Status Kuo - Comfort Food With a Taiwanese Twist

Status Kuo – Comfort Food With a Taiwanese Twist

By Samantha Dockser

Located in Mar Vista, Status Kuo serves up delectable classics with a Taiwanese twist. Chef and owner David Kuo’s life passion is cooking and seeing the joy in people as they eat his food. And that is exactly what I felt as I tasted dish after dish—pure joy. And not only is the food flavorful, but the Status Kuo employees are full of warmth, enthusiasm, and knowledge about their cuisine.

The first dish I had the joy of tasting was a house special, Shishito Peppers. These traditionally sweet peppers have a bit of a kick. About one in ten is known to be spicy, and leave it to me to find the spicy one. But there is no need to worry because the cashews and pomegranate provide a tasty balance between spicy and sweet. The peppers are served in a savory unagi butter, which is made in house. Everything from Status Kuo’s sauces to their pasta is made in house, and you can see it as it is made in their open kitchen.

The next dish is one of my two favorites—Duck Pizza. Don’t hate me, but usually I am not the biggest lover of pizza. This is not your everyday pizza. This pizza changed me. Served on a scallion pancake, this pizza is covered in roasted duck, house made hoisin, calabrian chili, cilantro, and Parmesan. I can’t get enough of this flavor combination. I particularly loved the sweet and salty hoisin sauce—made with soybeans, garlic, and red chilies.

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My other favorite dish is Status Kuo’s Taiwanese Sunday Gravy. It is made up of stewed pork, shiitake mushrooms, pickled mustard greens, and scallions. Sunday Gravy dishes are a cultural tradition, wherein at the end of the week, the leftover meats are added to one stew and topped with gravy. I could eat Status Kuo’s Sunday Gravy every day of the week. The house made pasta is divine; the pork is so moist it practically melts in your mouth. And I love the kick of the scallions in the dish.

My dining companion’s favorite dish at Status Kuo is their Pork and Grits, served with Porchetta, braised kale, cheddar grits, and an egg sunny side up. The pork is so crispy on the outside and so deliciously moist on the inside. The egg on top is an appreciated extra dash flavor. While not always a fan of grits and kale, I found them to be simply delicious. Status Kuo’s Pork and Grits left me unsure of what to eat next, since every element of the dish was tastier than the last.

Status Kuo is also known for their Fried Chicken and Biscuits, Korean Chicken Wings, and Xiao Long Boa—just to name a few more dishes. I look forward to coming back to try them all.

On January 19^th, Status Kuo hosts their first Gallery Night from 7pm-10pm. They are proud to feature a rotating host of local artists. The event will include live painting, small bites, and wine provided by Martian Vineyards of Los Alamos.