"Formosa Cafe is one of the oldest bars in the city, with more Hollywood history than the bathrooms at The Beverly Hilton. Bugsy Siegel would stash his mobster money in a safe below his regular table, and John Wayne once famously made himself eggs in the kitchen after a night of scotch. The lore of this red and jade-bathed Chinese spot that dates back to 1939 is enough to charm tourists and locals, and the main reason why a casual night of drinks and snacks at Formosa is still good old-fashioned fun. video credit: Maya Muldrew After a brief shutter, an ownership change, and a massive renovation, Formosa reopened in 2019 as a maximalist ode to Chinese Hollywood, with fluorescent lighting, red lanterns, and black and white headshots lining the walls. It’s a Russian doll of dining spaces, too, with three separate bars, a spacious rooftop, and a repurposed trolley car where you and your friends can cram in to eat dumplings and wings. Formosa’s Chinese-America menu and poolside-esque drinks aren’t groundbreaking, but they are general crowd-pleasers. The classics taste more refined than your typical takeout order, like the orange chicken coated in bittersweet housemade sauce, a balanced crispy beef loaded with ginger, and a gut-heavy crab rangoon dip that would kill on as a snack on game day. Pair anything with a few sweet green tea martinis and pineapple-heavy Mai Tais, and you’ll be content sinking into Formosa’s well-worn red booths for as long as possible. Food Rundown photo credit: Maya Muldrew Szechuan Wings These wings aren’t particularly spicy, smoky, or even remotely mala-tingly. But they are the kind of salty and saucy glazed wings that are delicious dunked in ranch, and that counts for something. photo credit: Nicolas Zhou Crab Rangoon Dip If you’ve ever fantasized about eating your weight in crab rangoons, meet your dream come true. This bubbly vat of cream cheese and sweet crab is very rich, so plan on sharing it with friends. In fact, the fried prawn crackers on the side are the lightest thing about this appetizer. photo credit: Maya Muldrew Shrimp & Pork Shumai These plump shumai are soft and juicy in the center, but could use more seasoning. That said, they’re a smidge better than the storebought kind and a nice, poppable drinking snack. photo credit: Maya Muldrew Orange Chicken Most orange chicken just tastes like orange chicken. But Formosa’s has a special something-something to it: a bitter orange peel tang that keeps these sticky fried chicken nuggets from veering too close to dessert. Crispy Beef This crispy beef delivers on the crispy. The crunch is satisfying, and there’s a noticeable ginger kick to the sauce that ties the dish together." - Sylvio Martins
