VOX Kitchen Brings Modern Chifa Flavor to Aliso Viejo

Kei Concepts is opening a third VOX Kitchen location in Aliso Viejo on Wednesday, Sept. 2. The new restaurant brings the brand's Modern Chifa cuisine to South Orange County for the first time.

VOX Kitchen opened in Fountain Valley in 2017 as one of Kei Concepts' first restaurants. It has since grown into one of the group's best-known names, with locations in Fountain Valley and South Coast Plaza. The concept is built on Chifa, the culinary tradition blending Chinese and Peruvian influences, with a menu known for bold flavor and multicultural roots.

The 3,298-square-foot Aliso Viejo location will seat close to 80 guests, with an interior inspired by VOX Kitchen & Bar at South Coast Plaza. The new restaurant carries forward the same lively, welcoming dining experience that has defined VOX for nearly 10 years.

The menu will include the dishes VOX is known for: Filet Mignon Lomo Saltado, served over thick-cut fries wok-tossed with red onion and tomato alongside rice and aji sauce; Filet Garlic Noodles finished with Parmesan and scallions; and the VOX Pear Salad, layered with arugula, burrata, candied nuts and fig balsamic. Crispy Garlic Chicken Wings and Chifa-style fried rice round out the menu.

The Aliso Viejo opening follows several recent debuts for Kei Concepts, including QUA Contemporary Chinese Cuisine, Kei Coffee House, ROL Hand Roll Bar in Irvine and La Habra, and VOX Kitchen & Bar at South Coast Plaza. Founder Viet Nguyen was also named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: California this year, and he and co-CEO Ivy Ha have received several honors for their leadership.

VOX Kitchen Aliso Viejo, located at 26511 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo, will open with soft-opening hours Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

Starting Sept. 7, hours expand to Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, visit Kei Concepts online.

Founded by Viet Nguyen, Kei Concepts is an Orange County-based hospitality group behind chef-driven restaurant concepts rooted in culture, craftsmanship and innovation. With nearly 1,000 employees across its portfolio, the company is one of the largest Vietnamese-founded restaurant groups in the country. Its restaurants include VOX Kitchen, VOX Kitchen & Bar, NEP Cafe, SUP Noodle Bar, INI Ristorante, Kei Coffee House, KIN Craft Ramen & Izakaya, QUA Contemporary Chinese Cuisine and ROL Hand Roll Bar.

Chef Turned Author Launches New Thriller Series

Thomas Curran is a friend of mine, and he's the kind of person who is always creative and always looking for a new challenge. He spent three decades as a chef before he decided to walk across the country. Ocean to ocean. 3,235 miles, 231 days, 12 states, all to raise money for the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. That story is part of why I featured him in my book, "Born in OC: The Artists, Entrepreneurs, and Visionaries of Orange County, California."

His new book, "Dime Store Hitman," comes out Aug. 31. It's the first in a planned trilogy, and the premise fits him: unexpected, and a lot of fun.

Meet Eddie "The Cowboy" DelDuco. No tuxedo. No silencer. Just a closet full of clearance-aisle weapons and a rotating stack of burner phones. He kills people the way some guy might unclog your sink: cheap, fast, and with whatever's on hand.

Then an influencer named Jessica Starling tracks down "the killer for hire" online and asks what it would cost to disappear her boyfriend. Eddie's reply: "Depends. Does disappear mean dead or relocated to Omaha?" She doesn't blink. She hires him. And just like that, Eddie becomes the accidental celebrity behind a thousand hashtags.

What follows is messy in the best way. A cryo-spa owner has a meltdown. A podcaster who's had one too many chases the story for clicks. Somewhere in the middle of it all, Thomas finds a way to make Los Angeles' obsession with being seen genuinely, darkly funny.

This is his second novel. His first, "Death, Discovery and Carne Asada," became an Amazon bestseller, so he's proven he can hold a reader's attention.

You can grab "Dime Store Hitman" in paperback ($14.99), hardcover ($24.99), or ebook ($5.99), with the audiobook landing Oct. 13. Book two is already scheduled for early 2027.

"Dime Store Hitman" is available now on Amazon and wherever books are sold, with the audiobook dropping Oct. 13. Go grab a copy.

OCAPICA’s Tastemakers of Orange County Celebrates 10 Years of Community-Driven Cuisine

Tastemakers of Orange County returns for its 10th anniversary on Thursday, Sept. 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Julianne & George Argyros Plaza at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa.

The annual event, produced by and benefiting the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA), brings together more than two dozen distinguished Orange County chefs to showcase Asian and Pacific Islander-inspired cuisine. Proceeds support OCAPICA's programs in mental health and health services, youth development, housing assistance, policy education and protecting immigrant communities.

“Ten years ago, OCAPICA faced an uncertain future due to the financial crisis and limited funding. A remarkable group of chefs and restaurants came together to create Tastemakers of Orange County, celebrating our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community while helping secure OCAPICA's future,” said Mary Anne Foo, executive director of OCAPICA. “The Tastemakers event transformed our organization, allowing us to expand our impact and serve more communities in need. I will always be grateful to Tarit Tanjasiri for his leadership over the past decade and to every chef, restaurant, and business that has supported OCAPICA and our mission.”

Guests will indulge in one-of-a-kind Asian and Pacific Island-inspired tapas dishes in an all-you-can-eat setting. Between bites, they can take in live entertainment, tunes from a local DJ and an opportunity drawing featuring unique items and experiences.

2026 Tastemaker Chefs and Restaurants

Shelly Register, A Market; Shachi Mehra, Adya; Sonny Nguyen, Artisan, by 7 Leaves & Crema Bakery; Banh Mi Saigon; Sandro Nardone, Bello and Sugo; Bill Bracken, Bracken's Kitchen; Allan Tea, Cali Dumpling; Tarit Tanjasiri, Crema Cafe & Crema Artisan Bakers; Rodrigo Ceja, Driftwood Kitchen & The Deck on Laguna; Rich Mead, Farmhouse at Roger's Garden; Kristin Nguyen, Garlic and Chives; Fernando Basadre, Gavina Coffee; James Hamamori, Hamamori; Minh Phan, Hanuman Thai Eatery; Leslie Nguyen, Miss Mini Donuts; Henry Pineda, Lola's by MFK; Nokmaniphone Sayavong, Nok's Kitchen; Adam Navidi, Oceans and Earth; Paradise Dynasty; Daniel Hohng, The Park Club California; Eddie Lai, Seafood Cove 2; Max Schlutz, Sessions West Coast Deli; Winnie Yee, Smoke Queen Barbecue; Leonard Chan, Stowaway Tiki Bar; Ivan Calderon, Taco Mesita; Ross Pangilinan, Terrace by Mix Mix; Ed Lee, Toast Kitchen & Bakery; Wing Lam, Wahoo's Fish Tacos; Amar Santana, Vaca.

Event Details and Tickets

The 10th annual Tastemakers of Orange County will take place Thursday, Sept. 3, at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Julianne & George Argyros Plaza, 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. Tickets are $295 for VIP, which includes early entry from 6 to 9 p.m., and $225 for general admission from 7 to 9 p.m.

More information and tickets can be found at ocapica.org/tmoc and here eventbrite.com/e/10th-annual-tastemakers.