October 2007 Archives

i just had one of the best crew meals ever...
last night we shot at a place in Koreatown called "Aroma Spa & Sports."  it's a multi-story building with a spa (of course), multiple mall-style shops, salons, and restaurants, and the craziest yet most brilliant golf facility ever.  some genius thought, "hey!  if i chop off the side of the building and put a net over the parking garage, i could have a multi-story driving range!"  (photos here.)  
anyway, since we were shooting at the driving range, our (Asian) executive producer decided it would be easier if we all just got petty cash to eat at the downstairs food court, and the (Asian) director agreed.  at first, there was a muted outcry from a few (non-Asian) crew, but the longtime (any ethnicity) Los Angeles dwellers/eaters quickly shepherded them through the delicious Korean food choices, and soon everyone was sitting down to pure deliciousness.  
it was somehow a very joyous experience to look around and see all these people eating things they'd never heard of before -- hot and spicy tofu soup, various incarnations of bi bim bap (vegetables & meat layered over rice with a red sauce), all sorts of noodles, and of course, their discovery of the yumminess that is banchan (a particularly fabulous feature of Korean cuisine, which basically is little dishes of stuff -- pickles, kim chee, potato salad, onion cakes, fish cake, glass noodles, etc.)  i had a scrumptious bowl of dol sot bi bim bap, which means it came in a hot stone bowl which literally grills the rice to a crusty gloriousness.
since this was all on petty cash (i.e., the production manager hands you cash, and you use it or lose it), everyone also had frozen yogurt with red beans or boba tea for dessert.  more slurping hilarity ensued.
it was no accident that everyone was in unusually good moods the rest of the evening and we actually wrapped early, we were so efficient.  it was gratifying to see that so many people were quite pleased with themselves for going out of their comfort zones and getting another stamp in the food passport.

Why is it if an Italian restaurant in London is authentic and tasty it is also a BIG BIG BIG ripoff?

Several times in the last few times I have visited London each of the Italian restaurants I have eaten at have had numerous extra and hidden charges in the bill that can't be reversed and the waiter claims it was stated on menu.

Tonight, I had a lovely risotto and glass of wine for nearly $50 USD after it was all said and done...  WHAT!?!? Table fee, £2 extra on the risotto for God only knows why, and an undefined £3, plus 12.5% mandatory gratuity.  It was not worth it.  Good, but not that good. 

I would tell you to avoid L'Accento on the Bayswater / Notting Hill border, but they are not the only ones.  There was the Italian with the $45 tuna last year ($18 before bullshit charges) in the Pimlico/Chelsea area last year.  And then...

Basically, unless it is cheap pizza, just say no to Italian in London as many of the authentic restaurants seem to be also cheating the customer.  No need to be ripped off with extra charges when you can make a good risotto at home.