Chifa

**PLEASE SUPPORT THIS RESTAURANT** The owners lost their home in the LA wildfires. They refused to open a GoFundMe so that money goes to the people who need it more.That being said, I can't believe it took me this long to get here. The details in the interior design, ambience, and food are impeccable. I had the privilege of sitting next to the owner being interviewed by a vlogger and eavesdropped on the story behind this wonderful family owned and operated restaurant. Great service, tasty flavors that are both elevated and homey at the same time. Favorite dishes are black pepper prawn and tiradito (their Peruvian ceviche). I really appreciated the Asian "not too sweet" style desserts too!

First of all, the restaurant itself is adorable. The decor has a fun mix of pink and green, and there are heart-shaped details everywhere. Even the utensils have a cool wavy design, and the napkins (or lap handkerchiefs? Whatever they're called) are a soft pink, which adds to the whole aesthetic. It's a great spot for a cute and cozy dining experience.This was my first time at Chifa, and I was excited to try it. I didn't even realize there were Chifa (Peruvian-Chinese fusion) options in LA, especially since the Peruvian food scene here isn't super big. I think it's a great place to start exploring Chifa cuisine, even if some dishes felt more like general fusion food rather than a good representation of chifa flavors.What We Ordered:Causa - This was delicious. The seasoned potatoes were soft and well-cooked, and the tuna tartare on top was fresh and flavorful. The aji sauce added a nice kick. Definitely a great way to start the meal.Dan Dan Mian - This was a little disappointing. The noodles were thick and had a good texture, but the sauce wasn't as spicy as I hoped. I was expecting more of that numbing mala or Sichuan peppercorn heat, but it just wasn't there. I know this is a popular dish here, but I personally found the flavor lacking.Brûlée Char Siu - This was good but nothing mind-blowing. It's wood-fired pork in a barbecue sauce, so if you love char siu, you'll probably enjoy it. However, if you're looking for something that truly highlights Chifa fusion flavors, I'd say skip this one.Black Pepper Prawn - One of my favorites! The sweet and spicy black pepper sauce was packed with flavor, and the prawns were cooked perfectly. Definitely recommend this dish.Mala Har Gow - Disappointing. It had a mala kick but lacked the actual lingering mala spice and depth of flavor that makes mala dishes exciting. Definitely not what I was hoping for.Cucumber Wood Ear Salad - Nothing special. Just a simple cucumber salad. Next time, I'd skip this oneYuzu Pavlova - We originally came for the Black Sesame Cheesecake since we saw it on Yelp, but unfortunately, they were sold out. Our server was super nice and checked for us, so shoutout to them! We ended up with the Yuzu Pavlova, which was good--light, citrusy, and refreshing--but again, it didn't really capture the Chifa flavor fusion.Chifa is a great place for a fun, stylish, and social dining experience. If you're looking for chifa flavors, this might not be the best example, but it's still a good spot for experimental dishes. I'd definitely come back to try more, especially since they recently started offering dim sum options. The plates are meant to be shared, so I'd recommend ordering three to four dishes for every two people and trying a bit of everything. Looking forward to my next visit!

I've lived up the street from Chifa for several years but never made it in until last night. We had a marvelous experience and will definitely be back soon. The space is charming and inviting, with fun and lively patterns and colors. We were seated at a table with a view out the front window, which was surprisingly picturesque as the cars passing by on ERB add visual energy to the room. Our reservation was at 9 PM, so it was busy when we arrived, and emptied out steadily as the meal went on. Our server was bubbly and gave us a great rundown of the menu when she greeted us. We started with delicious gin cocktails, one with lychee and one with yuzu. We ordered the Tiradito, the Mala Har Gow, and the Trinity Fried Rice. The Tiradito was amazingly fresh and perfectly balanced. The toasted corn kernel was a surprising addition we loved. The Mala Har Gow was visually appealing and delicious, but we did not find it to be at all spicy, which was a surprise for a Szechuan dish. The Trinity Fried Rice was a masterpiece, with five perfectly cooked shrimp and a delightful accent of tobiko caviar. I wanted to order another. This may become a new takeout favorite for me. Overall this was a great experience. The space is fun and quite Instagrammable with many interesting details. I will note that the chairs, while charming, are not particularly comfortable, especially for someone recovering from a herniated disc. I thought service was quite strong and warm at the top of the meal, but it took a surprising length of time for our plates to be cleared and the dessert menu to be offered. We probably would have had another round of cocktails if they'd been offered. The delay was why we chose not to order dessert, simply because we'd grown a little tired. We will make an earlier reservation next time and be sure to give it a try.I am glad we finally made it to Chifa, we will be back soon!

I'll start off by saying the winner of the food experience was the pollo ala brasa! The brine/dry marinade was so good and made the skin very crispy. A hearty portion with some fries, good for sharing. Must get the chili oil on the side! Their chili oil is so good. Tried the Dan Dan mien, pretty solid but I'd say for me it is on the saltier end. I probably wouldn't get this again but it may be a preference thing. Appetizer wise - The tiradito was good, but this is definitely a higher end appetizer as it's a tiny portion. The sauce was good though. Also tried popos wellness soup and this reminded me of something very homemade in Cantonese household. I've been wanting to try this place because of the cute interior. It is on the higher end of casual dining, good for dates, small group gatherings, girls nights. Pricey ish for sure, you can expect to pay at least $50 per person for a well rounded experience. Definitely not a place I'd come to regularly, but perhaps on slightly special occasions or as a treat. Based on other reviews and thoughts from mutuals, this seems like a hit or miss place depending on the dish you get, you have to know what to order! Service was good, attentive, was instantly welcomed. Reservations are easy to make, can find same day reservations pretty easily for small parties.

Very solid Taiwanese Peruvian stop. Parking can be a little tough as you're fighting to park with residents in the area. I ended up parking a couple blocks away on Lincoln. The interior is kind of small with only a handful of tables so highly recommend making a reservation. I booked online through Tock/Google however there was some issue with the reservation but luckily they called me and was able to make it right. Overall the food was really good however it's on the pricier end and I recommend sharing.Wok hay vegetables: surprisingly a very delicious vegetable dish. I'm not a big veggie fan but I'd get this again. There's a good char and smokiness to the veggies which was delicious.Dan dan mian: recommend by the server as the house favorite and overall was solid but nothing special as it was similar to other Chinese restaurant spots.Trinity fried rice: Giant shrimps that were meaty and delicious. Overall a pretty good fried rice.Pollo a la Brasa: Loved the French fries as they were seasoned well. Chicken was not dry but not juicy and had a good chili flavor to it.Brulee char siu: Beautifully brulee'd that was sweet and savory. The char siu was a mix of lean and fatty.Drinks: The lai cha (HK milk tea) was pretty solid but could've been a little creamier. YoYo Good4U (yogurt matcha seltzer) was also very solid - good earthy matcha and slightly creamy yogurt).

After having this spot bookmarked very over a year, I finally had the chance to experience a dinner at Chifa. And wow, I loved everything about it.First off, I was dining solo and find that it can sometimes find a comfortable place to eat alone. I loved that not only were there tables for groups and 2 tops but high bar seating along the window for solo diners. The small space was cozy and the soft lighting really made the ambiance special.I traveled to Peru 2 years ago and couldn't get enough of "Chifa" restaurants -- this is a combo of Peruvian and Chinese cuisine. I ate at several places in Peru from the hole in the wall to the higher end versions. Chifa in LA is definitely on the higher end but very friendly and matches the quality of the meals I had in Peru.First off, the wine list is fantastic. I was so excited to see they had wines from Valle de Guadalupe, a lesser-known wine region in Mexico (just a 90 minute drive from San Diego). Not only that, but they offered a Cabernet Sauvignon from Vena Cava, the exact vineyard I go to every year with my partner and always stay at the winemakers home. The selection on the wine menu was incredibly unique and not the type of wine you'd fine at your local Giant grocery store, that's for sure!I was torn on my main entree since it all looked so delicious. I ended up going with the braised short rib. These were so delicious, though a little sweeter than what I'd usually go for. My thinking is that this place would have been absolutely amazing with friends or family to sample several items to combine the various sweet, salty and savory dishes. I would love to come back again with others to try even more. The short rib fell right off the bone and loved that they offered a wet towel to help clean off my sticky fingers.There is also a heated back patio if you like dining outside. But if you can, I'd recommend the main dining room for its incredible ambiance.

This restaurant was so impressive. From the bold decor to the mouth watering food and great service, they just do it all right.We were walk ins with no reservation, but they were able to seat us in the back patio. It was very pleasant, shaded with planters. The place is family owned, and they said they opened during the pandemic, I assume for take out only, and expanded since then.The food is a bit of a Peruvian-Chinese fusion which melds beautifully together. I particularly loved the seafood on top of spiced noodles, which I believe was a play on the lomo saltado. I cannot recall the exact name on the menu. It was large enough to share. Also the spiced okra with Szechuan spices was wonderful. And the house made black sesame cheesecake tart was well balanced and not too sweet. The perfect bite.The signature cocktails are creative, especially the Lychee Butterfly with gin, pomegranate, lychee. My friend had a cocktail with chicha morada. Very light and refreshing.It was truly hard to choose what to order, since everything on the menu pops!

I am of course a fool. Have I not learned? It's my fault. The palely lit steps. The teethy smiles. Didn't read the signs. Listen to the yelpers who hath yelped...Portions are unjustifiably small for the price. The flavor does not compensate. The chicken was, in a word, bad. Burnt, flavorless, and at once overcooked and under. The braised ribs were just ok.Service ok. Ambiance: not a fan of the zebra stripes. The chairs are phallic. But the forks are curvy! They would be ergonomic if there was one less curve. I think this place can impress someone who is trying food for the first time. I left hungry and sad. Disappointed, but above all in myself. I will say the denim overcoats that the servers wear are cute, and I would like one.

Such a beautiful restaurant with immaculate vibe! The staff here was super friendly as well. It was easy to make a reservation online. We were brought to our table in this beautifully styled restaurant. They had an extensive drink menu, the Ho-ma cha and cha cha chicha were our favorites of the night. We started with some tangy cucumber wood ear salad that was very appetizing. You also cannot go wrong with a dan dan Mian, it was creamy and bouncy. The traditional zongzi was more of a Cantonese style zong with a lot of beans, they also brought some sugar for dipping if you're into that. Our favorite dish was the Black Pepper Prawns, it packed a punch with so much flavor. We were devouring it with our hands, thankfully they gave us some hand towels! Another favorite was the Mapo Tofu, it was the perfect level of spice that went so well with the garlic rice. It would definitely get that again. The lomo saltado was good too but I wish it was saucier. Overall such a great spot to come with friends and try a variety of the dish. They also have a huge outdoor seating area that would be nice in the summer!

The 3 of us visited on a recent Sunday for dim sum brunch. I would say the ambiance and service is better than the food.  Being a Peruvian fusion restaurant, we didn't see any special fusion about the dim sum. The siu mai, har gao, lotus rice wrap, sesame balls, cha siu baos taste pretty similar to any dim sum in SGV.  (but cheaper, of course) Limited menu item the beet cake was different, but we didn't taste or see any lap cheung or dried scallop as stated on the menu.  The wok hey stir fried veggies definitely had wok hey taste, but the portion was very small.  We ended our meal with the black sesame cheesecake. You can tell they just took it out of the fridge as it needed to soften a bit. Perhaps their dinner menu may be more than ordinary.  Street parking only.