You Can't Beat the Eats

Wednesday was a busy night. First, I stopped by COWPU to hang out for a little bit and say Hi. COWPU is a geeky get-together, not something you step in.

After that, I had a great doumbek lesson from the talented Dale Largent. I'd been teaching myself from NetFlix DVDs and materials I found on the web, but when I found out Dale was starting a class I couldn't wait. It's nice to learn things the right way, instead of worrying that you're learning the wrong way and will need to unlearn your bad habits. Dale's a great teacher, and a great player, and I felt privileged to learn from him.

After a two-hour lesson, we wandered over to The Grove to watch a belly-dance performance. One of my favorites was The Bijou Project. Not only were the dancers graceful and beautiful, the music was outstanding. One of the dancers, Leia, was kind enough to email me the music she played. I was bemused to discover that one of the pieces was from the Mickey Hart CD "Planet Drum". I've had that CD for years, and I'd forgotten about it. I guess I'll have to dig it up and listen to it again. How many of your own CDs are gathering dust, mmm?

Speaking of The Grove, I can't believe we've lived here over a year and never eaten at that restaurant/lounge. So tonight Connie and I went there for dinner. Before I tell you about the meal, let me tell you about the ambience.

The decor is difficult to describe. It can't be put into words. But I'm going to anyway. It has a tropical feel to it, as if you'd been transported to a lounge in Southeast Asia, or the South Pacific, or some adventurer's club in deepest, darkest Africa. There are candles, and a buddha, and potted palms, art on the walls, dark wood and exotic music. Colored lights illuminate objets d'art on shelves that contribute to the foreign feel. Images are projected on the walls. Simply by changing the images and the colored lights, they can change the mood. Tonight looked different than Wednesday night. It keeps it fresh and dynamic.

Nothing pleases me more than a restaurant that whisks me away to a new experience, like The Marrakesh or Disneyland's Blue Bayou. As you step through the doorway you leave behind your quotidian life and enter, for a short time, another reality. That is the Grove.

The food is also exotic. We started with an edamame appetizer. Not content to simply serve steamed beans with salt, the Grove embellishes them with ginger, sesame and shredded carrot. They were great. Connie had a black bean burger that she quite enjoyed. The majority of meals served at the Grove can be made Vegetarian by substituting tofu or other item for the meat. I always want to ask if a vegetarian meal is made with real vegetarians. Rather than risk divorce, though, I restrain myself. Such is the domestication of the American male.

I had Nepali Fried Rice with Chicken, which was excellent as well. The chicken was tender and juicy in a crisp tempura batter, served with shredded carrots on a bed of aromatic basmati rice with cashews, currants and cilantro over fresh spinach leaves. The rice was tasty and cooked to please Goldilocks.

I'm hoping to find more restaurants with a far-off decor. The Astro Lounge, maybe? Take me away.


Posted by Dave Blog Tag: Chatter