to write today. I was out drinking, eating silkworms, wearing my banana suit at birthday parties and eating tacos so… that’s how the cookie crumbles today.

And if you REALLY want something (I know you prolly don’t, but I’m gonna offer it anyway), here’s a whole collection of the GI Joe Public Service Announcement Parodies. You know, where they used to end is “And now you know, and knowing is half the battle GI JOOOOOOOE!” Yeah, those:

Enjoy while I recover from my hangover. LOL ;)

Xoxo,

TEAM SK

With this cruddy weather, why not cheer up and watch THE MUPPETS: Stand By Me!

Why? Why not?!?! I know.. it has NOTHING to do w/ Pan-Asian comfort food… at least not NOW! ^_^

And if you haven’t seen it, check out THE MUPPETS: Bohemian Rhapsody (I’ve already posted it before so I didn’t want to re-hash). That one’s AWESOME! Especially the beginning with Animal. HILARIOUS!

…

Alright, back to serving food (obviously!)

And don’t forget its the LAST WEEK for the flavor super-duper combo of: MALAYSIAN CHICKEN CURRY + Coconut Rice!!!

Xoxo,

TEAM SK

I dun know what it is about today.. but I’m ready to start the weekend (aren’t you?) Well, in order to keep to the lazy theme (i.e. I am feeling a lil lazy), let’s do this quick and simple, m’kay:

• Lunchie-Munchies BYE-BYE: BRAISED COCONUT PORK, Coconut Rice and SK Chopped Side Salad
• We are CLOSING tonight (i.e. NOT OPEN), and thanks for all the FB’ers who helped us with this decision… no seriously, there’s a thread right HERE!
• ummm… we AIN’T open LABOR DAY either.. I mean, why would we want to Labor on… LABOR DAY!!
• hmmm… what else? Oh yeah, while today is the LAST lunch day to get you some BRAISED COCONUT PORK, you can also try out recipe we actually released this week HERE! ^_^

If you’re still here (on the blog), you must be bored and just waiting for Labor Day weekend to start (when will the Laborious Laboring Labor EEEEEND?!?!?) And if you ARE bored, I’m quite sure you’re wondering, “What do game nerds who have free time and above part editing and camera skills do with themselves?” (I know, cause i think that ALL the time… and this was the best video I could find without exerting too much finger typing energy on that-there internetS)

Well, here ya go.. and what this has to do with our food, again.. I have NO idea! ^_^

And if you want something… ANYTHING relevant to our food, here’s the KN giving her THUMBS UP to the DOUBLE-FRIED SWEET GINGER GLAZED CHICKEN WINGS (assuming you’ve actually read this far too… and sham-WOW if you did!)

Toodles,

TEAM SK

Haaaaappy AUGUST 16th!!!

(I know, *yawn* it’s August but we’ll get through this together, m’kay? ^_^)

First off, I want to thank Project by Project for inviting us to work their Plate by Plate tasting benefit this Saturday.  We had a lot of fun, and thankfully it gave us the opportunity to expose us to even more people that didn’t know about us… AND continue on with the “BALLS” jokes (because we of course served our Crispy Tofu Balls) as demonstrated here by our volunteers and booth (yup, THE booth!) YAY!

Awww yes… I think that’s enough “Crispy Tofu Ball-foolery” for today. Let’s continue, shall we? (Doh, you left the blog already didn’t you… why Jebus… WHHHHY!)

So another week, another rotation, right? WRONG! (but still “technically” right LOL).

Let’s start w/ the “BYE-BYE” first:

• SK KARA-GE

Otherwise known by it’s horribly anglicized (by ‘moi’) name: Japanese Popcorn Chicken (but it’s still KARA-GE in my chockos!). This one has proved to be very popular especially with its yum-tacular Housemade Ponzu + shredded Ginger sauce-liciousness. Thanks guys! (but it’s still gotta GO ;p) 

Hello… HELLO!

“Don’t call it a come back son” (even though again “technically” it IS a come back) because my favorite-st dish of all of ‘em is back after a near 6 MONTH hiatus!! We didn’t plan it that way, but that’s just the way it happened!

(SK disclaimer: even though it’s MY favorite dish… it doesn’t have to be yours.. and I think most of “us” here understand that.. I just want to make sure to let you know “it’s COOL kiddies… it’s COOL!”)

• BRAISED COCONUT PORK (aka in that-there Vietnamese lingo - “Thit kho”)

Maybe it’s ‘cuz I’m Vietnamese (I’d probably say it’s not JUST a maybe), but I love me some of this. You don’t know how LONG I’ve been asking the Kitchen Ninja to bring this back (so you see, she DOES make the decisions), and now we have it in all it’s PORKY and sliced HARD-BOILED EGG deliciousness.  Either way, I know some of ya’ll will agree with me on this (especially one by the name of JAMES who ordered this almost EVERY DAY when we first had it… WOW).

On top of that, we’ve brought in a special rice combo just for this dish:

• COCONUT RICE

Now, even though BOTH have coconut in the names, I assure you that BOTH do NOT have coconut flavors so they can actually compliment each other with each bite and juicy morsel in your mouth!

Alrighty, I think that’s enough for now. Have at it, and… PURDY PLEASE come back in and see us! ;)

Xoxo,

TEAM SK

NEBRASKA.. ANGUS.. JAPANESE.. MEATBALL.. CUUUUUUUURRY!

After 3 months of rotating ALL new dishes, we have FINALLY decided to rotate stuff back in!  And this was a big fave for a lot of people too (and actually, we find that a LOT of you belong to MANY different camps of favorites… which is cool with us!)

Well, time is awastin’ (aka I’m running late AGAIN this AM.. doh!) so here’s the quick summary:

“HI-HI” DISHES:

• NEBRASKA ANGUS JAPANESE MEATBALL CURRY (is back… as you should know by now)
• KOREAN GLASS NOODLES
• COCONUT RICE

“BYE-BYE” (AT THE END OF THE WEEK):

After much trial and tribulation (aka debating while listing to Lady Gaga in the car):

• BRAISED COCONUT JACKFRUIT

It seems like short time to have this dish… but the decision as been made by the Kitchen Ninja! (but that also means we’re accelerating the return of another VERY beloved dish also know by the acronym of CTB)

FREE SOFT DRINKS… AGAIN!

If you read this far, you MUST be bored… but YES, we’re offering FREE SOFT DRINKS again because FRIDAY was our BEST day! So to keep my promise to the internet (that maybe only 3 of you saw), we’re celebrating (‘cause life’s short and finite… so why not?) by giving everyone FREE drinks today.

There you go, and here I go… see ya soon!

Xoxo,

TEAM SK

PS - I’m changing up the menu link on the left to just link to the BIG pic above. Hopefully everyone can see it now. Let me know… SUCKAS!

First.. MALAYSIAN CHICKEN CURRY + it’s super-duper-tasty-combo-companion Coconut Rice are back! HOORAY!

Secondly, one year and one month.. that’s how long we’ve been around now (and yes, I AM still keeping count cause it still happily astounds me!). While it’s still tough (in wholly different ways than before and in some respects toughER), at least we have this and no one can take that away.. well, unless you build a time machine, but piece of advice: learn from Napoleon Dynamite don’t get one that requires you to hook it up to your “unmentionables”.. it MAY not work and hurt you a lot

But I digress.. as usual.

Now back to the good news (aka the first point: MALAYSIAN CHICKEN CURRY + Coconut Rice (I can’t believe how many requests I get for the Coconut Rice alone, it’s pretty nuts) are back on the menu. And considering the cruddy weather we’re having, this is actually PERFECT to warm yo’ asses up in times of brisky rainy chilliness! :)

(another rec to “warm yo’ asses up” in this cruddy weather)

We gots some PINEAPPLE BEER CHICKEN WING SOUP in too y’all! It’s funny how many NEAR dirty looks I get when I recommend this because (in the best Valley girl voice you can imagine in your head) “it sounds strange” but WHOOOOOA NELLY do I love me some of this stuff (and some others do too.. I promise!)

Bad news (intentionally closer to the bottom so less threats to kick me in the nads will come in.. *phew*): SWEET+SPICY GINGER FRIED TOFU is going away after this week. The sauce that was originally designed for beef & defied a nation (ok, not really a nation, but it just sounded cool to say) will be going along with it too. If you haven’t tried this, I must say it’s pretty spectacular (and I have to say it for my meat-eating-bretheren, no disrespect to our veggie friends out there)… for a VEGETARIAN DISH!

(please don’t hurl any cauliflower at me my vegetarian friends… but if you want to hurl some broccoli at me that would be nice ^_^)

And that’s it today friends… alrighty, I lied. If you didn’t read/see/hear about this crazy UCLA chick & her “SLIGHTLY” ignorant video about Asians in the library using their cell phones (which I will admit.. ANNOYING), you can read about it HERE! But that’s not really important as how brilliantly hilarious THIS response (& catchy) was to that video. Enjoy

Ching chong (according to the song, it means “I love you!” LOL)

TEAM SK

PS-I’m Asian (sometimes) too if you didn’t know

MALAYSIAN.. CHICKEN.. CUUUURRY!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH..

YEAH! ^_^

I’m never a man of a few words (only when I’m running out of time, which I coincidentally am out of as of this post anyway ^_^), but that’s really all I want to say to start of this week. Oh MAN I love me some of this stuff.  And with this triple digit weather, it really does feel like you’re in South-East Asia too (I know, not incredibly funny since this weather doth SUCKETH BALLS!)

So very little time, it’s time to jump into it… shall we?

HI-HI:

As you already know…

• MALAYSIAN CHICKEN CURRY

Definitely within in my TOP THREE of all the dishes we make. Oh MAN I love this one. The purdy pic above is one of the special things you get with this one… if you get the banh mi sammie, you get a side of the curry au jus to dip that mutha sucka in. And it’s DELISH… oh YEAH!

BUT, that’s NOT the supa-dupa flavorlicious combo though! The absolute BEST way to have it is with…

• Coconut Rice

Or as I like to call it, the Malaysian Chicken Curry + Coco Rice Combo! ^_^

BYE-BYE:

It ALWAYS has to happen, and the second THREE-PEAT dish in the short history of SK has gots to go away (after this week of course)

• CHINESE HOISIN HAMBURGER

Btw, I’ve been thinking of changing the name of this since I joking listed it as the Chinese Hoisin HAMBURGESA on the board. People have gone along with it, and why not, right? I’ll let you guys help us decide on this one.

Until then, I’ll leave you with this image to amaze and enlighten you to mystical and unifying the powers of… the mustache. HOORAY!

Toodles,

TEAM SK

Hello.. HELLO!

Time’s awastin’, so no time like the present to just jump into the rotating (i.e. I gots actual restaurant stuff to DO’S and have no time for my seemingly witty banter today ^_^).

Let’s start with what’s going away because it’s gonna a sad one and a near mass-exodus too!!!

BYE-BYE:

• BRAISED COCONUT PORK
• Coconut Rice
• SK Chopped Side Salad

Of these these, I’m definitely going to miss the first AND second (because together they are a flavor SUPER-POWER!) the most.  Damn, and I waited 6 months for that dish to come back, and now you know… even I am subject to the emotional rollercoaster that is SK too! LOL

HI-HI:

• BRAISED COCONUT JACKFRUIT

The vegan cousin of my favorite dish, and a unique one because… it don’t taste ANYTHING like fruit too. AMAZING!

Until then, watch this video (that ain’t for kiddies ya’ll… unless your kiddies talk like sailor’s all.. day.. LONG) that one of our friends thought was appropriate for us (i.e. ME) because of ummm… my love for the use of the F*Bomb (but I only use it to convey passion, m’kay!)  Enjoy this, it’s pretty funny.. if you like expletives that is LOL:

Xoxo,

TEAM SK

Le Carnival de CRISPY TOFU BALL!

If I were French (being Vietnamese kinda counts, right??), that’s what I would call this week because… hot DAMN so many of you like them green + crispy critters.

SO if you haven’t figured it out, haven’t read the menu and are waiting for me to tell you: YES, the CRISPY TOFU BALLS are BACK!

Will they be as popular as they were before? Are they worth the wait? Are they worth their WEIGHT in gold? (<- clever right? it’s a DIFFERENT kinda wait… ah HA) Would you trade a magical pony for a chance at these suckers? Would you possibly consider signing over the soul of Paris Hilton for a crack at them?

These are all questions I’m sure you are asking yourselves (especially the magical pony one, that’s a toughie), and for me… I have NO IDEA! Hopefully you guys think they are worth it. If not, we still have ALL THE OTHER FOOD too! ^_^

And if you didn’t know

We had our BEST DAY… AGAIN (I know, I can’t believe it myself… but I’ll TAKE IT!). So that means:

FREE SOFT DRINKS FOR EVERYONE TODAY

 … Woo Hoo!

Let’s get on w/ business, shall we?

“HI-HI”

• CRISPY TOFU BALLS (which you already knew)

GOING “BYE-BYE”

The much beloved and devoured

• MALAYSIAN CHICKEN CURRY

And it’s tasty and fragrant companion

• COCONUT RICE

Wanna know my favorite combo (thx @yutjangsah for this description) w/ one of my FAVORITE F’ING DISHES:

• CURRY COCORICE

It’s tasty, and sure to get someone lucky! LOL

Okay, I think I told ya everything ya need to know.. so with that all said and done I gotta go!

Toodles,

TEAM SK

Salutations friend(s),

HOLY CRAP… 7 weeks… 7 WEEKS!  I don’t know when I’m supposed to stop counting, but I’m not stopping yet.  And it looks like a lot of you are getting used to the rotating menu now too.  I know, I know.. sounds different, absurd and ludicrous even… but you aren’t bored, and neither are we?!?! (YIPPEE!)

(fyi- the pic above only serves to try to whet your appetite… did it work??)

If you weren’t with us at the end of last week, to recap the torrid and “intense” (intense in the sense of people begging me not to take either item off the menu yet!) PORK vs TOFU battle, BOTH won because we’ve decided to keep both for (at least) one more week.  But alas, we must keep to our commitment to rotate (i.e. we still feel like it), but let’s start with what many (all 7 readers = 1 reader for every week) know already:

NEW/ROTATING IN:

• SK SPICY CRAB CAKE
  • We’ve gotten a LOT of requests at SK for something spicy, so here ya go… SUCKAS! :)  Instead of using the normal celery that many use to add a lil *crunch* to these “tasty” cakes, we’ve added in jalapenos AND left the seeds in ‘em too.  This is NOT for the faint of heart.  It’s NOT the spiciest creation ever, but it’s definitely a couple of notches out of a spice-averse (aka “wussy”) tolerance. You’ve been warned (and watch, I know I’m going to get comments to make it spicier too LOL)
  • Last note on these (cause I couldn’t fit them in the menu above): we’ve used imitation crab meat, but THIS imitation is unlike any other I’ve personally had.  It’s actually FLAKY and not the normal tube of imitation-ness that we’re accustomed to.  In other words, “It’s pretty darn good pardner! GIDDYUP!”

SO LONG/FAREWELL/IT’S TIME TO SAY GOOD BYE/…ROTATING OUT!

• TAIWANESE FRIED PORK CHOP
  • I’ll admit, I didn’t know these would catch the momentum that it did so quickly, but we’re glad (cause they ARE tasty). We’ve only tested this ONCE out of our “apartment” and even then it went so fast we couldn’t even try them ourselves!
  • Will these come back? DARN TOOTIN’ they will.  As we go along, we’ll probably start rotating things back-in in the near future… but I’d like to think the CHINESE HOISIN HAMBURGER is startin’ to pick up steam now too and can fill that savory + comforting void that will be left by our favorite Taiwanese friend! (but you still have one more week)

WHAT ABOUT THE SIDES?

• No worries on that front, they’re all staying the same.  The KN’s been a lil sick (she’s ducking out today too), so we can’t confidently change anything without our Cap’n driving the ship.  So JAPCHAE and COCONUT RICE are staying for another week! :)

And on that note, I gotta get ready to work (hope people show up today!)  For some reason, the power of AIR SUPPLY compels me to… “supply” you with some saccharine guilty-pleasure soft-rock goodness! And actually my favorite AIR SUPPLY song… what? YES, I like AIR SUPPLY… me and the KN even saw them in concert one time for fun… oh man, get over it and… man, I lost another reader… oh well.  I’d like to think EVEN THE NIGHTS ARE BETTER w/o you Mr. Runaway Reader (even though I actually miss you already ;p):

Can’t you feel the love?!?!

Xoxo,

TEAM SK