NATURE’S CALLING:
X’OTIK KITCHEN SERVES UP
HEALTHY ORGANIC EATING
By Stacey Kumagai
Most chefs say food is in their roots. For X’otik Kitchen’s Executive Chef, Stoney Chen, this is most certainly the case, born in Indonesia, she is the daughter of a premier caterer. In 1984, she went on to ‘wow’ London’s Chelsea District elite with the introduction to Asian Fusion Cuisine with her restaurant T’ang, which was later voted Courvoisier Book of the Best’s ‘Restaurant of the Year’ for four consecutive years 1985-1989. Moving to Los Angeles from here took on a life changing event, which twisted the idea of food in her roots to getting to the root of some good food basics. Through organic food, herbal extracts & alternative therapy, Chef Chen averted stage 3 breast cancer in 1997. Little did she know that what was soon to be X’otik Kitchen’s menu would have evolved from her daily food routine on the road to wellness. X’otik Kitchen which offers take-out, catering and delivery as well as a small dining area, opened in Culver City in 2004 with a healthy vision in mind.
The human body is a powerful and amazing machine it can endure much. However, when not in the state of ZEN, well-being will take on the form of illness and disease. X’otik Kitchen’s dedication and commitment to healthy, organic food was born from the idea of making healthy eating a priority in how they serve their customers. They’ve managed to bring together the ultimate combination of healthy, organic, fresh, nutritious, delicious and affordable menu items, making eating healthy an economical and healthy for your wallet, too.
“Awareness about eating organic & healthier has definitely increased, partly due to more media interest, partly due to increase in sickness. People are beginning to link their condition to the poor quality food they eat.. Over processed & highly toxic additives weaken your bodies immune system & eventually something is going to give,” states Jane Smith, Owner of X’otik Kitchen.
Natural is what X’otik Kitchen’s food is all about. Their meats are natural/grass fed direct from the distributor. Grass-fed meats are not only more nutritious – but more tender, with antioxidants which benefit you. University of California Cooperative Extension and California State University, Chico recently revealed that grass-fed meats contain a higher level of beta-carotene, vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids. X’otik Kitchen’s poultry is from Shelton (no hormones or antibiotics)… which not only means that the chicken grows naturally, free-range without chemicals to expedite growth, but there are no additives, flavor enhancers or anything that is unnatural. The result is better tasting chicken that’s better for you… 100% drug-free, which means you don’t have chemicals entering your body.
Organic may seem as if it has become the latest trendy ‘buzz word’ but it’s been around since the beginning of time. Organic food is produced and grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics or pesticides and the produce they use is exactly that from reputable organic/non-spray growers.
X’otik Kitchen’s cuisine isn’t just organic, but prepared from scratch with love, utilizing the freshest ingredients, herbs and spices. There are NO fryers, NO microwaves and NO Trans Fats.
Chef Chen’s signature cooking style utilizes very high heat to preserve the nutritional value and flavors of the food and bring out the best from the natural benefits of the ingredients. From the aromatic spices and herbs to the seared in flavors which emerge from the organic produce and meats, the integrity of each dish is preserved with unique flavor and wholesome goodness.
With delectable dishes like the Cilantro Coconut Fish served fresh daily to the comforting foods like spinach and cheese ravioli and variety of fresh salads, there is something for everyone.
And the Asian Fusion flavors Chef Chen perfected back in London have re-emerged with a worldly appeal. “Asian food varies country to country, region to region, its use of exotic ingredients makes it fun, combined with foods from other cultures there's something for everyone. From Sumatran Coconut Chicken to Grilled Veggie Penne, we've crossed the globe, states Smith. “Surprisingly enough, our Marinated Nebraskan Skirt Steak -- people love the flavor and it melts in your mouth thanks to our unique Asian inspired marinade,” she declares.
This marinade Smith speaks of could be the secret ticket to X’otik’ Kitchen’s benchmark stamp on why it’s good. Unlike most restaurants, Chef Chen does not douse her cuisine with fatty butter. In fact a stick of butter lasts a whole week, because Chef Chen applies creativity as a chef, not fat!. By incorporating a variety of unusual ingredients together with lots of Indonesian influence, this just may be why everything is so good in a way most Los Angelenos haven’t tasted before. Freshly ground spices, dried herbs, lemon grass and Kaffir lime leaves can be found within her original sauces, as well as Galinga (the powdered form of Galingal). Galingal, which resembles ginger root, but has more of a pine/earthy/citrus noted flavor has been used for centuries in Asian (Thai, Chinese and Southeast Asian cooking), as well as Medieval and Renaissance times as an apothecary/alternative therapy tonic base and even aphrodisiac. Hmm….maybe that is what makes X’otik Kitchen so …exotic! Indian Amchur powder, which is the sundried spice that comes from an unripe green mango fruit dances with tartness in Chen’s marinades.
“We hope our customers walk away with two thumbs up, a smiling face, a happy tummy and sometimes a kiss,” states Smith.
With healthy, fresh organic cuisine and bread baked fresh on the premises daily, it’s evident X’otik Kitchen has answered a conscious calling to good food, good health and ZEN.
We say … Thumb, thumb, fullness and *muah.*
X’otik Kitchen is located at 6121 Washington Blvd.,
Culver City, CA 90232
310.280.3961