Kasih Awards

Kasih Restaurant Review:

About the chefs: Executive chef/owner Vindex Tengker spent 18 years cooking at the Four Seasons in Bali, Los Angeles and Jakarta, and in his native Indonesia he’s famous as a judge on Top Chef Indonesia. His goal in opening Kasih in downtown is to bring authentic, elevated Indonesian cuisine to LA. Chef de cuisine Zachary Hamel grew up in Thailand, staged at Nahm in Bangkok, and was sous chef at E.P. & L.P. Before opening Kasih, he spent four months in Bali and Jakarta with Tengker mastering the subtleties of various regional Indonesian dishes.

The décor: Airy and stylish, with a sprawling patio in front and tall plate glass windows that peer out onto city lights, the chic modern dining room offers sleek leather chairs, a lively bar dotted with candles, and the bustling open kitchen. The industrial exposed ceiling is aglow with dozens of square lanterns that bathe the room in a warm light. The DTLA crowd is smart and casual, and service is attentive.

Likes: Perhaps the best Indonesian food in LA; well-crafted, interesting cocktails.
Dislikes: No lunch service.

Food & Drinks: Arguably the best Indonesian restaurant in LA, Kasih explores intriguing regional diversity (Bali, West Java, North Sulawesi, Jakarta) in its well-executed and beautifully presented dishes. There’s plenty of light fare to start or graze on: fresh oysters with sambal mignonette; a snapper ceviche with lemongrass; a bright Balinese chicken salad with green papaya, snake bean and coconut; and crispy spiced duck legs with galangal. For entrées look to the fine pan-seared striped bass served with pickled mango and kumquat, a rich Balinese roast crackling pork belly, or tender grilled short ribs with coconut curry. Do consider (sharing) a traditional fried rice (nasi goring) or noodle dish (mie goring) --- both are first-rate. Also recommended is the five-sambal sampler of spicy dips that range from pineapple and chili to tomatillo with serrano and makrut lime leaf. Finish with a traditional dessert like sticky rice with coconut sorbet, turmeric caramel and fresh mango. Tropical-tinged cocktails incorporate Indonesian flavors as well; we liked the piquant Lady Bird made with mezcal, tangerine shrub, lemon and bird’s eye chili; other concoctions include banana-infused bourbon and light rum with starfruit. There’s also beer and wine.