Piccalilli — Restaurant in Culver City

Update.

My girlfriend and I have visited this eatery several times and have always had an awesome experience. This last time, much different. All the tables were taken and we had to sit at the bar, no worries we were thinking… but then we met the bartender, fake smiles, short and no irie vibes. Ok, I guess. But once we put the order in, it was like we were not there. With 5 bartenders/barbacks in the vicinity I had to raise my voice to get water refills or drink replenishments, constant chatter and gossip, just hanging out. Don’t get me wrong, this place is still🔥; food was exceptional as usual, just don’t sit at the bar. I have to downgrade to 4 stars based on my last experience. At the end I wasn’t sure why I tipped 20%, I just felt I had to, makes me sad :(

• original review *

Piccalilli, I gotta start with what a great vibe. The establishment is on busy Culver Blvd but the minute you sit down you get a sense that you have been teleported to a remote beach somewhere in Asia, Vietnam comes to mind, but maybe it’s Thailand? Edgy Asian pop adding to the ambiance along with the warm smiles from staff. My girlfriend and I have been to this establishment twice and always opted to sit in the front patio area, it’s so lush and green. Food wise Piccalilli does not disappoint, their dishes are an adventurous fusion of Asian/American and there are a variety of succulent dishes to choose from. On their happy hour menu, their popcorn chicken is to die for 🔥the smashed cucumbers also very good. The peanut dipping sauce for the chicken is Damn good! Spicy but we’ll balanced. For our appetizers, we went for the shrimp and Brussel sprouts. The shrimp was shell on, but the shells were surprisingly thin and you could chomp them down with the meat. There’s some magic in the sprouts, crispy yet tender and doused with awesome sauce. For our main entree we went with the pork tenderloin, cooked to perfection and marinated with a heavenly sauce. Their signature cocktails are also very good and compliment the meal well. The meal set me back about a buck 50, but well worth the price of admission for the experience. I would highly recommend this location for those willing to broaden their palate and experience something new, great for a date night or for entertaining...

We stumbled upon this place on Friday night and from the moment we walked up to the host stand to the moment we left we had an absolutely amazing time! Everyone was so kind, warm, and welcoming  from the host to our server to the chef! We were going to order just drinks but due to C19 regulations we needed to order food as well and I am so glad we did because otherwise we may have missed out! Our rockstar of a waitress Deana recommended the brussel sprouts and they were the best brussel sprouts I have ever had in my life. Crispy brussels in a spicy gochujang and aromatic ginger vinaigrette topped with crunchy corn nuts, and a nice sized portion made this a fantastic dish. We asked the incredible Deana for another light recommendation and she suggested the ceviche which was a gorgeous dish of white fish in a brilliantly bright green kaffir juice served with edible flowers and a side of tortilla chips. We also got to try Chef Brian's wok rice cakes coated in a sweet and spicy sauce loaded up with roasted sesame seeds and fresh bright scallions. Chef Brian is def not afraid to pack as much flavor into every bite as possible making every dish a truly savory and unique moment. it has been so long since a restaurant's food has blown me away I honestly thought it would never happen again, this is my new favorite restaurant in the WORLD, which i may have mentioned 10-20 times that night, Chef Brian has truly done an amazing job finding the warmest staff possible. It was my first time there but everyone there treated us as friends and family adding to the incredible experience which was so comforting. Thank you Chef Brain, Deana, and the other two staff members ( I am sorry I don't remember your names but brother in law from Virgina and girl with the orange button down skirt you guys also freaking rocked!). Congratulations  guys, you are...

Happy Hour crawl is what we have been up to lately. Culver is a place rich in Happy Hour spots all within walking distance between restaurants.

Piccalilli was our day’s adventure. 5pm-6pm Monday to Thursday. 4pm to 6pm Friday to Sunday.

It is a hipster, fusion Asian spot that serves a modern take on familiar South East Asian cuisine.

Today I had the chicken wings, the pork jowl, rice and cocktail called Bangao Tea.

The pork jowl $10 - has that slight sweetness to it, there is a level of smokey caramelized flavor while the sauce is light soy and has a slight tartness savory flavor to it. It reminds me of the Filipino style bbq from the streets of Philippines.

The pork jowl dish will need a rich base to be appreciated.

The Nam Prik chicken wings is sweet and had a slight spiciness to it. Just a little spice not enough to make you tear up. The serving was quite generous for the price.

I had the Bangtao Tea cocktail. It has thar herby Thai Tea and coconut milk base mixed with a shot of vodka. It is good!

Service was excellent. Our server was quite attentive.

There was one 3% I noticed buried deep in my bill that says ‘Kitchen Love’. I could have easily overlooked the item and just sign away. I am not a fan of these fees. Like most people we’re already at the point of tip fatigue in California. I wish this was more visible , obvious and communicated up front.

The happy hour trip - 2 dishes, rice a cocktail was a $50 affair.

Other than that overall experience...