The Mandarette Café on Beverly Blvd inWest Hollywood has a great location to start with, and the food is pretty damn good as well. Considering they have been around for twenty-three years and the fact that they can count on regulars, as well as movie/entertainment types that include a fair sprinkling of celebrities. Some of the regulars include the well known gourmets like Jack Black, Mel Brooks, Jackie Chan, John Voigt, James Woods and Frankie Munoz.

I usually prefer to eat my Chinese food in places like Gardena and Lomita, but Mandarette will be my new Chinese point of reference in West Hollywood if only for the superb Hot & Sour Soup. Not over spiced at all, the flavor really sets up the rest of the meal, but be warned as well as being excellent quality, the portions are also quite substantial at prices very reasonable for the area.

Part of the attraction for health conscience celebrities and others is the fact that Chef  Wu Yang has been at the helm from the day he bought it from Phillip Chiang, who later co-founded P.F.Chang’s. Wu still has the energy and enthusiasm to go out and pick up ingredients and produce every day from his sources. He learned his trade originally in Taiwan and then spent time in Japan and the mixed influence is apparent in his cooking, which can be termed light Asian fusion with very little oil and breading.

His son Ken is a very well liked restaurant manager who took over from his sister last year, and the whole vibe about the place is very low key and smooth. Service is very understated and professional, and the high ceilings make the acoustics just about right even when the restaurant is almost full.

House Ginger Ale and Thai Shrimp

The Mandarette is known for some specialty dishes, some of which I tried and others that will be on my radar in the future. Let’s start with the Strawberry Shrimp that was probably the best dish I tried on the night as it came across as not overwhelmingly sweet, although the Crispy Sesame Shrimp was almost as irresistible. These are decent sized shrimp by the way, not the skimpy style sometimes served at other places.

Black Peppercorn Mandarette House Style Beef with the freshest vegetables imaginable was another winner, and items to look for on the nicely compact menu are Hunan Style Fish Steak, Scallion Pancakes and House Fried Rice. The Kung Pao Shrimp is prepared with cashews rather than peanuts, chili peppers, jalapenos and chicken breast. Specials pop up all the time and are pulled from creations by the top Shanghai chefs. As a sort of afterthought, I selected a dessert and was blown away by the Chocolate Wontons ($4.95) that you just have to try.

Simplicity and fresh ingredients seem to be the mantra for Mandarette, and the restaurant is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

Mandarette Cafe
8386 Beverly Blvd,
West Hollywood
(323) 655-6115
www.mandarettecafe.com

Street Parking
Average price for 3 people w/appetizers & drinks $75
Beer, Wine and Sake