Chef Shirley Chung serves up “progressive Chinese American cuisine” at Ms Chi Cafe, her newly opened all-day restaurant in Culver City. With dreams of pastrami-stuffed scallion pancakes and cheeseburger potstickers dancing in our heads, my colleagues and I endured the long trek across the city for a distinct take on Chinese American fare.
Prior to opening Ms Chi, Chef Shirley competed in seasons 11 and 14 of Top Chef and spent time in the kitchens of Thomas Keller’s Bouchon and Jose Andres’ China Poblano. There’s another Ms. Chi outlet at The Fields downtown, but she considers the Culver City location the flagship.
After placing orders at the counter, our group nibbled on mochi doughnuts ($2.50) while we waited for food and drinks to arrive. All three varieties—black sesame, matcha green tea, and chocolate—boasted admirably chewy textures and true-to-form flavors. The dusty black sesame was tops.
