I've been wanting a chance to check Star Leaf out and was finally able to stop by for a light lunch with my boyfriend. Ambiance Star Leaf's ambiance during the weekend lunch hour was relatively relaxed while still feeling upscale. I've never been for dinner, but it looks to be the type of place that would be quite busy at night. Food and Drinks We ordered a cocktail each (my boyfriend ordered the Lychee Martini and I ordered the Jade Royale), and an entree to share. We had the Thai Royal Curry with lobster tail, and it was phenomenal -- the lobster tail meat was succulent and sweet, cooked perfectly, and was even removed from its carapace and cut into bite sized pieces.It was served with both bread and a steaming pail of white rice. These both were put to good use -- the sauce was so flavorful and fragrant that we sopped up every bit of it. Location (+ Notable Neighbors) Star Leaf is located in a very walkable part of Old Pasadena, and there's a lot of cheap parking and things to do nearby. It's near the Pasadena Playhouse and Vroman's Bookstore, which are both worth checking out! We were pleasantly surprised by our experience and look forward to coming back again. read more

See all

The service provided by Cameron was great. He provided suggestions and was attentive. We ordered the sampler which is something I recommend. The fried crab balls were excellent. We also ordered the Royal Crown fried rice which was good but wished it had a little more flavor, it was a bit bland so the chili garlic sauce was definitely needed which we had. We also ordered the curry with fried soft crabs. It was solid but again I wanted some more punch. I was very impressed with the fried dishes, exceptionally crispy and perfect. read more

See all

A trendy take on Asian fusion, I approve! Stepping into this restaurant you feel like you're in white lotus with the ambiance and service. I loved the creative cocktail menu. The royal thai iced tea with coffee jelly was so good, while the pandan strawberry lemonade barely had any pandan flavor. The lychee martini also looked good. Food: 10/10 shrimp egg rolls 10/10 salmon with Thai vinaigrette 8/10 crying tiger beef salad 8/10 pork collar wraps 5/10 scallop truffle noodles (just tasted like panda chow mein w truffle oil) 5/10 pineapple fried rice (comes in a pineapple w pork floss but too sweet) Dessert: 8/10 pink Mekong - great for groups, lovely presentation 8/10 The flan was also good I'd definitely come back to try some of their other dishes! read more

See all

The drinks are delicious and the staff is friendly. I would have given more stars but they only had one thing on the menu for someone vegetarian that can't do spicy. It was yummy but it would be nice to have more options and there were no lactose free dessert options. read more

Star Leaf - Saigon summer rice paper rolls & Lycée Martini - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pasadena, California

Ambiance - Absolutely gorgeous place. The outdoor eating area is very clean and pretty. It feels classy and elegant but not super uptight. It's covered so you don't have to worry about too much sun or any rain. Service - Sweet and patient. We have never been here and we also had trouble deciding what to get! Employee did her best to give us suggestions on what would be good. Food - For the most part, great! Everything was tasty and felt high quality and fresh. Night Market Shichimi Tofu - I wasn't a big fan only because of the soft tofu used. I thought it would be a firmer texture. The flavor is fine but the texture kinda mushed up in my mouth. Thai Sen Yai Salad - Delicious! So refreshing and satisfying. The tofu had a light lemongrass flavor to it and was a great pair. I would have loved it better if it was salted some more but it's also fine the way it is. This dish is savory, a tad sweet, and tangy. Made me feel healthy and I enjoyed every bit of it even though I couldn't finish everything! Mom review of her dishes: Siam Beach Club Egg Rolls - Super crispy and had a great satisfying bite. The lemongrass was fragrant and tasted great with the ground shrimp. Tropical Mango Fish - The papaya salad on top and the sauce were too spicy for her but she's not good with spice to begin with. The fish was crunchy and not dry! Still good and juicy. Dessert: Slow-drip Vietnam Coffee Flan - WOW. Creamy and decadent! Super delicious and rich. I loved it! If I may be a bit of a critique, I think a crunchier sugar cage would be better because it was on the chewier side so it gets stuck in the teeth. Maybe a bit of a longer wait but I wouldn't mind. While delicious, I'm confused where the coffee comes in because I didn't get any hint of it in this. Vietnamese coffee is typically a strong and bold flavor too! Don't be shy, this would be elevated so much more if we could taste the coffee. Overall, great experience! I'd love to come back to try the rainforest curry. read more

See all

The interior is stunning, featuring elegant decor and a great vibe. Service was friendly. We were seated quickly by the hostess, and both drink and food orders arrived without waiting too long despite a significant dinner rush. While our waiter was friendly, the high volume meant he didn't check on us often after the food arrived, which was a minor drawback but understandable during the peak period. We had the Malay Captain's Curry, it wasn't too sweet or too spicy, and it had tender meat and potatoes (except for one overly fatty piece of beef). The Crying Tiger Salad was disappointing. The ribeye had good flavor,but had a tough strip of connective tissue that made a large portion of it hard to eat. The Thai Prawn Ceviche was light and fresh, with a touch of sweetness. The Ube Old Fashioned was a fantastic. It looked amazing and it delivered a very different, honey like taste. It's certainly sweeter than a classic Old Fashioned. I highly recommend giving the drink a try for its unique flavor. read more

See all

WOW. Absolutely exceeded my expectations! Amazing food, drinks, and vibes- perfect for a date night. It was pretty crowded on a Saturday night- def make a reservation! Decor was beautiful and we were offered a glass of champagne while waiting for our table. Wild salmon sashimi (10/10): salmon was so fresh and the herby, tangy sauce paired perfectly. A nice refreshing starter! Thai royal curry w/ soft shell crab (10/10): my favorite dish!! The crab was deep fried yet still light and succulent. Curry sauce was so good paired with the side of crusty baguette. Only thing I personally thought was unnecessary was the bed of mashed potatoes underneath. Grilled pork collar (7/10): I was most excited for this dish but it wasn't my favorite (but still tasty). It's eaten as a lettuce wrap with papaya salad, herbs, and cucumber. The meat itself wasn't fatty enough for my liking, and didn't have a bite to it like I was expecting. The sweet sauce on the side was ok, it could have been spicier and more acidic to contrast the sweetness of the pork. Peacock margarita (10/10): delicious! The passion fruit flavor really stands out. I finished my drink within a few minutes lol. Overall great experience, definitely will be back! read more

See all

Excellent food. Great service beautifully renovated restaurant. 10/10 would recommend anytime you're in the mood for Asian food that's full of dynamic flavors. read more

See all

I came here with my friend for their new happy hour menu. I was quick to judge this place and think their food would be bland in flavors but it was bold and delicious. Every dish we order was a surprise. Some look a bit plain but packed with flavors. Like their chicken wings and the sauce it goes so well with it, the curry with the fried rice paper, sea bass is spicy and I can taste the combo of flavors, and what surprises me most is that shrimp chips or something. It was a new item too. The drinks are a must. It was tasty and fantastic service here. I will definitely come back here to try their dinner menu. I would definitely recommend this place. Please try out their Happy Hour Menu and lmk what you think of it. I hope this helps. Please follow me if you like my vibe. XOXO JJ read more

Star Leaf - lol. Ironically it was my bday!! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pasadena, California

This restaurant is spacious and clean with elegant design. The food is pretty good as well. I specifically liked the fried rice, truffle fried noodles, egg rolls, and green beans. The server was friendly and attentive. There is a parking garage next to it and the weekend is free. I would revisit again. read more

See all

I went for a friend's birthday and the food was amazing. The service was great and the ambiance is great. They let you take a picture with their polaroid before you leave. We ordered the Saigon summer rice paper rolls, tropical mango seabass, malay captain's curry, truffle wok seared noodles with scallops, and madame noi's pork collar for dinner. For dessert we had pandan ice cream and mango sticky rice. I just wasn't a fan of the dragon fruit rice. Parking can be challenging because it's street parking, as far as I'm aware. Definitely would like to go back and try other dishes. read more

See all

Came here on a Sunday around 12:30pm and was seated right away. Parking was a breeze on the structure at 44 N. Madison. Our server Cameron was very friendly and gave us recommendations. For starters we ordered- Papaya salad: nice and crisp texture Crying tiger: the steak was tender and delicious in the dipping sauce Salmon in Thai vinaigrette: the sashimi was fresh and melts in your mouth Prawn ceviche (upcoming item): sauce was sweet and not overly spicy For our entrees we ordered- Soft shell crab curry: curry was not overpowering and perfectly sweet Pineapple fried rice: sweet and savory Roe vermicelli (upcoming item): packed with flavor and the roe didn't have a pungent taste The presentation of the food was lovely and food was just as delicious. The Thai tea was such a treat. For dessert we had the pink Mekong which was a coconut cream with fruits, red bean, lotus seeds and peach gum. The restaurant validates for an hour of parking but we ended up staying a little longer than that so paid $5 for parking which isn't bad at all for a weekend! Overall, loved my dining experience here. The restaurant is beautiful! Love the decor. read more

See all

This is a great place if you're trying to impress guests or clients. Every corner of this place exudes elegance. The lighting and color is earthy and soothing. The design of everything even the bathroom hallway is gorgeous. I was taken in immediately by the lovely rabbit statue near the host counter. The food is Asian fusion and most dishes seem to be Thai but other than the Tom Yum Soup and maybe a few other recognizable names everything is new to me. Once the food came, I still felt the same way. Nothing was like what I expected but in a good way. The food is prepared carefully and presented beautifully. The actual thing looks like the glamour shot pictures in the menu! Servings are generally large and meant to be shared. The flavors are unique and the amazing sauces are made in house. We learned that all the ingredients are imported so that also contributes to the distinct flavors. We can't eat spicy food but they are able to adjust the heat level on most items. The unfortunate one they couldn't adjust was the sea bass sauce. So delicious but way too hot. This sauce is great as a dipping sauce for the French bread though and eating it that way dampens the burn a lot. Tom Yum Soup - Prepared in the kitchen but finished table side with fresh herbs and seafood by our server. It was a low key show and a conversation piece. We ordered the soup for 4-6 people even though it was just two of us and don't regret it one bit. Best Tom Yum I've ever had. Shrimp Eggrolls - Beautifully presented in a leaf wrap and perfectly crispy. The more standard tasting of the dishes we ordered Thai Royal Curry with Lobster - Perfectly tender lobster in a pool of rich and creamy yellow curry. Personally not a fan of yellow curry but very flavorful 12 Hour Braised Short Rib - Melt in your mouth tender with a contrasting crispy skin edge. Something you savor Royal Crown Fried Rice - Wow! The taste matches the amazing presentation. Topped with a layer of fish eggs, every grain is so flavor rich and there are large chunks of tender shrimp and scallops throughout. A must try Dessert - Had the Thai tea ice cream which taste like it sounds and the panna cotta which I would highly recommend. It's a whole coconut full of coconut pudding on top of jellied coconut water and topped with fresh fruit. I scraped the entire inside of the young coconut before calling it a day. Service is impeccable and very professional yet easy to have a conversation with. JoJo was awesome at welcoming us and explaining the restaurant. Ellysha was our main server but everyone there helped each other out. read more

See all

Finally got around to trying this place after it replaced Roy's and not sure where to begin. The entire place spared no expense in upgrading the experience. It's fancier than Ding Tai Fung in Downtown Disney. Service feels upgraded and more fancy then Fogo De Chao or Houston's nearby. And you feel like a VIP. Food is mix of asian fusion with a lot of emphasis on Thai cuisine. This place is gonna to spoil you when it comes to quality, attention to detail, service, and ambiance. The perfect place to take a date, host a company party or meeting, or a place to wind down. First visit: Shrimp paste egg rolls are crunchy and a delight with the included chili sauce. The highlight for me was the 12 hour braised short ribs which were beyond my expectations. I remember poking it with my fork and thinking let's see how tough it's going to be when it felt more like I was stabbing bread. It's beyond tender to the point I was convinced it was hollow. There has never been another place that comes close to this preparation. This is a must order if you love beef. Also ordered the fried rice that came topped with tobiko. Tons of shrimp and scallops upgrading the white rice to more delight. Thai Tea Ice cream now one of my favorite flavors is definitely a must order. This establishment ends the spot on service, ambiance, and quality of food. Highly recommend it! Will be back soon. Shout out to the staff not limited to Elysha (super server) and the rest that greeted us especially the runner which was cheering us on on each order (maybe an Alex)! Thank you Jo Jo for explaining everything to us and welcoming us! read more

See all

Food is good , services is good. Really good Asian fusion style. Will come next time read more

Star Leaf - Crispy Short Rib w/ Lime - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

Came here for dinner on a whim without reservations on a Tuesday night and had to wait before getting seated. We came about an hour or two before the restaurant was closing, and while the restaurant was busy, the there were still some available tables open. We had to wait near 20-30 minutes before getting seated, but weren't sure why because again, there were a lot of open tables available from what we saw. Regardless, we eventually got seated and were served with waters and menus. The service was pretty slow. We waited quite a while to get our food served and couldn't even order desserts at the end of our meal, which was a bit disappointing since their items looked good. Thai royal curry (5/5): I really liked this dish, it was flavorful and the soft shell crab was crispy and tender. Spicy tom yum (5/5): Really good, the tom yum flavor was fragrant and pungent. I wouldn't have mind having it spicier but the flavor overall was good. Spice level was more mild than actual spicy in my opinion. Crying tiger salad (3/5): This was okay, wasn't a stand out dish to me. The steak was cooked well though. Overall, I did enjoy the food but it was pricey and the service was not the best. It's more of an upscale restaurant so I felt like there was a certain demeanor/appearance you had to had in order to get served better. I do recommend this place, but I personally wouldn't frequent it. read more

See all

Wow! Star Leaf has been in my bookmarks for a while now, as I was saving it for a special occasion and my husband and I went for date night recently. They had a Dine LA special so we were excited to try out their dishes for the first time since we LOVE Thai food. The restaurant is beautiful. The decor is moody, contemporary, and slightly eclectic. We were seated within 10 mins of our reservation and every one of the staff was extremely polite and welcoming. We selected our meal from the Dine LA menu, I went for the crying tiger salad (yes the dressing is spicier than the curry), the vegetable curry (so flavorful and slightly sweet), and the coconut pana cotta for dessert (this was the only let down of the meal, pretty bland and very unsweet, looked and tasted like a granola cereal with milk). My husband got the tom yum (delicious and just the perfect size), the soft shell crab curry (amazing), and the Vietnamese coffee flan (OMG probably the best bite of the night! Very little coffee flavor with chocolate drizzle but just perfect to end the night). Overall it was a wonderful experience, parking is in a 1 hr validated lot off of Madison Ave. The dishes are SPICY, keep that in mind! They do have a lunch and happy hour menu FYI. read more

See all

How much can a place impress you before you decide this is the standard it should be? Star Leaf is a Thai restaurant that popped onto the scene in Pasadena just a year ago and from its introduction to Southern California it has seen a slew of satisfied diners. Though I'm usually not a fan of high priced Thai food it didn't take long for the place to win me over. Let me tell you why Star Leaf is worth your appetite. Design - Modern Meets Palace With a large fire, stone elephants, and a water display just at the entrance of this restaurant you get a feeling of grandeur before even entering the building. Once inside, you start to see the styling is a mixture of old world with modern touches. The tables for two have large analog lamps floating above them. The booths have black leather and rich wood materials. The kitchen is open for all to see. The interior is dark enough to create intimate dining within each party, but bright enough to see what is going on on the dining room floor. Their menu also needs to be highlighted because not only do they have a menu listing their food in texts, but also a large photo book showcasing each dish visually. If we eat with our eyes then this menu is a trailer for great things to come. An extensive drink menu also arrives and Star Leaf is a restaurant where drinks should be tried. I highly recommend their mango sticky rice cocktail, with or without alcohol. It was a highlight and one I'll remember for a long time. Service We had Athena as our waitress and she was incredibly welcoming and knowledgeable about the cuisine at Star Leaf. She gave great recommendations for both drinks and food, including the best lamb chops I've ever had. She checked on us often and made sure we knew when our food would arrive. Even when the bar was backed up and my drink didn't come till the entrees arrived she comped it and apologized for the delay. If you get a chance to have her as your server you're going to be treated well. Food - Grand Ideas with Mostly Delivered Results We went through an extensive amount of food and instead of detailing each of them let me give you the highlights and lowlights. Highlights - The grilled lamb chops were phenomenal. Grilled perfectly with barely any pink, the meat was so tender you could pull the meat off the bone without resistance. The minted chimichurri sauce next to it is exquisite and worth diving a forkful of lamb each and every time. A balance of fresh, sweet, and savory this amazing sauce could make anything taste better. Paired with a perfectly grilled lamb and you have one of the best bites you'll ever taste. The Thai Royal Curry with shrimp was amazing. Large, plump, meaty shrimp bigger than your spoon fills this savory and flavorful curry. Paired with a crusty outside, pillowy inside bread and you have a dish truly making you feel like royalty. The Bakka Wild Salmon in Thai vinaigrette is an amazing starter. The sweetness of the sauce reminds me of a semi-sweet aji sauce with a slight kick at the end to let you know you're alive. It was just the right amount of taste to tease your appetite and start you off right for your dinner. Finally, I would be remise if I didn't bring up my favorite drink, the mango sticky rice cocktail. This drink is made of fresh mango, condensed milk, pandan infused oat, and coconut milk. It feels like drinking a creamy version of the dish and it is well received after taking in so much spice from the mains. An oasis for the taste buds and one you'll be dreaming about long after the meal is finished. Lowlights - The Crying Tiger salad really doesn't feel worth the money. Essentially a spring mix with a vinaigrette and a protein of your choice the salad isn't terrible, but compared to everything else on the menu this isn't worth any of your appetite or money. The desserts are all sweet and will fulfill that desire at the end of your meal, but compared to everything else it feels a bit flat. Often too sweet or just okay, the best item might be a scoop of their pandan ice cream. Conclusion A well thought out menu with warm staff, well designed interior, and an energy that's exciting for those involved, Star Leaf is a restaurant unlike others and worth the try. Though by no means will the bill be under $100 for two people, the quality of the experience will be worth every dollar. Perfect for dates and special occasions, Star Leaf is a must try Thai restaurant in Pasadena. read more

See all

We had a large party and were seated at a beautiful long table. This is a gorgeous spacious restaurant. Service was outstanding and our host had curated menu of her favorite dishes for us. The food was amazing from the appetizers to the mains to the dessert. Food presentation was impressive, and every dish was delicious in its own right. Highly recommend. Bonus was a fun magician who added great entertainment towards the end of the meal. read more

See all

Star Leaf is an absolute gem, and the standout star is undoubtedly the host, Justin. He is truly awesome--warm, attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely dedicated to making every visit special. Whenever I bring guests, Justin goes above and beyond to create memorable moments. His hospitality is outstanding: he anticipates needs, shares thoughtful recommendations, and makes everyone feel welcomed and valued. My guests always leave impressed and talking about how incredible the experience was, thanks entirely to Justin's personal touch. Thank you, Justin, for consistently turning a great place into an unforgettable one. Star Leaf is lucky to have you, and I'll be back every time with friends and family. Highly, highly recommend! read more

I sat at the bar for their happy hour menu (3-6pm) before seeing a play at the Pasadena Playhouse. The bartenders took very good care of me! They're so nice and the bar is a class act. I started with their lychee martini, which smelled amazing before my lips touched the glass. It was SO DELICIOUS, but it packs a punch!! Love it!! I had their tropical fish bites, which was SO crispy on the outside, and so tender on the inside. After that, I had the mango sticky rice, which for one person was a champagne class with sticky rice on the bottom, had 2 scoops of different flavor ice cream, topped with chunks of mango. My eyes rolled to the back of your head with every bite. Outstanding!! I told the bartender, "Please tell me this place is Michelin starred." Yes, that good!! I was there around 5pm, so it was still quiet before the dinner rush, but a very Zen Asian type decor. I can't wait to come back for more! read more

See all

There was so much hype about Star Leaf when they first opened. It was in social media, I had friends raved about it and they were always featured on some foodie apps. After a Yelp Elite event here in 2024, I was excited to come back with friends and family, because the service was amazing. I came here a few more times and really wanted to be amazed, but it never happened. On one occasion, we were a party of 7 for a weekend lunch. They were short staffed so the manager came by to take care of us. It felt like many things were beneath him, as he walked by our table full of dishes and said he'll get someone to clear them, which took a while for anyone to come by. By noon, they were already out of a dessert I really wanted to try, the Slow Drip Vietnamese Coffee flan. I mean, it's noon and you have no more to serve for the rest of the busy day, through dinner? He also had a habit of addressing me as 'dude'. " Hey dude, I'll get someone to clear your table. Dude, here's your check. Dude, we're out of the flan. " ... Very unprofessional. Recently, I decided to give them another chance for DineLA because friends were also talking about it. The service was better as they seemed to have more staff, but this time the food was questionable. Royal Thai Curry, one of their popular dishes came to us a bit cooler than room temperature. We asked our server about it. She brought it to the kitchen and came back to tell us the chef says this is how it's supposed to be, because they can't serve it any hotter. That's a lie because we had it before and it was served hot. It was a pretty lame explanation. The Singaporean Laksa was bland. It's like a healthy very mild version of what Laksa should taste like. The Bakka Wild Salmon had the most flavor and was a good starter. The shrimp skewer was consistent with the previous times. Desserts were very underwhelming. The panna cotta was absolutely bland. There was no sweetness nor flavor. It's like we were eating tofu, and compared to the photos on Yelp, it looks like they ran out of serving dishes and just placed ours in a coffee mug. I finally got to try the Vietnamese coffee flan and was disappointed. There was no coffee flavor at all and they ran out of the sugar topping that was supposed to be served with it. Our server just said casually "They're out, so this is what you get." Wow. I really want to like Star Leaf but the experiences from our few visits aren't making it easy. There's so much potential for them, but it seems they need to hire an experienced general manager to fix the kitchen and staffing issues. read more

See all

My new favorite restaurant for Thai Fusion food in Pasadena. A beautifully decorated and restaurant and a bit on the pricier side for Thai dishes but it's worth every increased penny. I've eaten here 4x and have not been disappointed once by any of the dishes. This is one of the few restaurants I know I'll be satisfied with trying any of their entrees. Their desserts are just so good. Drinks are even better. Service has always been stellar. Restaurant decor is intimate and lovely. Great place for dates, groups, families etc. read more

I spent my first visit to Star Leaf testing out their happy hour. All of our drinks were good quality. When the kitchen opened up at 5pm, I ordered the royal crown rice. The rice was perfect. SERVICE: Sanderson was awesome. Perfect service the entire time. PARKING: Street (mixed paid and free. Make sure to read signs). read more

See all

We came to Star Leaf for my husband's birthday dinner, and it was such a lovely experience! The restaurant was very busy, but the staff, from the host to our server and even the manager, were so friendly and attentive, making us feel special. Here's what we ordered: Crying Tiger Salad Royal Crown Fried Rice Thai Royal Curry with Shrimp Siam Beach Club Egg Roll 12-Hour Braised Angus Short Ribs The Royal Crown Fried Rice was the standout dish for our family. Scallop and shrimp fried rice topped with a layer of fish eggs would only result in such a flavorful and satisfying combination. Every dish was very nicely presented but the fried rice stole the show with the flavor! The ambiance was perfect for a special occasion, with decor that added to the experience. At the end, they surprised us with a souvenir photo and a thoughtful birthday card, which made the evening even more memorable. Highly recommend Star Leaf for anyone looking for great food, a warm atmosphere, and exceptional service. read more

See all

We celebrated our anniversary here and loved being seated in a quiet corner for a more intimate experience. The cozy space, with its subtle hint of incense, and makes it feel warm and inviting. Our friendly server Mikee was confidently calm, making sure we were well taken care of all night. The passionfruit margarita was bright, refreshing, and perfectly citrusy. We really enjoyed the soft shell crab curry. It tasted crispy with rich, flavorful curry, and the eggplant in the curry paired so well with rice. She ordered the singaporean laksa, which was a bit tasty. The shrimp was big and delicious, but it could have used more noodles to be more filling. read more

Star Leaf - Singaporean laksa - Asian Fusion Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

After seeing so many promo posts about Star Leaf, I finally had a chance to come check it out during DineLA week for lunch. It took over the previous Roy's spot and completely transformed the interior. The restaurant has a very sophisticated vibe with dark color decor and furnitures. Love to see the open kitchen. We ordered BAKKA WILD SALMON IN THAI VINAIGRETTE (4PCS), MAMASAN'S SHRIMP CAKE SKEWERS (2PCS), THAI ROYAL CURRY with soft shell crab, ROYAL CROWN FRIED RICE, TROPICAL PANNA COTTA COCONUT CUP and SLOW - DRIP VIETNAM COFFEE FLAN. Every dish we ordered was decent. I thought the flavor on each dish was well balanced. Although I found the flavor of the salmon itself was rather bland. The sauce helped somewhat. The Royal Curry was deeply savory. It's a pretty heavy dish but I managed to finish it. Now the downside of the lunch experience - we were on a lunch break but this meal took 2 hours. There was only one waiter in our section. It took us over 20 minutes to ask for our desserts. I know we asked for our desserts before the other 2 tables around us, but ours came last. The worst part was they told us the DineLA desserts we ordered were just sold out so they brought out Thai tea ice cream instead. That was very disappointing. The silver lining was the waiter tried to make it right. He brought out the signature dessert THE PINK MEKONG for our table. It's an impressive dessert but we were in such a rush to finish the meal to get back so didn't really get to enjoy it. Finally, just a reminder to ask for an itemized receipt before signing on the handheld Toast to pay. Overall, the food was decent and I love the ambiance. But the service was so slow. I applaud the restaurant trying to make it right when we voiced our concern. I may come back to try other menu items and happy hour drinks. read more

See all

My boyfriend and I stopped in here to grab some drinks after having walked by so many times. It always seems to have a decent crowd and we had been curious. I'm going to really try and not knock the restaurant as a whole but I don't think my experience was favorable. We sat at the only couple of open seats at the bar near the pillar which obstructed our view and made it hard to flag the bartender, who was friendly and provided great recommendations nonetheless! I got the White Lotus drink because of the show reference lol, but it was very strong for my taste. However, my boyfriend sang his praises for an off-many drink the bartender suggested. The food did look and smell tasty when other tables were brought their meals. We may make our way back eventually. read more

Delicious food (try the truffle noodles!) with vegetarian and dairy-free options, which my friends appreciated. And they loved their rainforest curry! It was a little odd that all that came with the curry was a basket with a few oiled bread sliced and rice had to be ordered separately. It's a fairly decently priced restaurant with a smaller-than-expected menu, but overall, all of us were happy with the food and service was good. If there were a 4.5-star option, that's what I would rate it! read more

What an amazing dinner last night at Star Leaf! The Royal Iced Thai Milk Tea with coconut ice cream on top was delicious. You can also get the coffee jelly added, which takes this drink to another level. I tried The Baroness, which is a passion fruit tea with Jasmine green tea syrup. The syrup was the kicker for me, so good! We started with the Star Leaf appetizer plate, which was just okay, we would probably opt for a different item next time. The Star of the show was the Bakka Salmon in Thai Vinaigrette! I just could not get enough of the sauce! Don't forget some steamed rice to eat with the sauce. It's that good! We also had the Lime Steamed Chilean Sea Bass, which had the same sauce as the Salmon. Although both were delicious, we preferred the cold sauce on the Salmon. The flavor of the sauce was more pronounced when it was cold. We tried the Spicy Malacca Sambal string beans, which was very flavorful and delicious. If you like to eat Prik King string beans, you'll love this! The Madame Noi's Pork Collar was delicious as well, served as a do-it-yourself lettuce wrap. The last was the Truffle wok seared noodles. When the noodles come out, the server will pour truffle oil over the noodles and toss. The noodles were very tasty and perfectly cooked. Lastly we ended with some Vietnamese coffee flan with a decorative sugar lattice. So good! We left stuffed! The food and service were fantastic. The restaurant is very big with modern decor. Large bar area and patio seating as well. Very attentive staff and manager! They have happy hour and many specialty drinks! We'll definitely be back to try more dishes! Come check this place out! Happy Nom Nom! read more

See all

I love the decor and atmosphere of this place. To me, it feels like dining somewhere between a jungle and a speakeasy. It definitely feels upscale but not pretentious. I've only been here for happy hour, but maybe I'll come here for a special dinner or date night someday. Coming at around 4 pm on Friday, I found plenty of bar seating and was served quickly. The happy hour menu is small but high-quality. For drinks, I got the lychee martini, and my partner got the peacock margarita. Both drinks struck a balance between strong and not too sweet. We also shared the sea bass and short rib tacos, and both were delicious (though I prefer the sea bass as it paired well with the sauce it came with and the fresh salad). Perfect location as you could swing by Vromans to window shop (or actually shop) afterwards! read more

I visited for DineLA and, as a party of 1, was given seating at the full-service bar. After getting a hold of the dineLA lunch menu (there was a lot of confusion among the workers if they had were participating, and I was given multiple copies of the dinner menu), I ordered the salmon, royal crown fried rice, and, ultimately the panna cotta dessert. The salmon was my favorite course -- a good pairing of fatty fish with a tangy vinegarette. The fried rice had a blanket of roe which was decadent. The coconut panna cotta was half panna cotta, half jelly with a topping for fresh fruit and toasted nuts. I would've liked all panna cotta or a less firmly set jelly, but I liked the added nutty crunch from the topping. Service was slow, I ended up staying for about 1.5 hrs (which is a long time for a party of 1!). I did appreciate that they let me swap out my dessert choice after I finished the main course. I noticed a lot of other people ordered the curry, so will need to indouge in that next time! read more

See all

The restaurant had such an amazing appeal. An upscale casual Asian Fusion dining experience with modern decor with tropical notes and vibes all throughout the restaurant. I came here for the DineLA Dinner experience and it did not disappoint at all. All the portions came in full size (with exception to one appetizer), but overall, had amazing taste! Crying Tiger Salad with Tofu (4.5/5): I absolutely loved this dish! I'm not usually a big fan of spring salad, but the citrus vinaigrette dressing had a nice refreshing, tangy taste which made the salad enjoyable. The tofu had a good texture and complimented the salad well, in my opinion. Bakka Wild Salmon in Thai Vinaigrette (4/5): my friend got this for his appetizer. This is the appetizer that didn't come in full portion size for the DineLA option (came with 4 pieces, instead of 8) but overall, the Asian salsa verde complimented the salmon sashimi very well with hints of mint. Thai Royal Curry with Soft Shell Crab (5/5): this was the highlight of my night! My meal came with a whole soft shell crab that was the right amount of crisp for texture. The curry has a slight kick to add some heat, but not overwhelming. The flavors blended so well together, would order again. Thai Milk Tea (4/5): I love the fact that they put in a scoop of coconut ice cream in the milk tea. It brought out a light creaminess to the drink, very enjoyable. Prawn Crackers (4/5): it came as a free starter for us, but they made them fresh! It was nice and warm coming out and the crunch texture was perfect. Overall, solid option to try. The staff were so friendly and very helpful when deciding what to eat. They also had a magician providing entertainment to the guests, which is something you don't see frequently at any other restaurants! Would definitely recommend this place for date night or taking out friends/family! read more

See all

We visited Starleaf for the Dine LA lunch menu. I ordered the Thai Som Tum Mango Salad and the Thai Royal Curry, upgrading to lobster for an additional $10. The food came out quickly, and everything was beautifully presented. I highly recommend pairing the curry with rice or sticky rice instead of bread. It would've elevated the meal even more. The lobster was fresh and flavorful, and the mango Som Tum salad was delicious; the mango complemented the dish perfectly. The service was excellent, and the venue itself was stunning, very aesthetic with a lovely green, earthy ambiance that I really loved. read more

See all

I was always curious about this place and have been wanting to try it. Thanks to Dine LA, I decided to give this place a try. This is a really nice place to celebrate any special occasion or just wanting to grab something to eat. I went on Saturday night with some friends and luckily I made a reservation because the house was packed. I heard that there was a magician strolling around and doing magic to the customers. For the Dine LA menu, need to ask the waiters to for it. We ordered: Bakka Wild Salmon in Thai Vinaigrette: 5/5, this was a fan fave, the vinaigrette was really addicting. Crying tiger salad with Grilled Chicken: 4/5 refreshing salad and chicken was surprisingly juicy, other than that it was nothing special. Thai Royal Curry: 4/5 the spice slowly kicks in but it was also very creamy. It was a bit spicy for my taste. Malay Captain's curry with chicken because they ran out of beef: 4/5 very savory and a bit spicy for me Royal crown fried rice:5/5 this was my favorite dish of the night, love the texture that the fish roe gave to the fried rice like a crunch Panna Cotta Coconut cup: 3/5 tasted like milk and fruits Vietnam coffee flan: 4/5 tasted more like chocolate than coffee but none the less, it was very delicious The entertainment, "Vin Chee the Magician" was such a treat to see a magician performing while waiting for our food. Our party was very impressed with his tricks. The customer service was friendly and responsive. Parking can be found on the streets. read more

See all

I'm super happy this new upscale Thai restaurant opened up in our area. The dishes here definitely live up to their flavor and presentation. For appetizers I would recommend their tropical mango fish, Siam beach club egg rolls, and crying tiger salad. I'm a sucker for crispy fried foods and they did it perfectly, and tastes great with their tangy sweet sauces. The spicy tom yum soup was really light but tasty, and it was a fun show of them bringing the cart to prepare the soup in front of you, but it was definitely not worth the price. The salmon in Thai vinaigrette had an off texture, it didn't seem fresh. Sauce was great, but wouldn't reorder. For entrees, the royal crown fried rice is a must get! It's a good portion for about 4-5 people. The pork chops were nice and savory. The lobster tail in the Thai royal curry was so soft and paired well with the curry sauce. I also enjoyed the pineapple fried rice and the banana leaf chicken was juicy. Overall, this place is nice for a date night or birthday celebration, would definitely come back to try the other dishes. And the staff is friendly too! read more

See all

Worst restaurant of the year for both food and service. We ordered shrimp cake skewers, Thai royal crab curry, pork collar, wild salmon, and truffle wok seared noodles. None were good. Shrimp skewers were just like frozen crab meat you can get in any Asian market. The noodles had no taste. Salmon was just several pieces of cold salmon sashimi with a thin slice of garlic and some sauce. And the absolute WORST was the curry. Among all Thai curry I had both in the US and Thailand, it was the worst curry ever. Service was horrible. To begin with, it was very slow. But what made me really upset was the fact that the server kept forgetting things. We specifically talked to her about a portion size of the curry and ordered a small. But she got us a large. When we talked to her, she apologized and offered a free dessert. But when we were done, she just gave us a check with no dessert. We were already so disappointed with the food that we weren't in the mood to ask for a dessert, free or not. After we paid, our server remembered not giving us a free dessert so she gave us a gift certificate for a free lobster curry. But it was EXPIRED two months ago. There is not a single good thing I can say about this restaurant, and I will never come back again. read more

See all

I was taken here for my birthday dinner, definitely a lovely place for to celebrate a birthday! We ordered the egg rolls as an appetizer and they were absolutely delicious! I hadn't had egg rolls in that long, skinny shape before and I was pleasantly surprised that they were totally stuffed with food, no air pockets to be found! For our mains, I got the braised short rib and it came with a side of rice. That short rib was sooooo unbelievably tender. So tender that it didn't even need rice, it literally melted in my mouth. The green sauce that it was paired with was also SO tasty that I had to ask for even more because I just couldn't get enough! For dessert, I ordered the mango sticky rice and the servers came out and sang to me, which was sooooo sweeet, I love when restaurants do that! We also had a really fun surprise and a MAGICIAN came and performed for us too. It was such a fun restaurant! Parking was very easy and ample in this area, the restaurant was simple to find, FABULOUS service, and some seriously excellent cooking. I'd come here again and again and AGAIN! read more

See all

While browsing for lunch options, we stumbled upon Star Leaf for their lunch special. It was a great way to sample some of their signature dishes. I loved the complimentary shrimp chips that they served before our food arrived. We ordered the pineapple fried rice and the royal crown fried rice. While both were good, the pineapple fried rice was definitely my favorite as it balanced the savory and sweet flavors very well. For the appetizer, I liked the lightly battered crispy fish with mango sauce over the shrimp skewer cakes. The decor of the restaurant is beautiful. I would come back to try more of their signature dishes for the lunch specials. read more

See all

Star leaf was a very unique high class experience. The cocktails and entrees were flavor adventures that entertained and satisfied us the whole night. We came on Friday early at 5pm to hit the happy hour to try the cocktails (thai old fashioned, jade royale, espresso martini) which were all great. I prefer less sweet so I asked for a less sweet espresso martini the was perfect balance. *Ask to sit in the bar area to use the happy hour* Surprisingly we were blessed with both a personal magic show at our table and a wine tasting event. The manager Sam paired some wine tasting flavors with our entres! 5 stars on entertainment The interior design is such a vibe with a jade and wood cyclone of details and finishes. The full bar is an extravagant center piece. Favorite dishes were the ribeye and chilean seabass. Make sure to pair the ribeye with a glass of cabernet read more

See all