If You Know Gado Gado & Krupuk, You Know 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 Tjahyadi family team that runs the kitchen and front of the house. Tjahyadi brothers, Manager Eric and Executive Chef Erwin, creators of Bone Kettle, are widely acclaimed for their wildly successful fusion/fast/casual Komodo concept conceived during the 2009 recession. The Komodos are tiny box spaces packed with food-to-go customers and minimal seating.

The Raymond Street 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 that fronts the bar on one side from the active street scene. Banquette seating tables on the other side are punctuated by a window seat filled with plants.  A dynamic mural, bamboo-like paneling and intimate individual booth seating beckons from the back room. The lingering redolence of the simmering broth in the eponymous kettle wafts throughout.

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 cuts of beef, filtered water, onions, garlic, ginger, and an exclusive Bone Kettle mix of dried spices, the broth cooks for 36 hours.

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. Steaming hot, mild, unfiltered broth is then poured over the ingredients tableside.  A “bowl” and a small plate or two make for a hearty, healthy meal.

The menu provides an approachable introduction to exotic Indonesian cuisine. One look at the menu shows such key Indonesian dishes as Gado Gado & Krupuk.  While the ingredients in Southeast Asian cooking are familiar (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 began with a toast of signature Dragonfruit Lychee Lemonade, as pretty to look as it is tasty to sip.

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 from baby fingerling potatoes; and last, a 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.

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, pretty banquettes and individual booths are all crowd pleasers.  This was evident as we watched the restaurant enthusiastically fill on a bitter cold, mid-week night.

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 home 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’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, Sakes 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.