The Vox Kitchen

Many Kei Concepts restaurant brands have either graduated from solid initial idea to a better version of that idea, or multiplied from one location to a second. One of its earliest concepts, the Vox Kitchen, will join Nep Cafe as a rare example of a restaurant that does both.

By the time Vox opens its second location (in Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza), it will have evolved twice: first from its original concept as Pango, a Latin-Asian fusion restaurant focused on tacos and appetizers, and then from Vox’s tiny but popular menu of Peruvian, Vietnamese, and fusion dishes. Today, the Fountain Valley Vox sports a larger menu and twice the seating capacity of its prior space in the same location – Peruvian lomo saltado is the only real menu link between Pango and the current restaurant.

That dish – listed as the “house special” – is a substantial plate mixing chunks of garlic/soy marinated filet mignon with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and french fries, plus a dollop of rice pilaf. You can substitute pork, chicken, seafood, or beef tongue for the steak, but we’d suggest sticking with the classic unless you’re beef-adverse: Vox’s cooks consistently deliver their filet wonderfully tender (ask for rare), and it’s a better way to enjoy this cut of steak than most preparations. Fans of Peruvian cuisine will also find a substantial seafood ceviche with corn nuts and sweet potatoes on the menu, served with corn chips, as well as a garlic fried rice dish, but few other riffs from that culture.

In marketing, Kei variously refers to Vox’s approach as “modern Chifa,” reflecting the Peruvian adoption and adaptation of Chinese food with local ingredients, or “modern pan-Asian,” which is a more fitting description. Unlike Washington DC’s China Chilcano, which was early on trend by embracing both Peruvian Chifa and Nikkei (adapted Japanese) cuisines, the Vox menu dances more across Vietnam than other countries. Vietnamese garlic noodles come with your choice of two types of steak, prawns, salmon, chicken, or mushrooms, each mixed with butter and dusted with parmesan. A large format version sold at a higher price, in “limited quantity,” includes a 24-ounce ribeye made for group sharing, with the option of fries, brussel sprouts, or mushrooms on the side.