by Ronnie Joo on We go here often because we can walk to it, and it's not bad. Problem is, it's not that good either. The food is surprisingly bland for being so colorful. The quality of the food is ok, and it does not suffer from being too fried or too greasy, but just lacks something. They seem to do steady business, and when spring hits and they can open up the sides and outdoor seating, I suspect they'll do just fine. That whole area is hell though. Glad they let a bunch of high school drop out "developers" have free reign. They did a great job bringing that authentic clustermuck strip mall vibe intown with a complete disregard for usability. At night it's a mess of jack moves and u turns and horn honking. Someone will get shot at that 3 way stop eventually. That's how we do in the A. Pure is emblematic of that vibe. Opportunity lost.
by T-L.K. N. on I love Michael Mina. I fell in love with him when I ate at StripSteak in Vegas. I therefore had very high expectations of XIV and I was not disappointed. My overall experience was excellent, and I am definitely a fan. I sat at the bar and had a couple Scotches while waiting for my tardy girlfriend. When we finally sat down, the bartender comped my drinks. It's lovely being a woman. :) Because it's dineLA week, I always feel the need to order from their prix-fixe menu. I can go back and eat off their regular menu anytime, right? Well, I was very happy with my choices overall. The tataki beef appetizer was so tender and full of flavor. I originally ordered the wild mushroom risotto as my entree, but I had to send it back. It was bad. I never, ever send anything back, but it was undercooked and bland. The server whispered to me that she agreed it was a terrible dish, and promptly replaced it with the salmon. Delicious. For dessert, I had the nutella custard with popcorn ice cream. It was pretty complex, but could not compare to the art that was the yuzu custard. The presentation was eye catching, and the dessert itself was so complex with layers and layers of flavors. We were so impressed with it that we raved about it to the pastry chef. He invited us back to try his dessert tasting menu. ;) Delicious food, casual, yet upscale atmosphere, friendly waitstaff. It doesn't get any better than this. PS. Order the wine pairings with your dinner. The sommelier did a fantastic job.
