I find it interesting when a restaurant owner decides to close and immediately reopen with another type of cuisine. This strategy could backfire with customers that enjoy the original theme, but sometimes it works. An example of this is this is the Humble Potato; they closed and reopened as The Most Valuable Playa or MVP located in Westchester.
The Humble Potato was a restaurant mostly serving American comfort food with a Japanese twist. On the other hand, The Most Valuable Playa leans to Taiwanese and Vietnamese cuisines. The name is a tribute to the nearby community of Playa Vista hence the name, The Most Valuable Playa.
During my visit, they were only open for to-go operations. The modern interior setup has space for a number of tables as well as bar seating. Due to the lift on outdoor dining, they now have a few tables and chairs in front of their restaurant.
MVP’s Taiwanese-influenced menu includes burgers, Asian sandwiches, Taiwanese staples like Salt and Pepper Fried Chicken, Lu Rou Fan, Mi Jiang Chicken Noodle, Vietnamese Pho, and snacks like Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken, Spicy Sambal Wings, and Garlic Noodles.
Chef Minh’s namesake Fried Chicken Wings ($12) has a sweet/salty/sour umami taste using Vietnamese nuoc-mam sauce and dusted with parsley. When they reopen their dining room, I’ll definitely return to pair this with a nice beer.
Minh is especially proud of his beef-veal bone broth. This forms the foundation of his Ribeye Pho ‘Da Lat’ Style ($15). After experimenting with making broths without MSG, he wandered upon a veal and beef combination. The broth is simmered for 18 hours which results in a rich broth that is full of flavor. It is topped with premium rib-eye, rice noodles, bean sprouts, spring onion, and cilantro.
Lu Rou Fan ($14) is a rice bowl topped with soy-based braised pork belly, ginger, shallots, fresh herbs, roast garlic, and a soft boiled egg. The pork is infused with the sauce and extremely tender.
Ma Jiang Chicken Noodle ($14) is a Taiwanese style sesame noodle dish that is tossed with a house-made Ma Jiang sauce and topped with organic Hainan chicken, sliced cucumber, and scallions. This dish nicely complements the stronger flavored meat dishes.
Follow them on Facebook or Instagram to find out about their specials. On Lunar New Year, they featured three different pre-fixe family meals for four.
The Most Valuable Playa 8321 Lincoln Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045; 310.910.0367
themvpla.com