Chef Mark Peel’s Prawn Gives Seafood Another Home in Pasadena

It doesn’t take much for me to visit a new restaurant.

Sure walking by and inhaling the beautiful scent is a great way to get me inside, but simply seeing a chef I admire open a new location can do the job just as well. That was the case when I found out that the chef behind Prawn Coastal in Grand Central Market (formerly Bombo), had opened a new restaurant in Pasadena. A short drive away from my house in the northern city of Altadena, I was excited to hear they moved east and even had more seating than their smaller counterpart in Downtown Los Angeles. Located on Miller Alley in what most Pasadena residents would know as the old Johnny Rockets location, Prawn is the latest eatery by the James Beard Foundation Award-nominated chef Mark Peel.

Sitting on the outside patio I quickly ordered in anticipation for my plates to arrive. In the time before they did, I sipped on Housemade Passion Fruit Lemonade ($3.5). The unique passionfruit taste made a familiar lemonade taste incredibly exciting. It came with a level of zing and a tart flavor that blended around the lemon making it a beautifully harmonious drink that I finished before any food arrived. “Um, may I have another?”

I did have another, I couldn’t resist.

But thankfully the food had arrived. Plate after plate and they were all as beautiful as the next. I started with steamed mussels. Available in four styles (Formosa, Boston, Baja, and Marseille), I ordered the Boston Style Steamed Mussels ($18). A large bowl of fresh and open mussels were served in a savory lobster broth with tomato, onion, garlic, and arugula, with a small bowl of crisp hand cut potatoes and ciabatta bread. Was it a lot of bread? Yes, but I like having options. I loved the warm and inviting scent of the entire meal coming from the bowl as it persuaded me to dive into it immediately. Once out of their shells, the mussels were incredibly supple. Although small in size (as any are) they have the perfect ability to soak up the richly flavored Boston broth. Adding in the bread given on the side was a great way to enjoy the broth to the fullest extent.

Following the mussels were the Shrimp and Crab Soba Noodle Salad ($13). Shrimp and crab were mixed into a handful of soba noodles, with Napa cabbage, mustard greens, scallions, toasted peanuts, shiitake mushrooms, and roe with a peanut dressing. It’s a nice salad with a chilly vantage point. While the seafood topping the bowl was delicious, it may be hard to get a solid grasp on cold noodles if you’re not familiar with them. I would say that if you’re interested, this is a good dish to give that a chance, but not one that I would suggest ordering if you find your preferences wavering. Personally, I’ve had cold noodles a few times and it’s hit or miss for me. Here, it was a miss and that was ok. Prawn has many other dishes that I like.

When the noodles were gone from the table, the Fried Chicken Sandwich ($10) followed. Slices of crunchy beer battered chicken were smeared with a horseradish aioli, shredded Napa cabbage, and mustard greens, all served on a soft roll with a side of Downtown fried potatoes or spicy coleslaw. Since I already had fried potatoes, I opted for the coleslaw. The sandwich from the first bite to the last was delicious. The fried chicken in all its batter was juicy and tender, but the aioli that covered it was the part that made it a sandwich that you would return for time and time again. Adding in forks of the lively coleslaw brought it altogether making it a great choice.

One drink and three plates later, I was happy with the lunch I had a Prawn. While the soba noodle salad wasn’t the dish for me, I’m glad I found two that were. I think Prawn is a delicious stop regardless of which location you visit. However if you’re in Pasadena make the trip to Miller Alley, let the restaurant draw you in to find a few plates to call a favorite of your own.

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Address: One Colorado Courtyard 16 Miller Alley Pasadena, CA 91103
Phone: (626) 219-6115
Hours: Sunday through Thursday – 11:00am to 9:00pm and Saturday & Friday 11:00am to 10:00pm
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