Formosa Cafe

User Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

My wife and I made a capricious visit to this longtime landmark on St. Patrick's Day. We had for appetizers baby back ribs and the veggie spring rolls. The veggie spring rolls were firm, not overcooked or grease laden. The ribs were so soft they nearly fell off the bone and were glazed with a wonderful sweet BBQ sauce.

These two items were a great intro and a companion to our nightcap, which featured mongolian beef and the Formosa rice. The mongolian beef was served hot, the meat very tender, and sat on a bed of long beans and broccoli with a scoop of white rice. The Formosa rice was a culinary orchestra of chicken, shrimp, chinese sausage, tomato, and egg.

Neither the rice or the Mongolian beef were overly spicy. The shrimp were delicate and juicy, the sausage not too peppery or salty, and the egg was neither crusty or runny.

I must give kudos to our waitress, Deanna, who provided outstanding service during a busy evening. Deanna quickly seated my wife and I and brought our order in rapid time. Deanna was very helpful, and she was neither too absentee nor was she overly attentive. When our Formosa rice required a recook, Deanna made sure that it was to our liking. Assisting her was a gentleman who served our food, and relit our candlelit table. All in all, it was a wonderful way to cease a wonderlust.
My wife was very appreciative of the dining experience last night and she called me again this morning to thank me.

If I have to offer a knock - howbeit a slight one - it would be for the lack of lighting during evening dining hours. Remember that we are talking candlelight dinners on a converted box car. That is something you would ascribe to Bogie & Bergman. If you struggle with night vision or fine print, reading the Formosa menu will become a bit of a chore.
Me and my wife used the candlelight along with the light from my cell phone to scout the menu.

Moreover, you will have to park a bit away from the Formosa to find free parking. This is because the establishment is on the corner of Formosa & Santa Monica Blvd. and is surrounded by other night spots, as well as MGM studio.

These are minor inconveniences, indeed. For family or romantic dining, you can't go wrong bowing to the Formosa Cafe. It remains one of Los Angeles' great treasures and a truly "Ancient Chinese Secret".

Mark Gaston
Oxnard, CA

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User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

GREAT, GREAT, GREAT!! My wife and I stop by every time we're in town. Lobster Truffle Mac and Cheese is the bomb and so are the ribs. We always ask to sit in Rebecca's section because she has a great sense of humor and is fun to talk to.
You won't be disapointed.

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User Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Old School Vibe & Service: This is my "local" place. Formosa Cafe is a few blocks from my house so an easy location to walk too. I usually bring my out of town friends to this restaurant for drinks and a light dinner if I know we're heading out for the evening. Low lighting, red walls, half circle tables and wrap around seating makes this a cozy place to chill out for awhile. I've only been there on the weekends and the bartendars definitely are friendly and make some seriously strong drinks. The food is excellent, a mix of american/asian fusion. Everything is very reasonably priced. The wait staff is usually amusing and will often chat with you if your an amusing customer. There is a roof top patio for the smokers, the scenesters and for general mingling but its often only half full and the bar isn't big enough for the amount of people who actually come up to talk and drink. Overall its a must visit and

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