"Mei Lin, known for winning Top Chef, has opened her second full-service restaurant in Beverly Hills, serving understated takes on regional Chinese dishes. The chef's Arts District restaurant Nightshade was a James Beard Best New Restaurant finalist and Eater Best New Restaurant in 2019. Her new 88 Club follows a "no-thrills" formula with deeply layered flavors for a brilliant result."
"Start with cold mung bean noodles tossed in aged black vinegar, and the chrysanthemum salad. Hiramasa crudo sitting in a pool of XO sauce is another excellent appetizer. Sesame prawn toast and Manila clams in lemongrass black bean sauce are umami-packed middle courses. XO fried cakes blow away the version at Din Tai Fung. Nam yu chicken, sweet & sour fish, and cha siu Iberico pork are impressive versions of Chinese banquet classics. Finish with coconut sago pomelo topped with Dippin' Dots-style mango ice cream."
"High cathedral-like ceilings disguise the relatively small space, shielded from daylight with thick curtains. A side bar feels like a secret alcove of a swanky hotel cocktail hideaway, while the main room, swathed in serene green hues and checkered flooring, boasts regal touchpoints like rounded leather club chairs, gold-rimmed plateware, and quarter-sized marble lazy susans. A blend of R&B bangers keeps the dining room's energy at a steady simmer."
Mei Lin, a Top Chef winner, opened 88 Club in Beverly Hills following Nightshade's James Beard and Eater recognition. The kitchen delivers understated regional Chinese dishes with a no‑thrills approach emphasizing deeply layered flavors. Menu highlights include cold mung bean noodles with aged black vinegar, chrysanthemum salad, Hiramasa crudo in XO sauce, sesame prawn toast, Manila clams in lemongrass black bean sauce, XO fried cakes, nam yu chicken, sweet-and-sour fish, and cha siu Iberico pork. Desserts feature coconut sago pomelo with Dippin' Dots–style mango ice cream. The dining room pairs cathedral-like ceilings, thick curtains, a secretive side bar, green décor, gold-rimmed plateware, and an R&B soundtrack that attracts fashionable and corporate diners.
Read at Eater LA
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