Taste a sample of Pacific Rim cuisine

A combo plate from Kalei’s Kitchenette includes five crispy chicken wings, lumpia, rice and zesty cucumber salad. (photos by John Gregory)

Taste a sample of Pacific Rim cuisine

Andy and Khara Mangiduyos are a couple of accomplished people striking out on their own to introduce unique flavors to the San Diego market. The two are running the Kalei’s Kitchenette booth at the Scripps Ranch Farmer’s Market each Saturday, serving crispy chicken wings, delicious lumpia and a wild selection of dipping sauces.

Andy has more than 14 years of experience as a chef, serving most of that time at the Hyatt in downtown San Diego. Khara runs her own business and specializes in digital media. While Khara’s family has its own food business, this couple really wanted to start their own.

“We’re doing our own thing and focusing really on Pacific Rim cuisine,” Khara said.
While the business is debuting with crispy chicken wings, their fare is accented by four different sauces.

“Our unique selling point is the sauces. These are really my husband’s creation,” Khara said.
Their most famous one is the guava barbecue sauce, she explained.

Then there is the Thai curry sauce. “Not all curry is the same,” Khara said.

The full-bodied garlic butter parmesan sauce is a little more on the sinful side.

The gojuchang Korean sauce is for those who have a taste for the spicy side of food.

“Our signature dish is really the chicken wings with those four sauces. We also sell it on the combo plate just to have a little taste of all our products,” Khara said. “We’ve got chicken wings, lumpia and then a side of pickled cucumber (salad) … with two scoops of rice, with the sauces on the side.”

There is no doubt the lumpia is the star of the show. The pickled cucumber salad is also worth a taste. It’s different, tangy taste keeps you wanting to try more. As for the sauces, they are very unique and flavorful. It’s quite possible that some less-adventurous diners sampling them will be tasting a few flavors they have never tasted. It’s definitely a good experience; somewhat like seeing a new color for the first time.

The chicken wings are sold a la carte in a three-piece plate or a five-piece plate, besides the full combo plate. The lumpia can also be purchased separately.

“We’re going to try to have one seasonally-inspired sauce … so customers won’t get tired of the same sauces. So, whatever fruit or vegetable is in season, we’re going to try to come up with that sauce,” Khara said.

While the business just stated a little more than a month ago, the two already have plans to offer catering beginning this winter.

Visit kaleiskitchenette.com.

Find the Kalei’s Kitchenette booth at the Scripps Ranch Farmer’s Market, which is open for shoppers from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. every single Saturday at 10380 Spring Canyon Road, in the Innovations Academy parking lot. Visit srfm.org.