Mao's Kitchen

Owner/chef Jake (Chinese name: Yanzhong Li) explains why the walls of Mao's Kitchen are covered with colorful posters of Communist Chairman Mao Tse Tung, "...I'm neither a communist nor an admirer of Mao -- however, this represents my childhood -- this was my upbringing; this is the art with which I was surrounded." The posters are treasures never again to be available. Jake collected them during his life in China and has put them to excellent use. He was born in 1964 in Beijing during the Cultural Revolution and emigrated to the United States in 1989 during a student movement striving for cultural freedom.

The menu is a unique "Chinese Country Style Cooking with Red Memories." All the food is prepared freshly, meaning nothing from cans and no MSG.

The food is delicious, and though I have not yet tried everything on the menu, order the Orange Ginger or Sichuan Eggplant (both with chicken) and you're sure to crave them again soon.

Mao's Kitchen / 1512 Pacific Ave. / Venice, CA. 90291 / 310.581.8305 / www.maoskitchen.com

Mao's Kitchen COMING SOON to Melrose Ave.