(Photo courtesy of Bone Kettle)
(Roberta Deen, Gerry Furth-Sides; individually credited Bone Kettle photos) Bone Kettle dots the north end of charming Raymond Street’s restaurant row in Pasadena. It finds its heart and warmth in the father-son Tjahyadi family team that runs the kitchen and front of the house. The Tjahyadi brothers, Manager Eric Tjahyadi and Executive Chef Erwin Tjahyadi, who created Bone Kettle are long acclaimed for their wildly successful fusion fast/casual Komodo concept during the 2009 recession, tiny box spaces packed with food-to-go customers with only a couple of tables.
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The Raymond space is warm and inviting, feeling as though it interacts with the walking street outside. Only a full wall of window separates diners at a common table in the window fronting the bar on one side, and banquette seating tables on the other side punctuated by a window seat filled with plants. A dynamic mural, bamboo-like paneling and intimate individual booth seating beckons from the back room with the lingering redolence of the 36-hour broth wafting throughout.
And the focal point of Bone Kettle’s kitchen is undoubtedly the signature Bone Broth. The well-balanced soup is created by using time-honored cooking techniques and fresh ingredients reflective of Southeast Asian traditions. Consisting of typically undervalued parts of the cow, filtered water, onions, garlic, ginger, and an exclusive Bone Kettle mix of dried spices, the broth cooks for 36 hours.
A bed of Prime Top Sirloin and Bone Kettle Noodles ready for the Broth to be poured over it
The bowls are brought to the table with a layered mountain of ramen noodles, your choice of prime top sirloin, chicken breast, brisket, oxtail or tempeh and micro greens. The mild, unfiltered broth is then poured over the ingredients tableside. A “bowl” and a small plate or two make for a hearty, healthy meal.
Broth is then poured over the ingredients tableside by first generation Tjahyadirestaurant owner and Dad at Bone Kettle.
The menu provides an approachable introduction to exotic Indonesian cuisine. But One look at the menu shows such key Indonesian dishes as Gado Gado & Krupuk. While the ingredients are familiar in Southeast Asian cooking (ginger, garlic, beef and chicken) the combinations are distinctly different. Chef Erwin updates the heirloom recipes of his family with fresh California ingredients and French techniques. His emphasis is on small plates, which are hearty and shareable. The evening started with a toast of signature Dragonfruit Lychee Lemonade, as pretty to look as it is tasty to sip.
Dragonfruit Lychee Lemonade
We sampled a tasting menu of Oxtail Dumplings filled with finely shredded oxtail meat, seasonal mushrooms and leeks with a San Bai Su sauce; Spicy Papaya Salad featuring julienne green papaya, mangoes, tomatoes, chili, cilantro, chopped peanuts and tender shrimp; Chicken Wings, citrus-brined, free range, battered and fried with grilled lime; Fried Oxtail Tips sauced with lime juice, fresh herbs, Thai chili, star anise and ginger with tiny crisp chips made with baby fingerling potatoes; and last, the generous plate of Bone Marrow features two “canoes” of the roasted marrow, grilled baguette and a salad of red endive, frisse, mizuna, and apples with rhubarb dressing which tames the richness of the marrow.
Bone Kettle Spicy Papaya Salad
Bone Kettle’s Fried Oxtail Tips
Bone Kettle ChickenWings
The truly lovely, well thought-out design of Bone Kettle matches the integrity of old classic Pasadena craftsmanship. Soft lighting, blonde bamboo and black lacquer elements plus the combination of bar and common table seating, along with pretty banquette and individual booths continue to be crowd pleasers as we saw from the place filled on a bitter cold, week-night.
The common table and bar (Photo courtesy of Bone Kettle)
The dynamic mural painted by a family friend
Group seating in the back room
Brothers and partners Eric Tjahyadi and Executive Chef Erwin Tjahyadi created Bone Kettle as a love letter to the flavors and peoples of Southeast Asian after the Executive Chef Erwin took a transformative journey to reacquaint himself with the enriching flavors of his youth. For the story of this adventure, please see.//localfoodeater.com/chefspotlight/bone-kettle-co-owner-and-executive-chef-erwin-tjahyadi/
Chef Tjahyadi
(A hint of “white tablecloth” days to come at the first LUCKY RICE Asian Food Event)
Chef’s Specialties include Garlic Steak Nasi Goreng (short rib, fried rice, eggs, chicharron gremolata, Nam Pla), Maryland Blue Crab Fried Rice, and Singaporean Chili Lobster.
Desserts provide an exotic finish. On the list are a Trio of Crème Brulee (Pandan, Durian and Ube); Cassava Cake with Avocado Ice Cream; Black Rice Pudding with sweet corn and coconut and a rotating selection of Southeast Asian Ice Creams.
Beers, Sake and Wines are offered as well as non-alcoholic Blood Orange Fresca, Mango Mimosa,and Guava Prosecco.
BONE KETTLE, 67 North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103, 626.795.5702. For details or reservations, please visit www.BoneKettle.com.
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