At the Fountain Valley Promenade, Kei Concepts has steadily built a bona fide Orange County dining destination spanning multiple distinct Asian cuisines. Their latest concept is QUA Contemporary Chinese Cuisine, located just a few steps away from several of the group’s other concepts including Vox Kitchen and Ini Ristorante.

QUA feels like an elevated but still authentic Chinese food experience. The entrance even features a wall with photos from the founders’ own family albums, highlighting the people whose values (and perhaps recipes) have been passed down through generations.

Some menu favorites include the steamed cod and the pork belly. Like all Kei Concepts restaurants, QUA features a thoughtful cocktail menu that will satisfy a wide range of palettes.

We spoke with Chef Viet Nguyen about his team’s journey to creating QUA. Read on to learn which menu items he personally recommends for first-time visitors.

Meet Viet Nguyen, Kei Concepts Chef & Co-Ceo

This is Kei Concepts first Chinese concept - how/why did you decide to expand into this cuisine?

Even though this is our first concept centered on Chinese cuisine, it feels very familiar to me. A lot of the food I grew up eating came from the Chinese-Vietnamese overlap, especially dishes influenced by Chợ Lớn, family gatherings, and meals at friends’ houses.

For a long time, I knew I wanted to tell that story, but I also knew it needed the right moment and the right space. QUA felt like that moment. It gave me the opportunity to showcase this cuisine thoughtfully, without forcing it or rushing the process.

What steps did you take to understand the culinary direction for this concept?

It started more from memory than research. We talked a lot about the dishes I grew up with, the flavors that stayed with me, and the way food was shared at home.

From there, it was about figuring out how those ideas could live in a restaurant setting while still feeling natural. We weren’t trying to recreate something exactly or chase authenticity as a concept. The focus was on making food that feels familiar, comforting, and respectful to where it comes from.

Any standout dishes for first time guests to try?

I usually tell people to order what feels familiar to them and then add one or two things they’re curious about. The menu is meant to be explored that way, especially when you’re sharing dishes at the table.

That said, if I had to name a few items guests have really responded to, the Dong Po Braised Pork Belly has been very popular. The Crab Roe Noodles are another dish people tend to remember. On the beverage side, the Hong Kong Milk Tea has been a favorite, especially for anyone who grew up with it. For cocktails, the tequila-based Ode to Chợ Lớn has been one of the most ordered.

Ultimately, the experience is about how the table comes together, not just one dish on its own.

What is it like to have five dining establishments in the Fountain Valley Promenade?

There’s a running joke that it’s basically the Kei Concepts plaza at this point.

But honestly, it means a lot to us. Fountain Valley is home, and having multiple concepts in one place lets us build something that feels bigger than just individual restaurants. Each concept serves a different purpose, but they all share the same values around hospitality, consistency, and taking care of the community.

What do you hope visitors will take away from a visit to QUA?

I hope they leave feeling comfortable and taken care of. Not just full, but relaxed, like they spent time somewhere familiar.

QUA isn’t meant to feel loud or showy. It’s meant to feel warm and sincere, like a place you come back to because it feels good to be there, not because you’re marking a special occasion.

Any other information you want to share with readers?

QUA is a very personal project for me. It reflects my upbringing, my family, and the kinds of meals that shaped how I think about food and hospitality.

If guests feel that care when they visit, then we’re doing what we set out to do.