An LATP Top Pick for 2010!
Chinese food in Los Angeles is nearly as ubiquitous as traffic, smog, or celebrity sightings. From the rare and unique, to the mundane and everyday, we travel through most of these without a second thought.
However, in a few special cases, a restaurant can give us a moment of pause, and remind us what we love so much about the cuisine.
Studio City‘s new Chi Dynasty location is just such a restaurant. While in most cases, we think of Chinese food as takeout — delivered rapidly and eaten even moreso — the fare at Chi Dynasty cannot possibly be lumped into that category.
With your first bite, you’ll discover that Chi Dynasty is miles from the norm. The appeal of Chi Dynasty, however, doesn’t end with the food. There are dozens of subtle indications of the kind of professionalism that defines the best restaurants.
Even though the questions below are rarely spoken, they will absolutely color your experience of any establishment.
Does the décor overpower? Is the lighting too bright? Do the servers know when to assist and when to drop into the background? In a nutshell, does a restaurant appear to be in the hands of novices or professionals?
In the case of Chi Dynasty, it’s clearly the latter. After 27 years in Los Feliz, the founder of Chi Dynasty, Jonathan Chi, has paired with Mike Israyelyan of Muse Lifestyle Group to open the newest Chi Dynasty location in Studio City.
Much of Chi Dynasty’s subtle tastefulness is evident in the interior design. Walk into the restaurant and you’ll be greeted by elegant dark tones, offset against white tablecloths and soft lighting. The interior is largely inspired by a fusion of modern minimalism and the inherent complexity of tradition. You’ll notice pieces of traditional Chinese art adorning the walls, standing out nicely against darker shades.
Jonathan Chi
Born and raised in Taiwan among a family of chefs, Jonathan Chi has always striven to provide his guests with the highest quality preparation and ingredients. In fact, he regularly travels back to China to broaden his culinary insight. As such, the menu at Chi Dynasty proudly draws influence from both traditional Chinese recipes and a certain “New York flair”.
The cuisine, however, couldn’t really be called fusion. Each dish I sampled was prepared in marginally the same manner as other top-quality Chinese restaurants. The subtle differences lie in the ingredients. Chi Dynasty offers fare that is perhaps more health conscious than most other establishments. Each bite felt fresher and lighter than the Chinese I’ve grown accustomed to over the years.
In fact, Mr. Chi revealed to me in our brief conversation that Chi Dynasty’s signature preparation of Chinese Chicken Salad is one of their most popular dishes – precisely because of the healthier ingredients.
Of the dishes I sampled, my personal favorite – though perhaps not one of the healthier choices – was the Walnut Shrimp.
The service is prompt and thorough – the only “issue” I had was that 2 different servers asked for my drink order. With that said, I can hardly knock Chi Dynasty for employing servers that are too helpful.
In summary, the attraction of Chi Dynasty isn’t just that it serves exquisite and refreshingly uncomplicated meals. Rather, its charm is that it is a family restaurant and upscale meeting place rolled into one.
Mr. Chi told me he wanted a restaurant where people would be proud to bring their friends. In Studio City’s new Chi Dynasty, he has absolutely achieved that.
12229 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
Phone: 818.753.5300
Visit Chi Dynasty online here.
