Show 'Nuff

Pho Show
4349 Sepulveda Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90230
310-398-5200

[read this in the latest edition of Breaks magazine]

Although the Westside has plenty of Japanese, Persian, Indian and Thai restaurants, there is scant representation of Vietnamese cuisine. And we won’t get into the dearth of good Chinese food in this article.

Now Pho Show, continuing the grand pho pun tradition, is bringing a bit of the eastside to us. Culver City has been cultivating a restaurant row downtown for the past few years. But Pho (rhymes with “duh”) Show is located where Lindblade runs into Sepulveda Boulevard near shops where you can get a Thai massage or tropical fish, not by wine bars and gastropubs.

It’s a small minimalist place with mango-colored walls and hard white chairs. There are six tables for two on the sidewalk surrounded by new flowering vines and bamboo plants. On a late Monday afternoon, there were about three other tables occupied. I chose a spot outside. It was cool for a July day and the building created shade so the temperature was pleasant. The sight and sound of traffic was not relaxing, but drivers singing to their radio and babies in strollers pushed by their nannies provided atmoshere.

There are several starters and drinks, including beer, wine, and soju cocktails. I started with a glass of iced Vietnamese coffee and shrimp spring rolls. The coffee was strong and sweetened by condensed milk, but I was disappointed that it didn’t come in a Vietnamese coffee press. I like having to wait for the coffee to drip slowly from the metal contraption into a cup and then stirring it into a glass of ice. You have a choice of fish sauce or peanut sauce with the rolls. I chose fish sauce, which, for the uninitiated, is not as strong as it sounds, but is more vinegary. The “salad rolls” come in a fresh rice wrapper filled with rice noodles, shrimp, basil, mint and cilantro. They are a refreshing choice for warm weather. There are also versions with meat or tofu or you can get the fried cha gio.

There are other rice and noodle dishes with endless combinations of meat and vegetables, nothing more than $11, however pho is the main attraction. Pho is a thin rice noodle soup with a clear beef broth, various meat options and garnishes that each diner uses as desired. I ordered a basic small bowl with rare steak, but I have friends that can’t eat pho without tripe and brisket. When your server asks, request the steak on the side or it won’t be rare for long. The small bowl was a good size though at $6.75 not the deal you can get at other pho joints. The broth had a delicate beef flavor with the aroma of what I believe was cardamom and cloves. Perhaps not as hearty as some would like, but it was perfect for the summer. White and green onions floated on the top. The noodles below the surface were a bit clumped together, but fine once stirred around. The steak came on a separate dish with more onions. You also get Thai basil, sprouts and lime wedges to add at your discretion—I put in everything along with some red chili sauce, of which there are three kinds on the table.

Pho Show doesn’t have the funky “authenticity” of a place downtown or further east, but who says all pho should be eaten at a hole in the wall? Why should we have to endure the 10 freeway for Vietnamese food? There is one significant problem. Pho, like its Mexican counterpart menudo, is known as hangover food. Unfortunately, Pho Show doesn’t open until 5:30 on the weekends. But nearby you can always get a Cubano sandwich or a massage nearby while you wait.

Looking for K-town in Culver City

Gyenari
9540 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90231
310-838-3131

Delicacheena usually travels to Koreatown to satisfy their craving for sizzling meat and kimchee. With the opening of a Korean BBQ Lounge in Culver City, UE and the SPII crew sneaked in after the lunchtime rush to enjoy a meal that is happily consumed in the late-night hours.

Gyenari offers outdoor dining with a bar area located at the front. The remaining space contains black leather booths and a beautifully lit yellow flower wall divider. Unlike traditional Korean establishments, the atmosphere was calm and quite spacious.

The lunch menu offers both recognizable dishes as well as salads & sandwiches. No barley tea was available but we did enjoy the cranberry hibiscus tea. The surprisingly meaty pork Mandoo appetizer satisfied our empty stomachs but the mild kimchee and chicken broth side dishes set the tone for what we now knew would not be traditional Korean entrees.

The piknik plates were combination meals with different meat offerings. The tempura was light and the batter surrounding the vegetables and shrimp was flavorful and not over-fried. The side noodles were a solid offering that was appreciated more as the meal progressed.

We had high expectations for the bulgogi plates but like the kimchee before it, the spice level and seasonings were drastically dull. TOS was happy with his spicy pork but agreed the adjective "spicy" should be removed from the name. Meanwhile, KKK's beef bulgogi was not offered on a sizzling plate. Without the usual smoky flavors and inescapable meat perfume, the non-grilled meat left a bland taste and a chewy texture. For a traditional preparation, we recommend visiting during dining hours as patrons are able to grill meat at their tables.

UE's pan seared tofu was a bright spot among the piknik plates. The sauce was familiar and did not overwhelm the natural flavors of the tofu. The texture was slightly firm and maintained its form well. Overall, a simple dish that can satisfy any foodie.

Since the A.L.T. was not under scrutiny, URL happily devoured the sandwich and the perfectly shaped onion rings. The ahi burger was seared and prepared exactly as it should be. URL declared it the best among all she's ever tasted. After taking a bite, KKK was convinced and will order the sandwich on her next visit.

As lunch came to the close, we all left room for dessert. Four delightfully fried donuts with a raspberry cream sauce washed away any disappointment we had with our meal. The donuts crunched on the outside and warmth exuded from the center. The raspberry sauce tasted natural and freshly prepared. We stared at the empty plate and wondered when we would return for these treats again.

Gyenari is not a substitute for the traditional places in K-town. Do not be discouraged with the lunchtime combination meals as they come through with their other offerings and well-made desserts.

We'll Be Frank

Hole in the Wall
11058 Santa Monica Blvd. (Behind the Winchell's)
Los Angeles, CA 90025
310-312-3632

Father's Office
3229 Helms Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90034
310-736-2224

Let's Be Frank
Helms Avenue between Washington Blvd. and Venice Blvd. on the East side of the street.
Culver City, CA

We didn't realize Hole in the Wall was closed on Sundays so we popped down to Father's Office at Helm's Bakery figuring it would be easier to find parking and a table than in Santa Monica. The Rogue Hazelnut was rich and the Grimbergen Blonde--recommended as similar to Hoegaarden--was spicy. The shoestring and sweet potato fries with aioli were addictive as usual and the oatmeal stout ribs were sweet and tender, but the burger was not up to par. The roll was over toasted and therefore crumbly and dry and the medium rare patty was closer to medium. Our neighbors at our table had a rare burger that was supposed to be medium. INK is used to the Office Burger being juicy and messy and this one wasn't.

Good thing the fries didn't fail and we were content to bring home a coupla $5 beef dogs from the Let's Be Frank truck (which used to be just a cart) across the street to eat while watching the game. . . We're always planning the next meal. Hole in the Wall burger for lunch tomorrow?

We'll let you know how the frank/Hoegaarden pairing goes.

UPDATE: The lightly spiced with a hint of lemon Hoegaarden complimented the peppery dogs. They were dense and beefy, but lacked snap. The grilled onions had just enough bite and sweetness. If we had eaten the hot dogs right away, we would have added kraut and/or the homemade relish, but the brown mustard sufficed.

Side Dish: Bluebird Cafe

Bluebird Cafe
8572 National Blvd
Culver City
310 841 0939

INK's office manager was given a large box of assorted Bluebird Cafe cupcakes from her "secret admirer." Hey, gotta love the mystery guy.

The flat, broad cupcakes--red velvet, coconut, chocolate, vanilla and carrot--look like what you'd find at a school bake sale, but two to three times larger. . . and for $2.25 instead of fifty cents. Some had sprinkles or coconut flakes, all were heavily frosted. Because they were right up against each other, it was difficult to grab one without getting frosting on your fingers.

INK opted for the red velvet with cream cheese frosting. The cake had a delicate crumb, was moist, and not too sweet. The overabundant frosting was almost salty at first, but became sweeter with successive bites. A fine cupcake, but not particularly memorable for INK. She had high expectations after hearing others rave. [It's difficult to write in third person this much!]

Dainties is still #1.

Been There, Ate That

Other places that we've patronized in the past and enjoyed:

Providence--It's a seafood restaurant with mmmm bacon in every course, including dessert.

Violet--Little dishes and reeeaally little glass of milk and cookies as the coda.

Blue Velvet--After an Edward Scissorhands matinee with the mom, a very early glass of wine and well-prepared dinner. Talk about crazy, but works dessert combinations.

Tender Greens--What, no corn?! But these big, fresh salads with choices of protein are great. Cupcakes don't hurt.

Ford's Filling Station--Everyone knows about this other Culver City stop.

Nook--Comfort food, but the communal table stools are uncomfortable.

Jar--Meat and veggies roasted and braised right. Does it really stand for Just Another Restaurant?

Angeli Cafe--Homey Italian food with great bread. It's fun to watch people try to find the door. Wish that chicken pasta was a regular menu item.

Lemon Moon--Great prepared salads like Clementine. Too bad it's only open during lunch on the weekdays. Knew it would be good before it opened when INK saw the Zumex machine in the window while running.

Joan's on Third--Salads, soups, cupcakes, coffee, gelato.

Spoon House--Spicy Japanese spaghetti with soft French bread.

Zax--We'll alway remember you as our favorite restaurant. . .

Casual Food at Fine Dining Prices!

Wilson
8631 E. Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
Ph: (310) 287-2093


Luckily we had a late lunch since there was a twenty-five minute wait for our 8:30 reservation. But the smells emanating from the kitchen made us anticipate a good meal at Wilson. The restaurant, adjoining an art gallery, has lights of changing colors on the facade. The kitchen is open to the noisy front dining room. We sat on the patio painted with accents of orange. The olive green plastic chairs were a bit stiff, but most comfortable if you sat back and took in the casual ambiance.

Now for the food. We were pleased with the bread, a mix of brown bread sweeten with honey, onion focaccia (UE's favorite) and a country white. Our meals arrived quickly. The slow-roasted pork with polenta was intensely spiced and just sweet enough. Greens layered on top added color. The meat was fork-tender and the African-influenced sauce was dotted with cherries. This is comfort food.

The baby field greens salad was bursting with flavor and color. The greens were surrounded by the homemade croutons, each with their very own tasty treat. While the prosciutto was ordinary, the pesto spread had a hint of curry that made it that more delectable. The vegetable spreads were tomatoes and eggplant. INK especially enjoyed the goat cheese.

The 1/2 jidori chicken laid on a significant pillow of wasabi mashed potatoes with a side of sweet and tangy caramelized onion sauce. The chicken was moist with a thin crisp layer of skin topped with cilantro pesto.....which really tasted like a curried pesto, but still good. Instead of overwhelming each other (and JM), the overall sweet complimented the pesto/curry, however the wasabi was barely noticeable.

Time for dessert! The desserts were simple and satisfying but not inventive. The buttery apple crumble with creme anglaise was very nice if you have a sweet tooth. The creme brulee was standard, but was topped with a generous portion of raspberries.

We were happy with our experience. We proclaimed we would be back! All was good until we were hit with the bill and noticed the $22 desserts we had just consumed! This was no fine dining! Though Wilson started strong with solid entrees and a jolly wait staff, our experience was sullied by the overpriced final course.