Fusion | Stoli The Foodie

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Royal/T Cafe is a restaurant/art gallery that celebrates Japan’s tea culture and is inspired by Tokyo’s maid cafes with the waitresses dressed in maid uniforms. A wide variety of teas are offered alongside Japanese influenced food with a California touch. The multi-purpose space is in a large warehouse with exposed trusses, wooden beams, industrial skylights and full-length wall display cases which create a unique vibe for the cafe as well events and art exhibits.

The five-year project is concluding and the Culver City space will be closing its doors sometime in Summer 2012. Fortunately, there will still be upcoming roaming special events, exhibits and pop-ups in the Los Angeles area. The venue’s final show, “The Art of Cooking,” will run April 27 through Aug. 1, 2012.

The menu offers an array of over 24 types of loose-leaf teas (hot and iced) as well as coffee blends in small or large pots. The teas range from traditional to modern. The cafe’s signature is the Royal/T Milk Tea, a unique combination of Black Tea with rose petals, and pieces of fruit and vanilla, brewed in Soymilk ($4). Another nice tea blend is the Kyoto Sunset Tea, a mix of apricot and premium Ceylon Black Tea ($4). Shown here is the Rooibos Lemonade (iced), a refreshing blend of Green Rooibos, lemongrass, lemon peel, lemon myrtle and calendula ($4) and a large pot of Megami Sencha (hot), a delicious Green Tea with jade intensity ($7).

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They also offer a high tea served with choice of small pot ($20). This one features the beautiful jasmine budding tea, small sandwiches (such as cream cheese & lox, grilled veggie panini, and spicy tuna on grilled toast), brownie bites, red-velvet cake-pop, scone and assorted berries.

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The food at the cafe is a mixture of California classics and Far East fare. There are many options from soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers to spicy tuna tartar, soba, chicken katsu curry and rice bowls. Brunch options are also available

An excellent starter is Crispy Tuna Tartar ($9), crispy rice wrapped in nori topped with spicy tuna.

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The Kobe Beef Sliders ($10), also appetizers, are irresistibly cooked to a perfect medium-well on toasted mini brioche buns. There are three sliders each with a different topping: tomato chutney, blue cheese & caramelized onions, and quail egg. The one top with quail egg is my favorite, offering a delicate savory flavor to the slider, but blue cheese & caramelized onions is a close second.

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Chicken Katsu Sandwich with mixed greens ($12) is very fresh and filling. This is a slightly different take on traditional Katsu with crispy panko breaded chicken, Napa cabbage slaw and a spicy mayo, on a ciabatta roll and includes a side salad or sweet potato fries.

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Soba Salad ($7) is listed as an appetizer, with buckwheat noodles cooked al dente, carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, sesame seeds, ponzu dressing is light, but can certainly be a whole meal. These buckwheat noodles in a light ponzu are a must-try.

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Along with selling Royal/T loose-leaf teas, the retail shop offers an eclectic assortment of tea/coffee accessories, home decor, Japanese Pop Art, jewelry, toys, and other Harajuku-esque chachkies….

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Here is a glimpse into “The Art Of Cooking” – a new food and art themed exhibit that brings new meaning to “food for thought.”

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Confettisystem (2012), a site specific installation. Giant peaches, silver pineapples and a metallic disco banana made from the same materials as a pinata. Also, join the World of Mr. Toast at the pop-up shop with Joe the Egg, Miles Ice Pop and Shaky Bacon.

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Flour LA burger, fries and ketchup flower arrangement.

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Maho Sushi Favorite Assortment (2008), acrylic on plastic food sample.

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Enjoy some tea, Asian-Fusion treats and peruse the art/retail store while you still can! Parking available at meters or around the corner (behind the restaurant) in a lot marked with a pink crown.

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Royal/T Cafe
8910 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 559-6300
Café: 10am – 5pm daily
Shop & Space: 10am – 6pm daily
http://www.royal-t.org/

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Miru 8691 is currently my favorite Japanese/Korean fusion restaurant in LA, a gem hidden away in a nondescript strip mall. This restaurant has an extensive menu ranging from sushi rolls to noodles to bibimbop to tacos & burritos to burgers and more. While many restaurants that have such large menus generally have mediocre food, this place beats the odds and delivers something unique and delicious each time at affordable prices– there are happy hour specials all the time as well as great lunch specials. Chef Miru Jung and his brother Calvin put their hearts in each dish and pay great attention to presentation and detail. The decor is clean and chiq, definitely a bit kitschy with LV patterned booths, plastic white tables and colorful lighting, reflecting the hip fusion food. The music is great too, they play dance, techno and house. It’s one of my go-to places when I am looking for fusion sushi, comfort food or to try something new as there is always something more to discover on the menu. It’s all about the food here, the restaurant has a very laid back vibe. The service can be a bit slow at times, but I can tell the owners care about their customers so just come with a bit of patience because the food doesn’t disappoint. I’ve been here many times and want to share the variety of items I’ve tried in my visits.

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They have a nice drink menu with soju cocktails, beer, beer floats and sake. The image at the top of this post features the Yuso Mojito with yuza citrus, shiso, mint, lime and rhumbero. Here also is the Lychee Sangria ($8, HH $5) with lychee fruit floating at the bottom…

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And the beer float ($9) with mango ice cream…it’s like an adult root beer float…more delicious than you can imagine…

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It’s hard not to get too much food but here are some of the appetizers to choose from, like the popcorn lobster & scallop [half order] ($9).

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One of the must-get dishes here is the Calvin Fries ($12) with spicy tuna, tomato and melted cheese. These fusion fries have me coming back often when I am in search of comfort food.

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The happy hour menu is great for appetizers. Two of my favorite appetizers to get are the Mini Shrimp Udon ($5) and Bom Crispy Rice ($5/two pieces or $9 full portion). The Bom is Miru’s version of spicy tuna on crispy rice with jalapeno on top. The Udon is comes with tempura shrimp, soy broth, tofu and scallion.

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The soups are all very satisfying and can be a meal on their own depending on how hungry you are. Options vary from udon, ramen and pho… When the soup is brought out they pour the broth into the bowl at your table, another touch of presentation I enjoy. The Pork Belly Ramen ($12) before the miso broth is poured looks like a beautiful reef at the bottom of the ocean and has fried kimchi, tofu, enoki mushrooms, scallions, slices of pork belly and poached egg. The tender slides of pork belly mix with the flowing egg creating a harmoniously bowl of ramen.

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The sushi rolls, baked rolls and fusion rolls are always a surprise. They are unique works of art you ALMOST feel bad digging into, but are irresistible when they taste just as good as they look. Two specialties rolls here are FIRE (spicy tuna, jalapeno, garlic ponzu topped with seared albacore and crispy onions) and Shrimp & Lobster (shrimp tempura, crab, masago, mustard-soy in soy paper topped with lobster salad and avocado).

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The Rainbow Roll ($15) is a different masterpiece each time, it’s made at Chef Miru’s discretion.

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My favorite fusion roll is the Surf & Turf ($15). Just as the name describes it’s a spicy tuna roll topped with Korean bbq short rib, lobster and is garnished with crunch flakes, masago and sweet chili. While it may sound unusual to have meat on a sushi roll, the short rib is braised and melts right into all the warm flavors of this decadent dish.

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The sashimi is always fresh and an order of the yellowtail comes in salsa, ponzu and with jalapeno on top.

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Most notable are the BURGERS here at Miru 8691. One of my favorites is the Spicy Tuna Miru Burger ($12), another delicious fusion creation. The burger has a Korean BBQ beef patty topped with raw spicy tuna, roasted tomato, cheese, garlic aioli, Miru glaze and crispy onions. This burger is worth every last messy bite! The curly fries and spicy ketchup are a perfect side combo as well.

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When I was here last week they got the news that their OG burger [chili burger] was rated #1 on www.theburgerreview.com. Miru also sent out a sample of a new burger they may be putting on the menu for my friend and me to try, Kuro Burger. This is a play on a Vietnamese Bahn Mi sandwich, the burger consists of fresh cut “kurobuta” pork belly seasoned with “hamcho” salt, glazed with honey balsamic and miso mustard on bahn mi pickles on top of a Korean BBQ patty (served with sweet potato chips and curly fries). I definitely recommend trying one of the Miru Fusion Burgers.