You don’t have to do much to get me to show up to a place that has food.

No need for any kidnapping. You don’t have to throw me in a giant bag, toss me in the trunk, and shove me in a booth to get me into a restaurant. In fact, you don’t have to do anything, but tell me the time and place. That was all that a fellow food friend, Christine (aka TinTin), had to do to get me into Ms. Chi in Culver City. It only took a few days for our schedules to coordinate and I was seated at the restaurant along with Julianne and Arielle as the restaurant started to bring out the plates we ordered.

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Led by Top Chef Season 11 contestant, Chef Shirley Chung, Ms. Chi Cafe opened last October in the former Hanjip space. Today the restaurant serves Chinese-American dishes for the person looking for fast casual, fine dining, and everything else in between. With a menu that offers tea and boba drinks, dumplings and baos, noodles, and more, they deliver a selection of options any Chinese food lover can find happiness in.

That made it easy for food bloggers like us.

The table was easily covered. Correction: the tables were easily covered. Plate after plate of savory and sweet dishes that best reflected the restaurant’s brunch capabilities now sat before us all. While each of us had a few items that caught our eyes, we sampled them all like they were specifically made for us. From all the plates that were placed before us, I quickly found a few that I couldn’t stop diving my chopsticks into. The first were two similar dishes: the Vegetable Chow Mein ($10) and Shrimp Chow Mein ($12). Both had seasonal vegetables with heirloom carrots and roasted broccolini, but one came with shrimp and the other didn’t. I think by reading the name you can tell which was for the vegetarian and which was for the seafood lover. I enjoyed both bowls of the chow mein. The dishes were beautifully light with crisp vegetables and perfectly cooked noodles that seemed almost never ending.

In between bites of the chow mein, I had a few of the starters. Backwards of course, but still leading to the same delicious finish. The Vegan Garden Dumplings ($10 for 6 pieces) and Wontons in Chili Oil ($10 for 6 pieces) were the two I chose. The dumplings had pickled cauliflower and served in a spicy tofu aioli. In the small bites that could be taken, there was an immediate realization that they were delicate while being solid. They were smooth, but carried a subtle texture that sent my taste buds into a moment of excitement which only made me want more. Thankfully no one was bothered at me going in for a second. After the extra dumpling I went to the wontons. Available in either pork, shrimp, or Sichuan pickled vegetables, it was hard to go wrong with any option. Getting the wontons in pork was a good decision as these were delicious. A nice and juicy pork absorbed the chili oil effortlessly. While the dish may have been small it was profound in taste and one I would highly suggest as an order to anyone. The final item I couldn’t resist was the Mochi Donut ($3). Available in chocolate glaze, matcha glaze, and black sesame we tried them all and the clear winner was the black sesame. It had the best texture of a dense donut that wasn’t overwhelming and a sweet black sesame exterior that was both gritty yet compelling. I loved this donut and would go back for another, time after time.

While I didn’t eat every plate on the table, I was happy with the ones I tried. The chow mein, dumplings, wontons, and donuts were a great introduction to the restaurant and I was so pleased to see the way Chef Chung and her team plated each one. A brunch like this, is a brunch that will require zero effort to attend and I have complete confidence you won’t mind returning for dinner as well.

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Address: 3829 Main St, Culver City, CA 90232
Phone: (424) 361-5225
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday – 8:00am to 2:00pm, 5:00pm to 9:00pm, Friday – 8:00am to 2:00pm, 5:00pm to 10:00pm, Sunday – 10:00am to 2:00pm, 5:00pm to 10:00pm, and Closed Mondays.
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