Garlic and Chives - Garden Grove

The menu looks amazing, and its colorful pages leave me deliriously, delightfully...confused. I'm embarrassed to admit that my knowledge of Vietnamese cuisine is limited, but this menu seems more blended than most.

Whatever it is, it is inspired, and it is its own type of delicious. Kristin Nguyen's genius comes with an eye for creativity and harmony, and in the Pomelo Salad, it shows. Juicy gulf shrimp are, for once, not the main attraction. Citrus balances seafood, sharp onion and crisp carrot sing together. Mint and peanuts make all the flavors float. The house special vinaigrette dressing uplifts all the flavors, a highlight not a flood. I hate salads, but this one is a work of art.

It takes me a moment, but it comes to me as a nubbin of Spicy Garlic Toothpick Lamb fat explodes with gamey savor. Dishes like this lamb are products of a literal melting-pot, one that blends so many cultures for a unique genre of Asian food that I can only describe as southern California, a place where we coexist and share. 

The Deep Fried Salmon Belly, for example, is a cut of salmon not commonly used that someone thought to deep fry. It's covered in a light but substantial batter. It hits like karaage, but finishes like a tempura full of buttery goo. 

My first encounter with Bo Bun Hue happens here, and this bowl of bo hits hard. There’s a satisfying mix of tender beef, meatballs, and so much soft tendon swirling around ropy rice noodles. Every sip of this multidimensional beef broth brings out a slightly different profile; the salt and the savor dance with a hint of sour and a dash of spice.

Grilled Turmeric Fish comes last but not least. Dill makes the fragrance rise, and the breading is battered and seasoned, wrapped around a fresh filet. There’s a whole side platter with a variety of ways to eat; basically it’s lettuce wraps with vermicelli and sauce. There’s no wrong way, just different types of delicious.

Split three ways with tax and tip, the check comes to $26 each. Some of the best food I've ever eaten resides at Garlic and Chives, for the cost of a couple of drinks in an LA bar. At a time when prices are rising and salaries aren't, Garlic and Chives is like a beacon of hope. It's a restaurant for the people, a place where anyone and everyone can come as they are for fantastic food that all can afford. You're awesome Garlic and Chives, never change!