Location: 975 N Michillinda Ave, Pasadena, CA 91107. (626) 510-6286
Date: October 29, 2023
Cuisine: Contemporary Chinese
Rating: Weird Tony Lau dinner
There is a lot of buzz about Colette, which is part of the “next generation” of LA Chinese restaurants. They opened in a cafe-like space and are serving both Cantonese-esqe and dim sum. From their website:
Colette is a Cantonese-based creative Asian restaurant that welcomes people from all walks of life for all occasions. Our goal is to provide you with an inviting experience whether you’re joining us for a fine new Asian cuisine, after hiking, a friend or family gathering, a business meeting, a date, or other special occasions.
Whatever the occasion, our ambiance, and setting at Colette will serve your needs. Whether you are on the go or want to bring your pets to relax and hang out with friends, our indoor seating area and the outdoor patio are designed to offer you a cozy and comfortable space for you to enjoy your meal. In addition, our food is cooked to order and is prepared with quality in mind. Whenever it is possible, our food is prepared using ingredients from local farmers’ markets.
At Colette, we believe dining is an experience involving all senses, not just taste. Therefore, we try to ensure that our guests will enjoy the service provided by our staff and our decor, in addition to the excellent quality and taste of our menu items. We want to offer a memorable experience to each guest so that you will return with your friends and family.
Our special menu for this Tony Lau Chinese dinner series.
Bonus dish (on the house) of Salt & Pepper Squid. Very delicious, highly fried, crunchy calamari prep.
Lettuce cups with shrimp, pine nuts & jicama. These had a mixed soft and crunchy texture and a nice mild flavor. Good in the lettuce with a bit of chili oil etc. I think this is off-menu as Tony has a list of dishes he often “makes” resteraunts cook and this is one of them.
The lettuce itself.
Deep fried baby abalone. Very tasty, as they were fried with bits of mild Jalepeno. The abalone itself wasn’t that strong.
Char Siu. Super sweet and tender. Great BBQ pork — but controversial as they were so sweet and so fatty.
Crispy stuffed Chicken / 脆皮百花鸡.
Deboned air-dried chicken, shrimp paste. Crispy skin on shrimp paste — was isn’t to love? Could have used perhaps a touch more “flavor.” Some people added salt.
Baked Crabmeat with cheese inside Crab shell. Very gooey Bechemel-like texture. Quite delicious though.
Branzino Fillet Rolls. This is another Tony dish, and one that is excellent at Embassy kitchen. The fish is rolled around ginger and fried. Tasty, but the ginger was too mild or there wasn’t enough of it — it helps balance the heavy fry.
Stir-fried sliced conch with XO sauce. This is another Tony dish. Nice chewy texture and crunchy veggies.
Pan fried pork patty with salted fish. Like a slightly fishy Southern pork sausage (the kind that goes inside an Egg McMuffin). Delicious.
Stir-Fry Steak Cubes with Macadamia Nuts. Yup, a version of the Gweillo Beef. Super tender chunks and nice veggies, but still a slightly boring dish.
Off menu Singapore Chili Crab. Two whole Dungeness crabs drowned in sweet and slightly spicy eggy chili sauce. Delicious. Not exactly exactly like the one I had in Singapore, sweeter perhaps, but still super delicious.
Stir-Fry Asparagus — also with some squash and mushrooms.
Funny but delicious Chinese dessert. Sort of a gooey sesame ball.
Yar! Ghostly skeletal praline pirates are marauding — Pecan Pirate Praline Gelato — An eggy ultra-smooth Texas Pecan base layered with my creepy skull-shaped New Orleans style Vanilla Bourbon Pecan Pralines — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #vanilla #bourbon #pecan #praline #candy #halloween #spooky
Colette continues to show that it’s an excellent Cantonese dinner place. I think I like their menu stuff a bit better, as here Tony was making them do a bit too many of his favorite dishes and they don’t show off all their strengths being more classically Cantonese, still it was a very enjoyable meal — even if I was hit hard by all the “flavor” (MSG).
Our mostly order off the menu meals were considerably better.
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