Restaurant Spotlight: The Little Kitchen

By Cory Saul
24831 Del Prado, Dana Point, 949.276.7799, www.yiscafe.com
BEST KNOWN FOR: Family-style Asian fare
MOST POPULAR ITEM: Orange zest chicken
Moving up the coast from San Diego County, The Little Kitchen is John Yang’s fifth restaurant. While the other stores, in Vista and Oceanside, are designed for quick bites, this Dana Point location brings a large dining room and open kitchen for a change of pace. Yang, who hales from Beijing, focuses mainly on Chinese dishes on the expansive menu, but also features dishes from Japan, Hong Kong and Korea. “We have a chef from Shanghai who is very talented,” Yang said. “He has been working with me for 10 years.” With a menu boasting the likes of a seared ahi tuna salad, smooth Japanese kabocha pumpkin soup and Shanghai duck, it’s a wonder the prices aren’t any higher. “We only use the best ingredients,” Yang said, “and we price our meals so that eating out won’t cost much more than dining at home.” The menu has various vegetarian options as well. Yang says he is proud to be a new part of the Dana Point community. “We want to become part of the neighborhood. The people are great, and it’s just so beautiful here.”
PRICE RANGE: $5-$19
PAYMENT: Cash, credit
RESERVATIONS: Yes
HOURS: Daily, 11 a.m.-midnight.