by Wei W. on Could be worse. I was here for a Saturday night special for college grads of '08 - I have yet to see a club with more Asians (besides Venu). The door guy was pretty strict, but the coat check guy was nice. I have to agree with Julia C. - the alcohol was mediocre and weak, and RIDICULOUSLY overpriced. Seriously, $9 for a kamikaze? Please, I can buy a bottle of vodka with that. The DJ was okay; song transitions weren't too butchered and there was some sort of variety. I would have preferred electronica all night, but one can wish.
by Lesia Meggitt on Went to the restaurant, not a show... I hate to be a hatah, but I really don't like the design and ambiance. It's the most ridiculously huge space with all sorts of areas that are disjointed and so garish and uncozy. There are maybe 200 different lights from the ceiling that make everything look even bigger and brighter. One of the "private dining rooms" is basically a room made of floor-to-ceiling glass by the open kitchen. So private. The other private rooms with sliding screens reveal what looks like a hotel conference room. The kitchen is also big like a hotel kitchen and all open exhibition-style...with uber-bright lights of course. It's big, it's brash, it's bright! I'm in LA! The pushy servers seem to be professionally trained to upsell and peer pressure you to order things you don't really want. That's after talking your ear off about their 20 favorite things on the menu. Ack, stop talking! The food is unique and delicious, but the overbearing service and LA-atmosphere were a downer. Dishes that stuck out: starter of maguro with gorgonzola cream and caviar. mackerel nigiri made old-style with the boxes, and a thin tofu skin laid on top. We went to the 1300 Fillmore lounge next door after dinner for some nice atmosphere and comfy chairs.
