Underground supper club Xian Wei is for serious eaters

Name of restaurant: Xian Wei, though it’s not really a restaurant but a private dinner series in someone’s home. Xian Wei means “flavor” in Chinese and is synonymous with the Japanese term umami.

Concept: An underground supper club dedicated to showcasing the vast regional flavors of China. Fueled by a trio of young Chinese Americans embracing their roots and reappropriating the foods they all grew up with, using only high-quality ingredients and applied French techniques. The five-course meal is $75, or $110 with the wine pairing.

Chef: Luther Bob Chen, a 19-year-old Chinese American chef who was born and raised in Los Angeles. He trained at the Culinary Institute of America.

What dish represents the restaurant, and why? His guangdong yu en papillote, a cured and steamed white pomfret fish artfully plated on a beautiful deep-ridged plate with fermented young sprouts and burnt tomatillo sauce. It captures the traditional flavor of that steamed fish at your favorite Chinese seafood restaurant but with welcome refined tweaks. A peppery smear of a Mexican-influenced charred creamy tomatillo sauce showcases the similar bold flavors found in both cuisines.

Appropriate for: Serious Chinese cuisine connoisseurs who can appreciate the beauty of an earthy soup dumpling made with snout-to-tail Berkshire pork parts in a fine dining setting.

Uh-oh: It’s more of an experience than a normal meal; our session went a little over three hours, so plan your day accordingly. And it’s held Saturdays only.

Service: There is only one server and the maximum number of diners allowed per session is eight, making everyone pretty much feel like royalty.

What are you drinking? A thoughtful $35 wine pairing supplement that is worth it, dominated by mostly dry California whites and one floral bubbly. The list included a couple of wines brewed in a San Pedro winery nearby.

To reserve: www.xian-wei.com.

(Clarissa Wei, a frequent contributor to The Times’ dining coverage, is an organizer and the marketing director of Xian Wei.)

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The Scouting Report is a quick look at restaurants worth a visit. Scouts were selected by restaurant critic Jonathan Gold, who may or may not agree with a single word.