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| - Ahhh... R&D. You bring back some pretty interesting memories. First of all, the venue is very hip. There's a medium-size bar area right when you first enter and the restaurant's eclectic, hipster concept is made known very early on with cool mural walls loud(ish) music, and chill-looking staff. Interesting cocktails here, or at least so I've heard... I'm not much of a drinker (anymore) myself, but the first time I was here I did order a fun-looking drink and almost convinced myself that I actually enjoy alcohol. The food and convenient location in Chinatown are what keeps me and my partner coming back when we're looking for that 3-$$$ sign downtown restaurant, i.e. fancy but not schmancy.
As a plant-based eater who eats egg, some dairy, and seafood depending on the day, the short food menu here is more than enough to satisfy. There is a fair amount of meat-based dishes on the menu - after all, Asians actually do eat a lot of animal products regularly. The cuisine here is Asian Fusion and I can vouch for all the flavors. Your tastebuds are definitely in for a treat regardless of what you order, so prepared to be surprised by unique takes on classic East Asian dishes, e.g. mapo tofu, bibimbap, with unconventional textures and presentations.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the mapo tofu vegetarian dish tonight! Crispy tofu with veggies and lots of peanuts generously dressed with a "creamy" hot sauce with a slight Sichuan peppercorn burn, tip- it's really not that spicy! I looooved the texture and rich flavor medley for this dish. It's not very large, so probably better as a side dish or appetizer. The vegetarian hot stone bibimbap was also very yummy, but more generic for sure. I loved how they actually served black rice rather than purple rice, which is basically white rice plus a small % of black rice for the color. Black rice is healthier than white rice for sure and has a chewy nuttiness to it. Otherwise this dish is not super memorable besides how big it is! For $18 you are definitely a lot of food.
The reason why I gave 3/5 stars is mainly because I think this restaurant still has a lot of potential. Tonight was my 3rd night here. I think there used to be a lot more hype, but the sometimes lackluster food (changing menu) and possibly pricing turned some people away. I'm interested to see how this restaurant will continue to grow, will be back!
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