No matter how many decades you’ve got under your belt, life somehow never gets old, does it? A buddy shares something you never knew about him after years of intimate friendship, a chance stroll about your place of work reveals a hitherto unsuspected room of treasures, and your neighborhood, as familiar to you as your own backyard, or so you thought, surprises you with a cool new hangout you can’t fathom how you could’ve possibly missed up to now.

So, it was that time again, for Charlie and I to discover new gastronomic worlds. Up to now, we’ve tried to maximize the novelty factor when picking restaurants; selecting venues that at least one of us has never been to, preferably in a part of the city we don’t normally venture into (for that added sense of adventure). Was it just plain laziness, then, that made us settle on a restaurant right in my own neck of the woods? Or maybe we felt slightly uneasy at discriminating against our own ‘hood? Whatever the reason, our Restaurant of the Month is Kues Chinese Kitchen & Bar, which is literally located within walking distance from my humble abode. The building used to be an American-style diner, then it was empty for a long time, and about a year ago, the space was reincarnated as a hip, not-your-mother’s-Chinese-restaurant, establishment. I’ve passed by the place a thousand times, but as often happens, familiarity dampens curiosity. Think of all the perfectly good restaurants in your neighborhood you’ve probably overlooked because their presence was too taken for granted to be exciting.

On that overcast, occasionally drizzly day in which fall signaled that it had without a doubt arrived, Charlie met me at my work so we could head to Kues together just in time for happy hour. Before heading out, however, we explored my campus a bit. Specifically, we checked out the Luckman Gallery, a small art gallery on my campus that I’d hardly even been aware existed, let alone visited. What lured the two of us in on that day was a promotional email I’d received promising art lovers the chance to see some Frida Kahlo as part of the gallery’s current exhibit featuring Latin American and Spanish artists. Turns out, the “artwork by Frida Kahlo” was a single random sheet torn out from her sketchbook. But—some of the other works by various artists, including Dali, Rafael Coronel, Rufino Tamayo, etc. were pretty cool. Who knew I could admire such works of art right where I go to work every day? I didn’t. Our turn about the gallery was Surprise # 1 for the day.

Following our brief detour into the art gallery, we headed to downtown Alhambra, where Surprise # 2 awaited us. Kues serves drinks and happy hour fare, but they do proper food as well. It being still early in the afternoon when we arrived, however, Charlie and I figured we’d just fill up from the happy hour menu on this visit. (Spoiler alert: our first experience of Kues was so positive that we’ve already decided to go back another time for a proper dinner there. Expect a Part II to this review of Kues.)  

The place was fairly empty when Charlie and I got there—too empty, I would now say, for such a nice restaurant on a Friday, even if it was rather early (diners did start packing the joint after 6 pm). There are several decent Chinese restaurants in Alhambra and neighboring cities, but people go to those restaurants strictly for the food—you go in, order, wolf down your meal when it arrives (five minutes after you ordered it), and you leave. Chinese restaurants are not generally known for their décor and ambiance. What sets Kues apart from other restaurants in its category is that it has an attractive interior that’s actually pleasant to just chill in. Unfortunately for me, the bar counter was too low for me to remain standing (which I prefer to do on account of my tailbone pain), but that’s an idiosyncratic complaint; most guests will find the bar seats perfectly comfortable. Even with my tailbone pain, I wasn’t too uncomfortable because the chairs were cushioned.

And, I naturally lost no time making myself even more comfortable by ordering a cocktail as soon as I sat down. Few cocktails satisfy all one’s senses the way a gorgeous, fragrant, and refreshing lychee martini does, and I was gratified to see it listed on their drink menu. The first one that was put in front of me was a tad too sweet, but the bartender assured me that the sweetness was easily adjustable, and indeed, when I had downed that first lychee martini and ordered another, the sweetness level had been recalibrated to perfection. FYI, although I stuck with the lychee martini on this particular visit, there are several other interesting-sounding “signature cocktails” on the Kues menu, such as the “Dragon’s Mule” and “Mango Treasure” (both are on my “must try someday” list).

With all due respect to the cocktails, no one should drink on an empty stomach, and nor did we, not when there was such a good selection of appetizers to choose from. Our visit to Kues proved that one could fill up on good food without breaking the bank just by ordering items off the happy hour menu. Of the six appetizers we ordered, the “Garlic Crispy Brussels Sprouts” ($5), “Crispy Calamari” ($8) and “Garlic Noodles” ($11) were especially noteworthy. Who knew Brussels sprouts could attain that level of airy crispiness? And the garlic noodles, while somewhat dry, were surprisingly rich in flavor, despite the absence of any discernable gravy or sauce. While not a standout dish in and of itself, the “Smashed Cucumber Salad” ($8) was a refreshing foil to the fried items we were eating.

Even your boring old workplace or that building you’ve walked past a thousand times can be sites of unanticipated delights. But secrets are seldom divulged without a little nudge from the curious seeker. So, explore your office building, your campus, and your neighborhood with fresh eyes, for who knows what surprises await you? So glad that I decided to try a new restaurant in my own “boring” neighborhood; I now know a cool place to go for drinks and/or a meal that’s so conveniently near my home. After we were both pleasantly full and buzzed from our happy hour repast, Charlie and I took a leisurely stroll around downtown Alhambra, during which we made further interesting discoveries, such as a large store that sells every imaginable Japanese snack and candy (Ebisu Life), a mid-size store that carries hard-to-find European groceries (Hamilton Euromarket), and a cozy little shop that sells random cute stuff and scented candles (I bought a cute coffee mug there. It says, Death before decaf on it. That’s my motto!).

I’ll end this review with Surprise # 3. Charlie and I confessed to each other that we had an addiction we had been dealing with… a shopping addiction, that is! I admitted that I had a QVC problem. I mean, those show hosts—Amy, Leah, David, and the rest—they’re basically my friends, aren’t they? And their enthusiasm over the products is so genuine and infectious. Plus, that special price goes away at the end of the day, and it’s the only order of the year, you know, so unless you CHECK OUT NOW, the item will be gone and you’ll miss out! Charlie disclosed that he once had an Amazon addiction. Never knew that about him!