Rating:

Where: 641 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena

Information: 626-345-5371; www.starleafusa.com

When: Lunch and dinner, every day

Details: Full bar; reservations essential

Cuisine: Southeast Asian Eclectic with a penchant for lots of spice, seriously outlandish cocktails — and a menu that variously describes the food as “heartfelt” and “enchanting” with “charm.” Over-the-top verbiage with dishes that pushes flavors to the edge — and astonish in the process.

How much: About $80 per person

Suggested dishes: 9 Starters ($15-$29), 8 Entrées ($16-$55), 7 Grill Dishes ($19-$87), 4 Desserts ($12-$28), 9 Specialty Cocktails ($16-$22)

Credit cards: MC, V

What the stars mean: 4 (World class! Worth a trip from anywhere!), 3 (Most excellent, even exceptional. Worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California.), 2 (A good place to go for a meal. Worth a trip from anywhere in the neighborhood.) 1 (If you’re hungry, and it’s nearby, but don’t get stuck in traffic going.) 0 (Honestly, not worth writing about.)