Scampi Restaurant
Critic's rating
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About
Serving as chef at Monrovia's Restaurant Devon--arguably the best restaurant in the hinterlands--wasn't enough for Pedro Simental. So, on the side, he and his brothers took over the lease on a tiny former fast-food spot in Pasadena and turned it into something truly special. Despite its less than ideal location, the locals have already made Scampi one of their favorites and word-of-mouth should spell success for the Simental brothers.
Considering the diminutive size of the establishment, the tables are relatively well-spaced, topped with white cloths and elegant bud vases, while bold abstract paintings dominate the walls. The menu, which is priced for bargain-hunting gourmets, includes appetizers such as ahi tuna salad, shiitake mushroom salad in a light balsamic vinaigrette, crab cakes with mustard dressing, and shrimp & vegetable spring rolls with a fiery chile dipping sauce. Many entrees barely exceed the $10 mark, but they are by no means pedestrian. You'll find roasted duck with orange-ginger sauce, a perfectly cooked salmon in creamy ginger sauce, chicken in mustard sauce, and crispy deep-fried catfish with ponzu sauce, a dish Simental mastered as sous chef at South Pasadena's celebrated Asian-French haunt, Shiro.
Finish with a crème brûlée or a beguiling dessert whose menu description doesn't begin to do it justice: a dish of caramelized sliced peaches topped with a thick, sweet Grand Marnier sauce and espresso ice cream. Meal for two: $65.
Considering the diminutive size of the establishment, the tables are relatively well-spaced, topped with white cloths and elegant bud vases, while bold abstract paintings dominate the walls. The menu, which is priced for bargain-hunting gourmets, includes appetizers such as ahi tuna salad, shiitake mushroom salad in a light balsamic vinaigrette, crab cakes with mustard dressing, and shrimp & vegetable spring rolls with a fiery chile dipping sauce. Many entrees barely exceed the $10 mark, but they are by no means pedestrian. You'll find roasted duck with orange-ginger sauce, a perfectly cooked salmon in creamy ginger sauce, chicken in mustard sauce, and crispy deep-fried catfish with ponzu sauce, a dish Simental mastered as sous chef at South Pasadena's celebrated Asian-French haunt, Shiro.
Finish with a crème brûlée or a beguiling dessert whose menu description doesn't begin to do it justice: a dish of caramelized sliced peaches topped with a thick, sweet Grand Marnier sauce and espresso ice cream. Meal for two: $65.
--Roger J. Grody
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What's Nearby
| 1 | Scampi Restaurant 0.00 miles |
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| 2 | Ice House Comedy Club 0.01 miles |
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| 3 | The Ice House 0.01 miles |
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| 4 | El Metate 0.02 miles |
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| 5 | Pita! Pita! Restaurant 0.03 miles |
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