Kali Love brings a California table to Chesterfield (2024)

Kali Love, a new restaurant bringing California vibes to Chesterfield Towne Center, is set to officially open on Wednesday, June 12.

The California table spot is the 13th restaurant from husband-and-wife team Mike and Kim Lindsey. They opened ML Steak in the former Casa del Barco spot next door in March. Kali Love is taking over the former Island Shrimp Co. spot at 11500 Midlothian Turnpike.

“It’s a blend of California cuisine: a mix of Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican and Asian styles. California is a melting pot,” Mike said.

Kali Love is a fresh, new concept from the Lindsey Food Group, which is often known for its Southern style-restaurants such as Lillie Pearl, Farm & Oak and Buttermilk + Honey, among others.

Kim is originally from California, and Mike drew on her partial Mexican heritage as inspiration for the menu.

“Most of our restaurants draw on his heritage. I’m so excited to draw on mine,” Kim said.

Mike spent time with Kim’s Mexican grandmother and learned some of her techniques for making pinto beans, rice and other items.

“Nobody is doing anything like this in Richmond,” Kim said. “At least, not all in one place.”

The menu has Kim’s favorites, like avocado egg rolls ($13) with a Thai basil sauce and a Mexican barbecue chicken salad ($17) with charred corn, black beans and a barbecue ranch dressing.

Mike worked at two California restaurants and helped launch Wong’s Tacos, so he is dipping into his experience with fusion tacos.

Fans of Lillie Pearl may see some familiar items but in new forms, such as the fried brussels taco ($18) with gochuajang aioli, cotija cheese and wonton crunchies. Other tacos on the menu include Baja fish, Asian beef short rib, jerk chicken and a traditional Americana taco.

The Lindseys are also delving into new territory with California-inspired items such as the beef tri-tip ($26). The tri-tip is a triangular cut of beef that comes from the bottom sirloin and is closely associated with California.

“The tri-tip is something you can only get in the western half of the United States. That’s for her pops,” Mike said.

There’s a Korean marinated ribeye with kimchi fried rice ($46), a roasted salmon with couscous and harissa ($23) and a Maui pork chop ($25), for Kim’s grandmother who lived in Hawaii, with grilled pineapple and fried rice.

There is also an In & Out Burger, inspired by the West Coat fast-food chain.

“Every time we go to California, we have to go to In & Out,” Kim said. The Kali Love version will feature two smash patties with cheese, animal sauce and caramelized onions for $16.

The menu also has a few sushi items, like a California roll stack ($16) and a spicy ahi tuna stack ($16), as well as plenty of fresh salads.

“We want this to be a family-friendly spot, someplace where everyone can find something,” Mike said.

The Lindsey Group focuses on launching restaurants in second-generation spaces. Kali Love fit the theme of the Island Shrimp Co. space, which is beachy and bright and created from shipping containers. The space can seat up to 200. They will be launching the rooftop in a few weeks and plan to have music and DJs.

The co*cktail program features plenty of beach-themed drinks, such as a passion fruit mai tai ($14), palomas, mules and margaritas. There will also be two frozen drink machines; one is a frozen honey rum drink, and the other is an orange Julius, and they can be blended together for a colorful rainbow.

Kali Love is also planning to serve brunch, with such items as the beef tri-tip omelet ($15), grilled pineapple and mixed berry French toast ($12) and carnitas hash ($15) on the menu.

This is the second venture into Chesterfield for the Lindseys. A third, Farm & Oak, is coming to the former Grimaldi’s spot at Chesterfield Towne Center in the fall.

They opened , a progressive Southern table restaurant, at 3601 Cox Road in The Shoppes at Twin Oaks in Henrico County late last year. The majority of their other restaurants can be found downtown.

Kali Love is having its soft opening this weekend and will be officially open on Wednesday.