Counter Intelligence: Starry Kitchen pop-up

Five-spiced apple fritters with honey bourbon cream sauce.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Satay noodles come with Niman Ranch beef, dried shrimp, eye-wateringly strong shrimp paste ... and a warning.   (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Grilled fish “heads and tails” is made with striped bass. It’s served with a sweetened fish sauce for dipping.   (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Grace Fung, left, of Los Angeles, and Nichelle Wileman, of Culver City, eat at the Starry Kitchen pop-up restaurant.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Clay pot carmelized striped bass pancetta, also called ca kho to.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Malaysian chicken curry with Okinawan sweet potato.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

House-cured roast pork belly fried rice.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Nguyen Tran and his wife, chef Thi Tran, with a dish of their Singaporean chili crab, a cult favorite.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)