la.foodblogging

Gingergrass
2396 Glendale
Silverlake, CA

My first impression of Gingergrass felt warm and fuzzy - I love the lofty, minimalist feel. The building feels unfinished, artsy, yet oddly comfortable. No distracting frou frou scenester fanfare - and the smells were intoxicating from the get-go. The place was slammin’, and a little too warm, but that only adds to the cozy-factor. Good start.

Service was consistent and non-evasive - great for a lunchtime buzz, as everyone seemed rushed. I loved the very fresh and yummy sounding menu, loaded with unique ingredients (Asian jackfruit, pickled veggies, etc.) and all priced super duper reasonably.

They do serve a wee bit o’ alcohol, but at noon on the dial, I held back the urge. Who says I don’t have willpower?

Zee food - well, it’s strange. In a good way, I think, but the samples I had were a bit - hmm. Off. My best friend in the world is Vietnamese, and she assured me it’s anything but authentic here. Unique and fresh scores high in my book, so overall, I’d say Yes to Gingergrass. Here’s why:

Drinks:

Just sodas

Appetizer:

Gingergrass Fresh Rolls
* Crab and avocado rolled with lettuce and cucumbers served with a creamy spicy aioli
I was a little disappointed by the texture on these - the skin was too chewy and overall, unsubstantial. The flavors were a bit overwhelmed by the heavy mayo sauce - this was an OK dish. What annoyed me - they serve 1 1/2 rolls, or 3 half pieces. I loathe appetizers that become difficult to share - because let’s face it, that’s what most of us do. Why not just serve us the two whole rolls? Would it really break the bank? Grr.

Salad:

Jack and Ginger Salad (pictured above)
* Asian jackfruit mixed with fresh cabbage, lotus root, poached shrimp, caramelized shallots and topped with white and black sesame seeds and peanuts, with a shrimp sauce vinaigrette.
THIS is where things got interesting. What a unique, refreshing, and incredibly flavorful salad. The textures and, as you can see, colors, were stunning. I really loved this dish, despite it’s unexpected sweetness. The lotus root and jackfruit were succulent, juicy, and perfectly matched. I also spied a significant amount of shrimp and goodies for the low $8 price tag. This one was so well played.

Entree:

Shrimp Noodles
* Shrimp served over sticky rice noodles with shredded lettuce, pickled vegetables, herbs and nuoc cham.
Just what you’d expect - freshly wok-ed noodles, veggies, and shrimp. Tasty, but rather insignificant.

The damage for one soda, one appetizer, one entree, and one salad was about $29 before tip. Not too shabby-licious!

RESTAURANT REPORT CARD - Gingergrass, Visit 1

Ambiance - B-
Service - B-
Food (Taste) - B-
Food (Presentation) - B-
Wine/Drinks - C
Value - B+
Vibe/Energy/Scene - C+

Overall Experience - B-

Final word - Great local lunch hang, if you like ‘em original and LOUD!

By PoetKitty (see more of her posts). You can find more of PoetKitty's writing at her own website OMG Food!