A few months ago, Magneto and I had a relatively free weekend, so we decided to try out a Feastly event with We Have Noodles chef Darren Sayphraraj and team. This event was hosted at Feastly’s Venice location, just a few blocks from the beach.

Free-flowing mimosas and Bloody Marys made sure the atmosphere was convivial, with the hostess circulating amongst guests in a friendly and welcoming manner.

Up first was an unannounced amuse bouche, a perfect little bite of Spanish tortilla topped with creme fraiche, scallion, and salmon roe.

Next came the starter, char siu pork in a steamed white bun with pickled veggies and a touch of kewpie mayonnaise. For those unfamiliar with the above ingredients, here’s a quick rundown: char siu pork is the yummy, fatty pork you’ll find in ramen, and kewpie mayonnaise is an Asian-style mayo that is sweeter than what you’ll find in the blue-lidded jars. This small dish was so delicious, the guy seated across from us needed another serving!

When the breakfast ramen came out, Magneto and I fairly swooned. Not only was the presentation beautiful, showcasing all the best things about ramen, the aroma was a heady mixture of umami and hearty savory goodness. The noodles had a good chew to them, and the creamy egg worked to cut through the pleasant saltiness of the Serrano ham.

Condensed milk French toast rounded out the meal. Fluffy, creamy French toast – not too soggy in the middle – topped with bananas, drizzled with dulce de leche, and accompanied by coffee cream made for the perfect super sweet treat to balance out all the savory bites we’d shared.

Given the time, Magneto and I will be returning to Feastly events to sample even more of the best up-and-coming LA chefs!