08/03/09

Great little asian bistro with a lot of character.

by Sheauen

I've been dabbling with the idea of trying Ginger Grass for a while. I heard it was a great place for Bun, Banh Mi, and Pho in the Silverlake area. Growing up Vietnamese Chinese I'm pretty picky about my those aforementioned dishes because homemade was always the best or living in the San Gabriel Valley and being driving distance to Little Saigon you could get authentic and good almost anytime.

I was prepared for a complete bastardization of Vietnamese cuisine but hoping for a good plate of Asian Fusion. Instead, I came away really impressed. I had the Noodle Bowl with Grilled Shrimp and Imperial Roll. It was 10.50!!! the Imperial roll addition cost $1.50 for a little tiny roll the size of my thumb. My grandma would lecture me firmly for even thinking about paying for something like that. However, the little imperial roll was well done. Reminded me of Grandma's freshly fried Cha Gio. The grilled shrimp was well marinated with definite lemongrass flavors. I suspect either the nuoc cham (dressing) or the shrimp had a bit of msg in it because an hour after eating the bowls my bf was passed out in a food coma and i got my typical msg headache induced coma an hour after he did. Not verifiable though...but suspicious.

We ordered the Gingergrass fresh rolls, which was a suped up summer roll, packed with avocado, crab, and a good amount of mint and/or basil. It was served with a mayo mixed with sambal, which i found a little weird. Too creamy for the rolls. I squirted some hoisin sauce and sirracha on the plate and it was much better with the rolls. I didn't want to ask for another sauce cuz the waitress seemd a bit overwhelmed despite the restaurant being only half full on a late Saturday afternoon. She brought our appetizers out after we halfway into our noodle bowls.

My boyfriend ordered their limeade. It was watered down. He loves a good soda chanh so was a bit disappointed with it. I ordered the gingergrass ginger ale, and it was very very gingery.

We saw people crunching on the shrimp chips which they sold by the bags. I LOVED shrimp chips growing up. My grandma would fry them in a big wok in our backyard, crispy, shrimpy, yummy! We bought a bag to take with us on a road trip, it didn't disappoint. Brings back the memories. At $1.50 a bag, by one of those instead of spending it on the imperial roll addition to your noodle bowl.

We gotta go back for dinner, try the pho and the claypot catfish, and their cocktails. (Oh yeah, we ordered the vietnamese coffee ice cream for dessert, creamy, fluffy, with a hint of coffee and served with best gingersnap cookies i've ever had.) I want to make my way down their dessert list too.

To sum up, I would go there to get my vietnamese fix without driving to westminster or san gabriel and know that i'm going to get well executed food. I woudln't take my mom or grandma there though. They'd be horrified with the prices. And, I'll probably drink a lot of water before and after just in case they do use msg.

• Pros: well executed food, relaxed but nice setting
• Cons: flaky service, they might use msg, pricey for what you get.

04/24/09

Slowly but surely, another one bites the dust

by Daniel333

I have never been compelled to write a review - until tonight - about Gingergrass. This restaurant has gotten my money and patronage since opening and used to be my favorite place to eat - fresh, tasty food, reasonable prices, nearby location, you know, all good stuff.

But never in my life have I personally witnessed a restaurant fall so far from grace, leaving me with only the hazy memory of its former glory.

First, the food is so saturated with a salty, saucy coating that most all the dishes taste the same... Now I am not a horse, but you may as well serve up a salt block, garnished with a sprig of alfalfa.

Second, there has recently been a mysterious shortage of rice. On several occasions I've been told they were out of rice, and would I like something else? Certainly not! I am Asian, and I need rice with my Asian food! Whoever takes charge of rice I deem unfit for Asian food service till the end of time.

Third, if I wanted to listen to new age trance on loop all night, I'd be at my little brother's high school rave party.

Fourth, although I don't eat at Gingergrass nearly as often as I used to, the food still manages to give me horrible indigestion EVERY SINGLE TIME. Maybe I'll post my next review on LA's public health page...

03/04/09

Love the pork chops

by sk1017

Love the pork chops. The marinade is similar to Korean BBQ marinade, and the pork chops are served with short grain rice and an Asian-style cole slaw.

• Pros: Value, portions
• Cons: Loud, service isn't consistently good

01/23/09

Love the food ... some servers need to shave and wear clean clothes

by yes2no

this is one of my favorite restaurants, so to be fair, I have to say I absolutely love the Shaking Beef and the Tofu dish. On the other hand, I've almost gotten sick to my stomach a couple of times that I've gone in for lunch and saw how dirty the servers' clothes looked. I looked down and this server's shoes looked like he had partied too hard the previous night, stepped all over his peeuk , went to sleep and rolled off the bed right over to do his shift at Gingergrass. and the worst thing is that when they're carrying too many dishes, they lean them against their sweaty body with dirty clothes. There's one particular server that the last time I walked in the restaurant, I just had to leave. He has an extreme amount of facial hair (very puffy, long beard), and on my last trip, I thought I saw my food almost touch his beard when he was walking through the tables. I thought there were some food serving laws against facial hair being that ungroomed? I've cut down a lot on my trips to Gingergrass for the simple cleanliness of the servers, and when I do go, I try to eat at the tail end of lunch so that they're not too busy and my food doesn't have to touch their unlaundried shirt or ungroomed facial hair.

• Pros: Tasty dishes
• Cons: uncleanliness of serving staff

06/18/08

Fun with Vietnamese food!

by asp811

I've always had good dining experience at Gingergrass. I like going on Thursdays because just accross the street there's a wine vendor offering wine tasting. So I first find parking which can be dicey, I put my name on the list at Gingergrass, along with my cell no. so they can call me when my table is ready. Then we scoot across the street for some wine tasting. Every time we've decided on an appropriate bottle of wine, we're called letting us know our table is ready. Typical of the Silverlake/Los Feliz area, you'll find the crowd is eclectic, and the mood is casual and overall friendly. I've sampled most of their menu and haven't found fault in it. Be reminded though, this is Americanized Vietnamese food, that is all good. If you're looking for "authentic" then consider going to Garden Grove (try Brodard @ 9100 Trask Ave, or Pho Lu @ 10141 Westminster Ave). But given gas prices today, I'll go to Gingergrass every Thursday for my Vietnamese food fix.

03/12/08

Great food, bad service.

by gina_jones

Good food and as a previous user stated "authentic vietnamese" food but it's still good. The servers are only wrapped up about their friends coming through the door and socializing so just feel free to yell and wave to get their attention. Heck even get up yourself to get that condiment you're looking for. What can you expect you're in Silverlake.

The shaking beef and mako salad and if you like shrimp entree are recommended. Pass on the desserts and any of the appetizers other than the imperial rolls.

• Pros: Food
• Cons: Parking when it gets crowded, oh and the people that serves you.

01/15/08

Stylish & Homey

by zoessimo

Love the design of the place and super incredible food. The waiters are speed lightning and if you can catch one it's a miracle. If you don't get their early enough expect an hour wait!

• Pros: the food & great design--killer Ambience; parking can be tricky.
• Cons: the wait...--Not a first date spot because if you don't like your date then you don't want them to know about it.

12/10/07

Great Healthy Food, Fun Urban Neighborhood Joint, and Yes Crappy Service**

by maja18

My husband and I grab dinner at Gingergrass at least twice a month, and have been doing so since they opened. Although I will agree that service is iffy, I wouldn't say it's the worst but we absolutely avoid it during peak hours (anything after 7pm on weekdays and after 6 on weekends- seriously they're THAT busy). The place is small and very bustling, it has an urban feel and gets very hectic during peak hours so I understand when the servers are slammed and often rushing like mad, BUT that does not excuse their curt and 'European Style' service. I will agree that I have rarely had an exceedingly nice server, usually they're merely passable but they deliver the food and bring me the bill so honestly my love for the food negates their poor attitudes. Meals are pretty cheap and my staple of Hazelnut Rogue Beer, fresh Papaya Salad, and Chicken Noodle Bowl (the best noodle bowl ever) are always fantastic. The Curry Claypot is delicious, as is the Shaking Beef. It may not be the most authentic Vietnamese, the friendliest, or the fastest, but it has a great upbeat feel, delicious and healthy menu options and I will continue to love and visit this neighborhood joint. I'm surprised at the number of negative reviews, and I would expect the staff and owners at Gingergrass to step it up based on this feedback, maybe they're busy enough simply not to care.

• Pros: Great Food, Good Beer and Tonics, Bustling Atmosphere
• Cons: Service, Service, Service- Not Awful just not great*

10/12/07

I love the shaking beef!

by Elvismorte

I just read a review saying that it was the worst food he'd ever eaten. Seriously? I have been eating at Gingergrass since it opened and I love it. I haven't had the dishes the negative user tried....so possibly they aren't great but everything I've eaten there is fantastic. In fact, I think it's the Platonic Ideal of Shaking Beef. And the tofu noodle bowl is excellent. The service is sometimes good and sometimes not....but I don't care that much about that aspect of dining as long as it's not bad and the food is good. It does get crowded on weekend evenings and there are no reservations. Go when they open if you don't want to wait....or go for lunch.

• Pros: Great food. Affordable
• Cons: Service is just okay and long waits on weekends.

09/23/07

Avoid at all costs !!!!!!!!!!!!

by debkleinman

This was the first time in my life that I've sent something back that was truly uneatable. I lived in Europe of 10 yrs and most recently moved from 15 yrs in nyc. I've been eating at vietnamese and viet/fusion restaurants for over 2 decades and can honestly say that i've never tasted anything so horrific at a restaurant, vietnamese or otherwise. I ordered the sweet and sour seafood canh chua ( a type of hearty noodle bowl) and it tasted like 1 part dishwater with 1 part watery bad fish stock, it was just disgusting, I wouldn't give it to my dog. Absolutely distasteful and totally bland. I asked the waiter ( not our actual waiter ) what he recommended and he suggested the curried coconut cod which sounded promising, I figured how bad can it be ? Well, I was floored. i dug my fork in through a 1/2 inch of gelatinous coconut cream and got a little fish and popped it in my mouth. All I could taste was pure sugar cream with the slightest hint of coconut. It tasted like a warm desert dish with fish and the cold noodles on the side. Our actual waiter said that he would not have recommended that dish and really only offered one that he would . A woman came by who I'm guessing was a sort of manager to ask about the dish and I said I didn't want it and she said maybe I don't like fish, so obviously they're not really interested in what people think. They didn't take it off the check either and I literally had one bite off of each dish. I guess they thought I was just being difficult but I thought that was a bad business move. The decor is warm and modern and the ingredients themselves seemed very fresh, loved the staff and the prices are great but the cuisine is so horrific that i'd rather open up a pre-packaged box of ramen noodles. I wouldn't eat this food even if it was free. Maybe they should do a little research in nyc and sample: Nam, Republic, Cyclone, Omai, Pho Tay H. Or better yet, there must be better

vietnamese right here in the los angeles area.

• Pros: Nice room, friendly staff
• Cons: The worst food I've ever put in my mouth