The Vol 94

The Takeaway from this Review: This place is awesome, go there now.
The long story: I was responsible for booking a place for New Years Eve Dinner 5 days before NYE for 10 people + 1 well behaved toddler. UGH. So after hours of scouring Unilocal,OpenTable, and comparing each and every review, I foudn this place. It seemed good, and so I called to check and see if they could accomodate a toddler (albeit it relatively early in the evening at 6pm). Luckily, when I called, I got an amazing gentleman on the phone who assured me it would be fine, took my reservation, and then went so far as to email me the menus… SOLD
Fast Forward to NYE: I get a flat tire, and responsible for driving 4 others in our party to said dinner. The other half of the group has trouble parking because of the Rose Parade Route… They call, explain the situation, and are assured it’s no problem. When we finally arrive, around 45 minutes late, it was as if we were perfectly on time and no problem to the restaurant. I couldn’t believe their flexibility on such an annoying night for restauranteurs!
The menu, while relatively small, was excellent and we were all very happy with our meals. On top of that, they had some great specials on bottles of wine, and so by the end of the night, we were well fed, well poured, and 100% delighted in the evening.
As a final bit, I am obsessed with the interior/​decoration of this restaurant. High ceilings, chandaleiers, big wooden tables, bistro style? Sign me up!
Thanks Vol 94!

What a disappointment this place was. After some excellent feedback from Unilocalers I’ve trusted as foodies, I’ve had this place on my bookmarks for a while now. Alas, I stepped in and the waiter informs me that they’ve changed chefs and that it’s no longer a tapas restaurant. First warning flag.
The service is nice and friendly. It’s a huge space and it’s pretty damn good-​looking too. Minimal design, high ceilings, and mood lighting that isn’t too dark. Yes, I could see my food in front of me. Score.
We ordered an appetizer of duck fat fries and chicken andouille sausages. It was tasty enough. I ordered the strip steak and my friend ordered the salmon. Strip steak needed to be seasoned. The chimichurri sauce was not enough for the steak. I should have asked for salt. My friend said the salmon was overcooked.
There are other restaurants in the Pasadena area in a similar price range that I would go to before this restaurant again. Heck, I probably would’ve gotten a better steak at the Cheesecake Factory down the street for the same price. If someone else was paying, then maybe I would be tempted to go again.

Awesome. Nice hidden gem in Pasadena. It’s right across the street from BJ Brewery near the corner of Marengo and Colorado. You can park at Paseo Colorado and walk over. I think there’s a small parking lot in the back and you can also try your luck finding a spot on the street. The décor is cool. Nice wine bistro vibe. Our waiter, Kevin, was great. Very friendly and provided some good suggestions on food. We were there during happy hour which is Monday through Friday from 5pm-​8pm. The happy hour menu included $ 2 oysters on a half shell and 50% off on a couple of selected wine bottles.
Food:
oysters on a half shell. they have a different selection each day depending on what the chef orders
cheese + charcuterie plate
grilled clams
steamed mussels
seared scallops
flatbread
ALL the food we ordered were excellent. The chef even stopped by our table to ask us about our meal. He offered us some dessert but we were full from the food and vino. Rain check on that. Definitely a nice spot to enjoy your vino at. One of the better wine bistros that I have been to.

Down the street from my place, i never thought to try this restaurant. Thank goodness for friends.
Service: I have to say, it wasn’t as good as I had expected. The restaurant is not big and there were a few servers working the floor — but we did not get much attention from the servers. Maybe sunday nights are not the best night to try this place?
Food: Korean fusion…
We ordered the special that night — a spin on pork katsu, pork belly, shrimp, and a salad i cannot remember now. I remember everything being ‘good’ but not outstanding or totally memorable.
They serve quenelle ice cream. :)

Came in for dinner the other night and had a grand olé time.
I love that you can bring your own wine here!
Ok this is a tapas restaurant, but the servings are definitely not tapas sized. The waiter had recommended about two dishes per person but in reality some of these dishes could be an entrée by themselves.
Chicken-​n-​Waffles: the chicken was very tender and juicy and the waffles were excellent, although I do wish there was a side of maple syrup to go with this dish
A Little Southern Comfort: the pork chop was huge and very good, and the collard greens were great, I could have done without the hush puppy though… cornbread would have been an excellent alternative
Green Curry Mussels: Excellent and full of flavor, I was really impressed with this dish
Pork Belly: I know I am one of those crazy people who doesn’t really love pork belly, but I have to say this was pretty nice, it didn’t feel overly fatty or oily
Bone Marrow: again I am one of the few crazy people who doesn’t truly appreciate bone marrow. It did smell amazing so I tried it, but I felt like it was being overpowered by the daikon kimchi
Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta: having heard so many good things about this dish it was one of the first things we decided to order… unfortunately it did not live up to the hype. It is basically a regular chocolate mousse
Cheesecake: it was served in a bowl with the «crust» crumbled on top… I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it
The restaurant is beautiful and the service is great. The tapas are solid but the desserts are a little lacking. Parking can be a little confusing, but if you can find street parking by city hall that would be optimum.

It was good. We had the kaya toast with shrimp, diver scallops, duck. The scallops were overcooked. The flavors of everything was good, presentation very nice. Also had the chocolate covered frozen bananas, with Varlhona, I believe, and that was very good.
We came on a wednesday evening and it was mostly empty. This embarrasses me about pasadena, because I’m pretty sure there were more people at BJ’s across the street, ugh.

This restaurant is another gem in Pasadena! It has a great ambiance and the price, quality and portion of the tapas are excellent. A solid 4 stars!
FOOD:
Pork Belly ($ 17) I have never met a slice of pork belly I didn’t like. The pork belly here was crispy, tender and delicious, this is probably my favorite plate here! The portion is quite generous too! 5 stars
Suckling Pig: Ahem, yes, my party of 5 has a preference towards pork. This was recommended by the waiter and I can see why, it’s not as delicious as the suckling pig you can get at Chinese banquets, but the meat was fresh and tender and the skin brown and crackling. 4 stars.
I’m Still a Meat and Potatoes Type of Guy ($ 27): This tapas plate housed 4 generous pieces of perfectly cooked medium rare steak and little potatoes. It’s quite a hearty dish and it was entrée sized. 4 stars
Bone Marrow ($ 15) Some people don’t like the taste of bone marrow, but done right and in small quantities, it is absolutely decadent. The bone marrow here wasn’t the best I ever had, but I like how they served it with Korean radish which gave it an extra kick! 4 stars
Green Curry Mussels ($ 12) — This was a Unilocal favorite and one of our favs as well :) There was a generous portion of mussels and the coconut curry broth was absolutely amazing! The mussels were all tender and fresh and we loved dipping the bread into the broth afterwards, 5 stars
A Little Southern Comfort aka Pork Chops ($ 20) — Yep, we’re back to the pork again. This dish didn’t impress me all that much. 3 stars
Chicken n’ Waffles ($ 15) — Your basic chicken and waffles, meh. 3 stars
DESSERT:
Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta ($ 6) — This was a Unilocal favorite so we ordered it, but it did nothing for me. It tastes like chocolate mouse with those chocolate rice krispy cereal thingys on top lol. 3 stars
Cheesecake ($ 6) — Recommended by our waiter, it’s cheesecake served in a jar and it was meh. 3 stars
AMBIANCE–
5 stars, very romantic and cute
SERVICE–
5 stars, everything came out quickly and our waiter was very nice and knowledgeable about the menu and the wine
********Tip– There’s a parking structure right across the street and it’s about $ 9 flat fee parking… or you can brave it out and try to find street parking. The sign is very easy to miss, look for Subway and it’s pretty close next to it!*******
Well, well Vol.94, we shall meet again! :)

This is my new favorite place to eat with my girlfriend.
The Vol 94 is a wine bistro that serves a great selection of tapas/​small plates. We are definitely coming back to try other options, but here’s what we had:
‘CALIENTE’ CEVICHE– Peruvian Bay Scallops, Mango, Red Thai Chili, Citrus, Rainbow Peppers. This was super tasty. The mango chunks were nice and tart, and complimented the rich flavor of the scallops. Really light and definitely got us ready for the rest of our meal.
MARINATED KALE SALAD– Lacinato Kale, Red Kale, Buratta, Chili Flakes, Parmesan, Pinenuts, Lemon Vinaigrette. This salad had the right amount of heat, and the I could eat this salad all day. Dressing was great and it didn’t smother the kale. The buratta cheese was SO soft and mild and balanced the red kale well.
A LITTLE SOUTHERN COMFORT– Niman Ranch Farms Pork Chops, Duchesse de Bourgogne Glaze, Hush Puppies, Collard Greens. The glaze and collard greens were good, but the double bone-​in pork chop was the start of the show. Served medium-​rare, this «tapa» definitely ate like a meal, and I’m glad I had someone sharing it. The pork around the bone was ridiculously flavorful… and I essentially licked the bone clean.
PORK BELLY– Korean BBQ Style Kurobuta Belly, Gochujang Honey Noodles, Perilla Soil. By far our favorite dish of the night. The pork belly was really meaty with a decent amount of fat. The meat pulled apart too easily… and was really delicious. We definitely fought over this one. Next time we are buying two of these.
DARK CHOCOLATE PANNA COTTA– 64% Vahlrona Chocolate, Chocolate Feulletine. I love dark chocolate! Surprisingly light, but full of delicious, chocolatey flavor.
I cannot rave about this place enough. I think we will be going back in a week… can’t wait for more of this pork belly!

We got four dishes: Meat and Potatos, Chicken and Waffles, Japanese Cod, and blue cauliflower. Of the four my favorite was the veggie. Being a carnivore, that should say something. The dishes are cooked nicely, but it doesn’t justify the type of prices that’s being charged. It was underwhelming.
The service is decent, but there was a lot of standing around.
The interior is decorated nicely, but the chairs can be a little uncomfortable after a while.
Wine only. No beer.

I came here with my buddy for the last DineLA event. Service was attentive with a unique menu but for some dishes, execution could have been better. Liked the wine, but the seating upstairs could be better. It’s like a lounge upstairs and not really proper for eating since your back hurts after a while because the tables are too low. Downstairs interior is really beautiful though.
–Crab & Dill Salad: Strong dill flavor, which really reminds me of the side salads that come with airplane meals. I don’t want to even go there again with my tasted buds.
–Purple Cauliflower: Hot, great flavor and the almonds added a nice crunch to it. Second favorite dish of the night.
–Back When I Was Your Age: Brussel sprouts were pretty bitter and had a very earthy taste to them, but the sauce and anchovies were good.
–Shiro Maguro Dez: I’m not a wasabi lover and I tasted no wasabi in here so they did it very well. I liked the albacore with the ponzu sauce that had a little kick, but it was not too different from what you get in sushi places.
–King Pato: I can still hear the screech of my knife against the plate since the duck breast was not cooked as well as it could have been. It was way too tough (maybe it was the meat?) and lacked flavor as far as these dishes usually go. The duck fat tortillas were nice though.
–Pork Belly: Hands down favorite dish of the night. Tender meat with just perfect noodles. We wished that all the dishes had garnered this reaction from us.
–Chicken and Waffles: Ok, this was off the DineLA menu since my buddy was adamant about trying one of their staple dishes. Very moist chicken, excellent skin and just about the best fluffy and great tasting waffle EVER with a very nice sweet hint with the butter. This dish was really good.
–Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta: Rich taste that wasn’t too sweet with A LOT of crunchy feuilletine bits that were reminiscent of crispy rice snacks.
Not sure if we went in with high expectations because of the menu, but we were underwhelmed for a DineLA experience. The Pork Belly was done REALLY nicely, as well as the Chicken and Waffles, but it’s still a 3.5.

I went here for the most recent dineLA and thoroughly enjoyed my time here!
Like many other reviewers, this place is beautiful! Décor is on point! I love it!
Now. more importantly. THE FOOD!
— Marinated Kale Salad w/​Burrata — I love the salad! Very refreshing!
— Shiro Maguro Dez (Albacore) — topped with caviar! Quite exquisite! But. I think I’ve had better. Almost.
— Crabby Patty — I don’t remember the actual full name of it, but it was full of crab and flavor! Had a hint of curry which was interesting…
— The 60’s — this dish was surprisingly GOOD! Vegetables and mushrooms over grits. Who woulda thought?! I def. recommend this one~
— Shrimp Toast — hmm. slightly disappointed. The toast itself was good though!
— Salmon — Pretty yummy, cooked to perfection. Not dry at all.
— Panna Cotta — a chocolate mousse dessert which was deeelicioussss! If you are a chocolate lover, THIS IS A MUST.
— Grapefruit cocktail — has soju. makes a good drink!
Overall experience was great! The server was very friendly and patient while we sat there deciding what to get…

4 stars for the atmosphere and service (wine bottles used as décor along with lit candles)
3 stars for waiter knowledge about wine list (it’s a wine bar afterall…)
3.5 stars for the food and presentation
1 star for professionalism (the manager, at least I think it was, comes over to our table with our credit card… he uses his iPhone and little square gadget to charge us for our meal…)
This is a restaurant… not a fast food joint. Why is someone charging me at my table as I am sipping wine… to sign my name on his phone and have a receipt texted to me? Oh– he walked away and left his phone. but his phone is his personal phone so it had a password. We had to wait for him to come back and unlock his phone in order for us to complete the transaction… I found this so odd, uncomfortable, and questionable. I know the world is transforming to paperless and e-​commerce… but find another way…
On to the food review…
The menu is quite all over the place– I guess I would say it’s
Italian inspired (wine-​cheese/​meats) with Japanese influence paired with Indian curry spice infusions… I think the chef is trying too hard to be unique. Can be a hit or miss with some people… just try for yourself!
Things we ordered:
Two glasses of wine…
OK Papas (yam croquettes): this was literally OK. very confusing color and texture.
Apricot Butter Lettuce: bland and boring salad… thought the apricots would be fresh
Shiro Maguro Dez (albacore): fresh albacore but cut very thick…
Green Curry Mussels: pretty good– nothing unique as most people were raving about
Dessert menu not exciting– didn’t try anything that night.
It was a Friday night… Old Pasadena… you would think it would be busy. Just a handful of customers. almost looked like their regulars.
Meh.

We came here for Dine LA and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I was quite blown away. I found street parking near city hall for free (jackpot!) and walked over to meet up with a friend.
The service was very friendly and attentive. We had no issues getting seated and getting our orders in. Our waiter, whose name I cannot remember, was charming and nice.
We tried the kale salad, purple cauliflower, shrooms and weeds, and japanese albacore as appetizers. All were very good, but my favorite is the purple cauliflower which had an almost curry like taste.
For the main meal, we got the jumbo shrimp with toast. The shrimp were not very special by themselves, but with the special soy sauce and delicious custard and brioche bread — it was perfect.
For dessert, the chocolate panna cotta did not disappoint with the rich chocolate and cookie crumbles.
Overall, a very filling meal but not one that made me feel very heavy. With the service, parking convenience and solid food, I’ll definitely be coming back.

We came for dineLA and found the service not too great. The first thing we noticed was that the restaurant was very understaffed for a Saturday night, especially for that of dineLA. We were seated promptly but pretty much waited a long time for everything after that: menus, water, the second main entrée, etc. Our server saw us at the beginning of the meal and once at the end. He never came by to explain the food, which was disappointing. Also, one of the male hosts was wearing long sleeves and shorts, which looked odd. He looked formal when standing behind the podium stand but then very out of place when walking people to their table. I know it’s a «bistro,» but personally, I feel a $ 35 meal constitutes fine-​dining, and that should require some sort of formality. Just a thought…
The food was interesting in a good way. I loved the kimchi laced brussel sprouts and the roasted purple cauliflowers. The crab patty was also a surprising solid dish too. I’ve had all those flavor profiles separately but never together, which was what made it interesting and exciting to try. However, the main entrees were disappointing: the duck was very overcooked (there were black scored marks) and the pork belly was dry. They ran out of a second dessert option so we both settled for the chocolate panna cotta. I really wish we could have tried a second dessert (the substitute was a glass of champagne) since our reservation was at a reasonable 7:30 p.m.
I don’t know how expensive the restaurant is regularly, but we would come back for the solid appetizers and wine. Feeling apprehensive about the main entrees though…

Vol. 94 is a wine bistro located on Colorado Boulevard across the street from Paseo Mall in Old Town Pasadena. The interior décor is gorgeous — wine bottle display along the wall, wood furniture, and dreamy chandeliers. However, service and food were not as charming as the restaurant itself.
Customer service was another story. It was our first time at Vol. 94 so the waiter tried to explain the small-​plate concept and introduced about the wine selection. However, he talked so fast as if somebody was timing him for a Guinness record «How many words you can say in 1 minute?» So yeah, we tried to contain ourselves and not to laugh, but one of us couldn’t help it. Oh well! What frustrated us most was the fact that we got seated in a tiny table that was meant for two while half of the restaurant was empty. It was very uncomfortable especially when the plates started to arrive quickly at our table. I don’t like to be rushed while eating, but I felt like we had to grab the plate, clear the contents, and eat quickly so there would be room for other plates.
Here are our dinner selections ranking from most favorite to least:
Favorites: purple cauliflower, kimchi brussel sprouts, shrimp toast, and marinated kale salad.
Okay: shrooms & weed, japanese albacore, scottish salmon, dark chocolate panna cotta.
Not a fan: crabby patty, green curry mussels, pork belly.
I felt bad that I dragged one of my friends from Orange County here for such a bad dining experience. If it wasn’t for DineLA, I wouldn’t come here.

Went to Volume 94 to have dinner before watching Man of Steel at Ipic. Upon walking in I felt like I was walking into a cute European bistro. White washed walls with gilded statues placed intermediately around the space, it was charming and intimate. Vol 94 is better described as a wine bar which sells flights of wines for you to try as well as very reasonably priced bottles. Upon arrival we ordered:
«SHRIMP TOAST» (Szechwan Shrimp Sizzle, Kaya Toast, Soft Boiled Egg) — The presentation of this dish was awesome as they broke the egg in front of you and mixed it in with your soy sauce. The brioche however was overly oily but the shrimp was firm and the sweet spread not overwhelming. A nice dish but better prepared at Street.
THE 60’s [’SHROOMS & WEED] (Hen of the Wood Mushrooms, Dandelion Greens, Popcorn Grits, Tonburi) — If you love your mushrooms and greenery you’ll love this dish. Earthy with just the right amount of creamy from the grits. It was my girlfriend’s favorite dish of the night.
BACK WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE (Kimchi-​Laced Brussel Sprouts, Garlic Chips, Baby Anchovies) — When I read the description for this dish, I automatically assumed the brussel sprouts would be fried, but instead they were steamed. I was extremely disappointed as it lacked any flavors or contrast and the baby anchovies couldn’t be seen much alone tasted in the dish. Overall a lackluster dish that was screaming for some flavor.
PORK BELLY (Korean BBQ Style, Gochujang Honey Noodles, Perilla Soil) — Although the pork belly was prepared well it was another dish that missed it’s mark. There wasn’t enough sauce on the plate so although it was crispy and tender it needed the sauce to really elevate the flavors which was sparse in its supply.
Crab salad special — One of our favorite dishes of the night you could taste the sweetness of the massive lumps of crab and the dish overall tasted fresh and clean. I loved the dill in the dish and overall it was a success.
The service at the place however was mediocre. The waitress who served us seemed new and flustered and brought us the wrong wine as well as not really knowing what was on the menu or how to describe the food. However she was very sweet and kind and I couldn’t help but smile at her youthfulness and the attempt she did make to serve us.
In the end, I found myself especially pleased with the appetizers and small plates they offered at Vol 94. Our favorites happened to be the small bites while the big plates and especially the fusion dishes seemed to be lost and lacking. I should have known when you walk into a European wine bistro trying to serve you an uplifted Korean European dinner that everyone would get confused a long the way. I know I was. It’s a place I would go back to to have a few glasses of wine and small bites but not for dinner.

WOW!
Yes. That’s how I felt. The extra spacing is for emphasis. So you can pause and think about why you haven’t been here. Amazing, amazing quality of food!
I casually Unilocal’ed tapas in Old Town Pasadena and came across this restaurant as one of the higher rated items. My gf and I weren’t too hungry so we were just looking for a quick bite. This place was expensive for its quantity to cost ratio.
Parking: Not sure. We took the Metro Gold Line, which is only a block away. No parking, no hassle. You should try it!
Wait: When we walked in, we noticed the restaurant was pretty packed. The host asked if we made a reservation. When I told him I didn’t, he gave a sigh and a look that said, «nah huh~ You didn’t just stroll in here thinking you’re going to get a seat.» Nevertheless, he was very courteous and quickly found us an outside table. I’m sure it was charming inside, but the ambiance outside was decorated with blazing Pasadena fire trucks, noisy traffic, and interesting pedestrians strolling down to Old Town. The only comfort was the fire lantern that kept me warm because I forgot to bring a jacket.
The waiter recommended a couple dishes and we just went with his recommendations:
Shrimp Toast $ 8
(Szechwan Shrimp Sizzle, Kaya Toast, Soft Boiled Egg) — this was delicious! I can’nt stress enough how sweet the kaya toast just melts in our mouths. There’s also a soy sauce-​based dip mixed with the soft boiled egg to just melt your taste buds away.
Green Curry Mussels $ 12
(Coconut Curry Broth, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Onion Soubise, Thai Basil): This was good but I know I had it at one of them Chinese restaurants for half the price. It was really tasty and the curry spice gave my taste buds a good time. Just not the price.
Chicken ‘N Waffles $ 13
(Oven Roasted Chicken, Chicken Jus, Bacon-​Chive Waffle, Vanilla-​Maple Butter)
While this is no Roscoe’s, the chicken was really well done. The chicken skin has been glazed in something, happiness probably, because that’s how it made me felt.
I can’t wait to come back again and try some of the other dishes!

We came here on a Friday night around 7:30pm with reservations and got seated right away, it actually wasn’t as crowded as I thought it would be but it had a good crowd.
PARKING: It’s pretty much in old town so you have to find those free 90 minute parking garages, it’s not located in the heart of old town so it’s a little walk.
WAIT: Like I said, we had reservations and didn’t have to wait that long but it seemed like the wait wouldn’t be too bad if you just walked in.
ATMOSPHERE: I loved it! Totally seemed like a perfect first date place. Chandeliers everywhere with an open seating area with bottles of wine and a bar too. Very classy, cute and candles on the tables.
FOOD: Tapas style, which I am usually not the hugest fan of because they don’t really fill you and are expensive but this place was worth the money for sure.
Green curry mussels — the curry sauce is very tasty and it comes with four pieces of bread (and you can get more for free) but dipping the bread in the sauce is quite tasty.
Chicken and Waffles — it was good, but not blow me out of the water amazing. The chicken was more of a grilled chicken, very flavorful but not much skin and the waffle was on the doughier side.
The 60s — on the bottom is a bed of polenta type food that was sort of creamy and then mushrooms with greens on top. It was probably my least favorite dish, it was still good but the others were better, haha.
Pork Belly — so tender and melt in your mouth!
Dduk hunt — tiny pieces of rice cake/​mochi and scallops in a semi-​spicy sauce, it was also not my favorite.
Shrimp Toast — I think the consensus at the table was that this was our favorite. Pieces of bread, slightly toasted and buttered with big pieces of tasty shrimp and then dipped in a sweet/​soy sauce type sauce with a cracked egg inside. Very very tasty.
Overall, this place was fun with a date (or a group of people) and the food was actually a little more substantial than I thought, it was tasty and every dish good. I would definitely recommend it!

I wanted to do tapas and wine before our movie night at ipic, cause I might order something to eat in the movie theatre too, so I didn’t want to eat too much at the restaurant. Turned out this place was the perfect choice, well… For me, not for hubby, the portions were too small for him. So don’t come here when you are so hungry, just sample wines and snack like dishes.
We were greeted very warmly from the manager, he even opened door for us, host lady was very friendly too, seated us in the corner in the front of the restaurant, since I asked a seat more private. That was a perfect seat for two of us.
Ordered bottle of champagne, our waitress said they ran out of that one, manager brought us a bottle of Italian champagne, yes of course it was more expensive, but why not? ;p
I asked some house cured olives to snack on while looking through the menu, they were very delicious, I just love olives.
We ordered a few dishes to share:
The 60’s shrooms and weed, assorted mushrooms with dandelion greens: the mushrooms were extremely salty, the dandelion balanced it out a little bit.
Albacore tataki, jalapeño ponzu poured on the sashimi by the server at the table, soba in the bottom with wasabi and cucumber: I liked it, flavorful, the soba was really good too.
Super «BSCR», diver scallops, dynamite, Korean puffed rice, chopped cucumber, green onion: the scallops were perfect, very tender, very light flavor, I liked the puffed rice.
«SGV» duck, royal Anise– Chili sauce, with Japanese eggplant, Chinese long beans and Yu Choy: the sauce was so spicy and salty, it was great with medium rare duck meat, I ate all the veggies in there, they were delicious.
Grilled octopus, with fingerling potato, carrot slices, some sort of paste: I didn’t get this dish, flavorless octopus with strange flavor paste, but it was tender.
The champagne was filling up my stomach, I didn’t order desert, just finished up olives. Hubby looked still hungry after a few dishes, even though he had all the duck to himself. The food was good, but not great, either a bit too salty or a bit bland. The tab was $ 150 with bottle of Italian Champagne. We got a %15 off coupon for our next visit.
This restaurant is so beautiful, loved the Christmas decorations! The service was great, it seemed they were short on servers that evening, but our waitress still managed to provide friendly and attentive service, did a little bit chat with us now and then, the manager too, very friendly people!
I liked our romantic dinner date on this holiday season, I felt relaxing and merry.
Ps. They have parking in the back, but very limited spaces, we had to park at the mall and walk to this place, didn’t like it.

Love Vol. 94. Tremendous variety, innovative dishes, and some of the names of these dishes are delightful. Kudos to a restaurant that tickles your funny bone and whets your appetite.
Last night was the first time I brought some wine connoisseurs. They were Vol 94 newbies, and they loved every dish. From duck fried nuts to the dark chocolate panna cotta. They also loved the vibe. They told me dining isn’t just about the food. It’s like theater. Indeed. Is it any wonder I love food and theater?
Escolar is a great dish, artistically presented, but the portion has gotten smaller since the opening. Forbidden rice, spinach, quail egg, fish. The beef cheeks were like butter. The pork belly was also good, but I miss the Notorious P I G and agua fresca — they say it will be back. The green curry mussels were terrific too, one in our party kept drinking the broth by the spoonful. The brussels sprouts were good, but a little too charred (black not brown).
The menu changes several times a year to reflect the seasonality. I’m all for, too many restaurants serve same old same old at new higher prices — not a fan.
Most of the wines are reasonably priced, and the staff doesn’t try to upsell you way beyond your means which I appreciate. Our waitress recommended two wines that were perfect. She understood our palate once we communicated our preferences (not too fruit forward, a little spicy).
The food and wine menu is a little hard to read, small print, especially for our newbie dining companions, but the waitress let them take a copy home, they were so enamored with the choices and would like to go back. I love introducing folks to a new restaurant they might fall in love with, that’s the kind of matchmaking I excel at.