NAM Kitchen — Restaurant in Gardena

I've been coming to Nam Kitchen ever since they opened over a year ago, and it’s easily become one of my favorite spots. It’s the perfect place to celebrate birthdays, hang out with friends, or enjoy a nice date night. The interior has a modern yet elegant vibe—definitely a bit more upscale than your typical Vietnamese restaurant—but the quality and portion sizes absolutely live up to it.

Nam Kitchen is a creative fusion of Vietnamese and Peruvian cuisine, and it really works!

What we ordered:

Ribeye Garlic Noodles – 8/10 ($30) The price may look a little steep but the portions are large, and they don’t skimp on the steak. It was a LOT of steak! I asked for medium-rare, but it came out slightly more cooked than I prefer. Still, the chimichurri added a great kick and paired beautifully with the steak—it was super flavorful overall.

House Chicken Wings – 10/10 ($15) We got seven pieces, and even after sitting for about 30 minutes while we filmed, the wings were still crispy, flavorful, and delicious. You can really taste the fish sauce—it adds that perfect umami touch.

Pho Short Rib – 10/10 ($17) The broth is rich, aromatic, and bursting with flavor — you can really taste the fish sauce, lime, and all the fragrant spices. A huge bonus: they offer unlimited noodle refills, just like SUP Noodle Bar! The short rib was delicious, though I’ve had slightly more tender versions elsewhere — but the unlimited noodles more than make up for that. You could easily share this dish with another person, making it a great value!

Crispy Rolls - 8/10 ($9) I like how they cut the egg rolls in half for easy sharing and serve them with fresh lettuce and carrots for wrapping. The presentation is beautiful and definitely photo-worthy. They also include fish sauce for dipping, which ties all the flavors together perfectly. I loved the crispiness of the egg rolls and the flavorful filling inside — such a satisfying bite!

Pink Petal Drink - 9/10 ($6) I really enjoyed this drink made with strawberry purée and coconut milk — it’s super refreshing and beautifully presented with a flower garnish. It’s definitely an Instagram-worthy drink! The flavor leans on the sweeter side, so I’d recommend asking for it less sweet, or you can add a bit of water to balance it out (and make it last longer!).

Taro Coffee - 6/10 ($6) We ordered this drink mainly for its aesthetic appeal, but since neither of us are big coffee drinkers, our rating might be a little biased. The Vietnamese coffee is quite strong and not too sweet, which true coffee lovers will likely appreciate. If you enjoy bold, robust coffee flavors, this one’s definitely worth trying!

Overall Score 9.5/10 Prices are a bit on the higher side, but the food absolutely makes it worth it. The staff are kind and friendly, though they can get quite busy at times. Parking can be a little tricky since the restaurant is located in a plaza near an apartment complex, and it tends to get crowded — even at 6 p.m. on a Saturday, the place was buzzing. I’m really happy to see how well they’re doing, and we were so grateful for the opportunity to...

Went out to lunch with my cousins before visiting our family in the area.

Parking: There's a small parking lot, so finding a spot can be a hit or miss.

Ambiance/Environment: Very warm and welcoming. Love the decor. They have a medium sized space with plenty of indoor seating. Perfect for all group sizes as they have table and booth seatings. We visited during lunch, and they were poppin. Luckily there wasn't a wait time, and we were seated immediately.

Service: Shout out to Thao! He was courteous, quick, & efficient. He checked on us a few times ensuring satisfaction or if we needed anything. Throughput was about 15 min after ordering.

Foods & drinks: If you've been to the Vox Kitchen or Omeli Kitchen, then you'll have an idea of what they offer. They have very similar menus filled with a mix of Vietnamese-Peruvian foods.

Matcha Coffee - This is a Viet coffee topped off with matcha foam. Their Viet coffee is strong, and the foam is thick. The matcha flavor was light. The layers were aesthetically pleasing.

Lychee Peachee - I love anything lychee. This was very refreshing. The lychee taste definitely overpowered the peach taste. The lychees were fresh. Though, I prefer this drink to be strained rather than saturated.

Nui Xao Bo (Macaroni with Filet Mignon Beef) - This was very filling. The macaroni tasted as expected. The beef and vegetables were sauteed and seasoned perfectly. The flavors were definitely there.

Lomo Saltado - I thought this dish was okay compared to Omeli and Vox. There was a lot of rice served with beef, fries, and vegetables. I prefer the beef slices to be bigger. Everything was stir fried and seasoned well though. The green sauce paired deliciously with the beef. I prefer the green sauce to be a bit thicker with more spiciness.

Grilled Cajun Tiger Prawns - The shrimps were huge and cooked well. This was also served with green sauce. The garlic noodles could use more garlic. I thought it lacked flavor, but the green sauce helped it.

Nam's Spicy Wontons - Great flavors all around. I really enjoyed this appetizer. The spice level is like a 4/10; not too spicy but has a nice kick.

Pricing: These prices are considered average in this inflation. Service is great. They have a welcoming & fun vibe. Flavors were present and drinks...

Lomo Saltado- the filet mignon was very good! The beef was tender and perfectly seasoned, and I loved how it was stir-fried with onions and tomatoes. The flavors were so well balanced and you could taste the quality of the meat. The fries mixed in were crispy and absorbed all those amazing flavors. This dish really showcased how good Peruvian cuisine can be.

Short Rib Pho- this was absolutely incredible! The beef literally fell off the bone it was so tender, and this pho was probably the best pho I've had. The broth was rich and flavorful with that deep, complex taste that only comes from hours of slow cooking. The noodles were perfectly cooked and the herbs were so fresh. I could taste how much care went into making this broth - it was warming and comforting in the best way.

Chicken Wings- these were so good! These Vietnamese/Peruvian style wings were something special. I loved how crispy they were on the outside while staying juicy inside. The seasoning was unique and had this amazing blend of flavors that I've never tasted before. You could tell they knew exactly how to get that perfect crispy texture. These wings were definitely a standout.

Coco Matcha- this matcha was really good and I loved that it was made with coconut water instead of regular milk. It had this refreshing, tropical twist that made it so much more interesting than regular matcha drinks. The matcha flavor was present but not bitter, and the coconut water added this subtle sweetness and lightness. It was the perfect drink to complement all the rich flavors we were trying.

This Vietnamese-Peruvian fusion concept is so creative and executed beautifully. Every dish brought something unique to the table and you can tell the kitchen really knows how to blend these two amazing cuisines. The quality of ingredients and attention to detail in every dish was impressive!

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