Pasadena has a new hub of culinary collaboration. Damn is it divine.
The aptly-named Kitchen United is a 25,000 square foot, fully equipped kitchen space infrastructure that houses a rotating collection of virtual restaurants, food trucks, pop-ups – basically, any type of food concept looking for space can become a member. It’s not just for brand new businesses either; on my visit the legendary Canter’s deli set up shop and dished out succulent corned beef sandwich bites. I came back for multiple samples wearing different disguises – they were none the wiser.
I got a taste of Beyond Meat, the fast-rising purveyor of plant-based meat substitutes. I’d tried their delicious burger at a friend’s birthday party some years ago and was delighted to sample some new things from them. They’ve still got it, Y’all. This burger was perfectly seasoned and packed with flavor. I need to buy some of their stock, post-haste.
BOLO, a personal favorite, was also in the building. They serve Jidori Fried Chicken in traditional Hong Kong pineapple buns, and an array of colorful Ube ice cream sandos. I tried the Pineapple Dream sando. If joy came in jam form, it would taste like this ice cream. The milk drizzle, the butter toasted bolo: everything really worked. Please send more.
Other highlights were Shrimp Daddy’s spicy shrimp kebobs, Green Zone’s delectable chicken, pork and veggie dumplings, and the scrumptious vegan tacos from Mid East Tacos.
Mid East Tacos – Vegan and good as hell.
My favorite part of all this is you can order from these places whenever they’re at Kitchen United via Postmates. So food from a restaurant like Canter’s, which is normally out of my delivery range, can be at my doorstep in no time. This is the future the Jetsons predicted.
Whether you’re a new food venture looking to test things out in a state-of-the-art space, an established restaurant looking to expand, or just a hungry person with a spirit for adventure, I’d check out Kitchen United. I had a great time.
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Kitchen United offers the following services:
- 24/7 Kitchen Production
- Dedicated Refrigeration & Freezer Space
- Entrepreneurship Training & Counseling
- Cash Flow Optimization
- Catering & Special Event Opportunities Coordinated by Kitchen United
- Branding, Marketing & Social Media Consulting
- Membership structure that encourages product development, collaboration & business expansion
- Assistance with Brick & Mortar Expansion
