Bistro K
1000 Fremont Ave.
South Pasadena, CA
626-799-5052

If you're looking for familiar bistro fare, keep searching. But if you're willing to venture a bit, you'll be well rewarded by chef Laurent Quenioux, who was born in Blois in the Loire Valley. At this tiny 3-year-old spot with a pretty patio, he turns out dishes such as Dungeness crab gratin in a green tea-scented sabayon with tapioca pearls. What does the "K" stand for in the name? It's a reference to kilograms and the 1000 address.