RESTAURANT REVIEW: gingergrass

Sometimes food is so good that is just makes you mad. You're angry because it isn't fair that you ever have to eat anything else but this food. I haven't had Vietnamese food since I've been in LA & I've been looking forward to the opening of gingergrass in silverlake for weeks. Oh my God, was it good. The food was really fresh & inspired, the service was quick and friendly, the atmosphere was trendy but tasteful--the whole experience was top notch.

6:30 Sunday evening, after a busy day shopping with the girls & hiking with the boys, our party of three grabbed the last empty table & dug in to complimentary fried rice chip thingies with peanut sauce (yum) while we devoured the menu. To start off, we ordered vegetarian imperial rolls--wonderfully crispy and greasy and savory, fresh tofu summer rolls--wonderfully herby, and "gingergrass" fresh rolls with crab & avocado. Each order came with its own special dipping sauce & prices for all the appetizers range between about $4-$6. And our drinks were amazing. They don't serve alcohol here, but you re welcome to BYO (go silverlake wine across the street, but try not to get hit by a car). They do have tasty non-alcoholic beverages--we all got the "basil lime elixir" which was amazing. Kind of like a mojito, but with basil syrup instead of the mint--seems strange but it was oh so good. Oli got the fresh ginger limeade which was sweet, & overpoweringly gingery.

Next up we ordered the only 2 vegetarian main dishes to share (although they come as entrees, not a la carte)--The tofu noodle bowl ($6.25) consisted of perfectly soft rice noodles, shredded lettuce, pickled veggies, and herbs topped with beautifully fried soft tofu. The "gingergrass" tofu ($9.75) consisted of a pile of garlicky baby bok choy & shitake mushrooms, a pile of those amazing fried tofu cubes, a pile of broken jasmin rice (which was the best rice I have had in my life), some vietnamese slaw & a sauce for the whole thing. We also got some taro root chips because who can resist taro root.

They've also got some amazing looking salads, pho, of course, and sandwiches. Lots of fish, beef, chicken & pork, but enough veggie dishes to hold you through until dessert.

We went for the fried banana spring rolls which were served on a swirl of chocolate sauce along with a coconut dipping sauce. Need I say more? Oli got the vietnamese iced coffee which you brew at your table. The little vietnamese coffee brewer sits on top of your cup & slowly extrudes the strongest, most delicious coffee into a pool of waiting condensed milk. Pour this over a glass of ice & you've got the most amazing coffee drink ever. It's so flavorful, it almost tastes like chocolate. We all decided that if this place was open in the morning we would meet here before work for this coffee.

Gingergrass is bound to be a hit. Open only for a week, it was already packed on a sunday night. Luckily it's also open for lunch, so I can go 2x a day.

Recommended.


gingergrass: fresh vietmanese cuisine
2396 Glendale Blvd
Silver Lake, CA 90039

323-664-1600

FILM REVIEW: The Five Obstructions @ Film Forum

As an out of town film arts fan I was surprised to find the touted film forum of nyc was charging $10.00 for a film and had also hired a gaggle of teenaged film snobs to scream in excess about the need to have your ticket out (in your hand), while they apathetically heard' us into the tiniest screening room ever. The audience seemed unaware of themselves as some couple within ear shot were having a competitive discussion of Shakespeare in the most pretentious of tones. The film itself was magically human as well as a highly technical deconstruction of same director' Jorgen Leth's famed short film, "The Perfect Human" (1967), five times. Ultimately, the film's administrator, Lars (Von) Trier catches himself in the very pointed obstructions he serves up to his mentor, Let. The ethos of creativity clash and yet survive a brilliant and mutual creation.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: "Ino

We had walked and successfully shopped our way through Nolita and Soho and by late afternoon had arrived at 21 Bedford St. (in the west village). At an empty table further along a row of empty tables pressed up against one wall in this intimate space we ordered two glasses of Prosecco and each our own panino sandwich. One with fennel & gruyere, and one with grilled vegetables and goat cheese. It was so deliriously delightful. We tasted olives and reviewed the spoils of our day, the sun outside was parallel with the ground, and a breeze was cooling off the warm summer air. The place was so friendly, and the food was great. A very romantic spot.

HAPPY HOUR REVIEW: Hi Fi NYC

Located on Avenue A, between 10th and 11th Streets, Hi Fi is a cool bar. The hook is that they've got a hi-tech jukebox called El DJ that has 2300+ full length albums on it. I still managed to think of a few of my favorite albums that weren't in the computer (like Europe's "The Final Countdown"--what are they thinking?). It's a cool bar to go to at night when it is full of hipsters, but the Happy Hour has some fatal flaws. The deal is that all drinks are buy one, get one free, which, in most bars is cool b/c you can get one drink & give the free one to your friend, but at Hi Fi, the free drink is only good for your next round--so we ended up having to get 2 rounds of drinks, which is ok, but sometimes only one beer is enough. The pluses were that the Discovery Channel was on, and the bartenders were nice.

FILM REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

I am not a "Potter Head." I've never even glanced at any of the books, nor do I have any desire to. In general, I don't like entertainment appealing to kids...I don't like "Shrek" or "Finding Nemo" or any other thing made by Disney or Pixar. I've heard it all before "but Amanda, there's a subtext that is written for adults to understand," "but Amanda, the story is so great, anyone can enjoy it." "Well," I reply, "Bah Humbug!" I don't care that I seem to be in the minority among many of the people I know, "Bah Humbug, Harry Potter."

This is the third Potter movie I've been dragged to. I think that the 1st one was the best, it told the most interesting part of Potter's saga--the other 2 movies seem like a giant pool of salad dressing drowning Harry's baby greens. The 2nd film was awful. The 3rd one was better than the 2nd, the direction by Alfonso Cuarón was good, as was the acting, but I feel that the film lacks a lot of substance unless you have read the book. What's the difference between a moggle and a dumbledorf? I don't know, I don't care either.

You'll like the movie if you already like Potter, but I'm still searching for something to warm the cockles of my heart.

FILM REVIEW: Napoleon Dynamite

Ever had a PG dream where you were the radest nerd in Idaho in a ficticious dream-world where it is still the 80's but they have cell phones and you spend every day rocking your moon boots and your pagasus tees? Well, that is how the filmmakers must have pitched this underwealming gem to the folks at MTV films. This movie is great, even for all the problems it has, lack of character motivation in scenes and in general a lack of plot . But who cares, the nerds win in the end, and not just at student body president and tetherball.

Check a matinee, or wait for video if you can stand being that far out of touch.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: VP2 (Vegetarian Paradise 2)

"Bang a gong it's on"...imagine an iron chef who is a buddhist master of mock-meat and vegetarian delights endlessly battling himself in order to serve you...anyway it is pretty much like eating in this restaurant. I ordered a beet-pear-ginger juice for my thirsty immune system and followed by a tasty bowl of hot & sour soup I was already feeling my vitals starting to soar. Orange-Tangerine Beef with Broccoli, and Moo Shu Delight were fantastic. The mock duck was a little too real (slimey), it was not very flavorful or otherwise unique and I would not recommend it. We left feeling so full but yet still refreshed and ultimately discussing what we might order upon our next visit...to NYC.

Recommended.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Candle Cafe

We had just got into nyc and were early meeting our friends Jeremy and Kasia at grand cental. Fifteen minutes later after a quick Bellini (peach juice and chamagne) we had found each other and were off to the upper east side to Candle Cafe. The restaurant is a long warm space set behind a modest window. The ample menu full of internationally inspired vegan faire complemented by daily specials, house cocktails, and fresh smoothies was certainly tantilizing on paper, but ultimately lacked the panache of fresh california organic veggies and the excellence our guide book had promised. Also, our appetizers arrived after our main course and there was no respite but a weak and muddled appology -no credit or complementary drinks. The lemon-ginseng iced tea was fantastic but, for what was really vegan-comfort-food with a twist and for the price I wished that the portions had been greater. I think I will try to replicate some of the dishes on my own next time. Dish, dish dish...kisses nyc.

Next time your in NYC, taste for yourself, "don't bother me kid".

SHOPPING REVIEW: Other Music

Aside from Aquarius Records in San Francisco, this is the best music shop I have ever experienced. A small room contains a large selection of music with categories such as "In, Out, Electronica, La Decadanse, Krautrock, Groove, Psychedelia, and Then, you are sure to be richly rewarded by a an afternoon's research. This is a store for true music lovers but there is no aire of superiority, at least not more than my own.

Recommended.

FILM REVIEW: Saved

Saved, is the best uncompromising satire of fundamentalist christianity,slash, teen (coming of age) dramady that I have seen since flashdance. Really, and truly! " I am full of christ's love," says Mandy Moore as she chucks a bible at Jena Malone. Macaulay Culkin is brilliant!!! Hello!!!- I am always glad to see Martin Donovan working, he is such a god. This film quietly blew me away. It is seriously on my top 10 list for 2004. It is erie how well the diagetic world of this film drew info from such films as Hell House (see review below). Go see this movie if you love teen movies and hate fundamentalist christians - More people should.

Oh Lord is this highly recommended.

HAPPY HOUR REVIEW: Mexican Village

So we're back from Happy Hour--$3 margaritas & $7 pitchers!!!--4-8pm or so down the street from us on Beverly where it turns into Temple--now i have a terrible case of the hiccups, the hiccups that never die. When I get the hiccups, they last for days. I'll hiccup a bunch all at once, really loud, deafening really--and then day by day they'll slow to, say, one hiccup a day for the next week then bit by bit they subside. The only thing that helps is guided meditation. Imagine the hiccup as a bright light in your throat, like tinkerbell, then, when you exhale, the light comes out of your mouth & you trap it in as little box. You put the little box into a bigger box & put that box into a bigger box and you put it in yet another box full of cement & wrap it with chains and then you take that box to a bridge & you throw it over the bridge until it sinks in a deep river. Usually this works, but not this time.

There were 3 lady accountants at the happy hour with us & they got a little wild, singing aye yie yie yie's and such. And an older man gave us buffalo wings & I tried to tell him that we didn't eat meat, but I'm not sure he understood. Also, the Reagan funeral was on all the 6 tv sets in the restaurant, bonus!!

Recommended.

HOTEL REVIEW: Carlton Arms NYC

If you're looking for a bargain hotel in New York, you can't beat the Carlton Arms. Located in the mid-east side on 25th at 3rd Ave, next to a community college, the "hotel" is more like a hostel, catering to and run by young artsy types. Every surface of the hotel has been painted by local or international artists and each room has its own theme. You can choose from several different room types, with or without bathrooms & the prices range from $60 for one person with a shared bathroom to $117 for 4 people to share a large room with a private bath (that's only $29 per person!!). Weekly rates are also available.

We were buzzed in and I was excited to see a small sign at the bottom of the stairs advising people not to let the cats out. Anyplace with cats roaming around has to be good. Our check in was swift, a young-ish british guy gave us 3 keys to three rooms on the "C" floor: "choose which one you like best & bring back the other 2 keys when you're ready." Like Goldilocks we entered the first room, nice, but the decor was kind of bland compared to the photos we had seen on the website. The next room had a funky shower situation--the bathtub was there, but the "shower" was a hose connected to the bathtub faucet, plus it had scary goth art. The third room was indeed the most charming. We turned the lock to room 9C & found a plush boudoir fit for a harem. The walls were covered in leapard print fabric, the trim and doors were painted royal purple and gold and the ceiling was adorned with a shimmering red satin canopy. Magenta lace curtians adorned the windows that looked out onto a pretty quiet street.

Like everywhere in NY, there are several bars and restaurants surrounding the hotel, but we chose to walk over to 2nd Ave to the 15 bus that takes you right into the East Village. The Carlton Arms was a great place to crash after a late night out with friends. All in all it was very quiet; the only other guest we saw was an older guy from the Idaho or something who was talking to the manager and smiling.

Recommended.

FILM REVIEW: Coffee & Cigarettes

The latest from director Jim Jarmusch, (Ghost Dog, Dead Man, and more), is a series of vignettes with only one common thread - actually two...The first problem, or point of genius, that the film has is that it ultimately reveals its two unifying subjects to be lousy unifying forces. Destroying their classically revered power these hollow pretexts, function, rather than by smoothing the awkward meetings of a slew of famous faces (both new and old to the directors' stock of players) are simply a syntactic jumping off point. Iterations on the theme of the "&", within this reframing of the coffee and the cigarettes parts, there are some bits that are notably more enjoyable than others.

Alfred Molina's delectably positive and emotional performance in a sketch where he explains his discovery of a distant kinship to Steve Coogan is so invigorating. Where in another scene Cate Blanchett meets her down and out cousin, also played by her, in a hotel bar the film shows some of its brightest ideas. The overwhelmingly funniest moments are in the bit with Bill Murray, RZA, and GZA, this is where the film finally starts to refer directly to previous dialogue and situations and finally gives the viewer a little more to sink their teeth into. All said I was left feeling hungry for some real food - you cannot live on coffee and cigarettes alone.

-Maybe you should wait for the dvd on this one, or just see it when you're not that hungry.

ART REVIEW: A Minimal Future? Art As Object 1958-1968

Currently running through August 2nd at MOCA at California Plaza this retrospective include an excellent range of work, from painting to sculpture and mixed media, of over 40 American artists from the period. According to the museum's official line this exhibition is concerned with, "One of the most significant art movements of the 20th century, minimal art is presented as a constellation of dialectical practices about the structure, form, material, production, and function of the artwork and its relationship to space and to the spectator." For me the most exhilarating thing about this artwork is that very same "dialectical" experience of having the simplest of forms trigger the expansion of a greater concept and to feel it's detail being illustrated within me rather than, as is expressly the point, upon 'the canvas'. Where these works tend to disappoint is in those pieces that appear to require no special skill to manufacture. In most cases these often have the least staying power as far as I am concerned. Like anything there is a fine line of what works best. Much of the sculptures and drawings and paintings are incredibly exciting and there is plenty enough for a second visit in my opinion.

FILM REVIEW: Soul Plane

-Guest review by Cap'n Jonathan K. McCoy

Maybe it was the pot. And maybe it was the Jimmy Kimmel Live chick's velveteen royale purple Soul Plane captain's hat, but that shit rocked. Even though there were like only 6 other people in the theatre besides us 4 white folk, they were the vocal audience I knew I had paid to be with at the Magic Johnson theaters in like what is that area, south central Gardena or someshit. Man, good times. I couldn't tell ya one thing about the movie now, except that Snoop dies ( i think i cried at that part) and I think Nashawn Wayne really is gay. Oh, and the black couple who is making fun of how much black people get it on in movies screw on the landing gear as the plane is landing. Yeah, that was funny. I thought that there was a dude in the bathroom all handing out towels and shit was gonna be funny but in effect it's just sorta creepy. The funniest part, though, is when they make fun of how poor colored people are, which really is the entire movie. I don't mean colored people, I mean afroAms, but it felt sorta appropo to be usin some of that colofrul language, like the word colored, it's a pretty colorful sounding word. Anyway, like, the overhead bins being lockers and the refreshments being Colt 45 or Alizé. You know, by now there has got to be some child in Inglewood who is being named Alizé at this very moment, right? Yeah, whew, man, and that 99¢ store in the terminal, next to Roscoe's. I'm talking, that was dy-no-mite. I could've used more Rick James references and a little more OTT blacksploitation, but man, good times. Like I said, maybe it was the pot.

High-ly Recommended