So the hub and I were HUNGRY after our wine tasting date (and very sleepy); so rather than braving the LA freeways in search of a Fatburger (one of his favorites when we venture beyond the LBC limits), we walked across the street from Silverlake Wine to Gingergrass, serving “fresh Vietnamese cuisine.”
I was somewhat surprised at my husband’s suggestion to get a bite to eat there, as much as convenience and ravenousness (don’t judge – look it up – it’s there) played a role, as I hadn’t known him to be a fan, or to have even tried Vietnamese food. I have on those couple of occasions in my life when I was too new of an employee to voice how picky and unadventurous I was with food and therefore played along when the gang picked Vietnamese for someone’s birthday, going for the spring rolls because they were the simplest (and cheapest) thing on the menu (then taking a break later on in the afternoon, walking to the greasy hole-in-the-wall nearby for fries with Ranch dressing). But that was the old me. That was pre-Dianderthal; pre-Ladies Who Dine. The new me is determined to thrill my taste buds and to take risks, even if it means a stomachache or a straight-up gag now and then.
Gingergrass ended up being okay, as the Yelp! reviews noted.
My husband’s sandwich was all that I’d ever dreamed the banh mi would be. Tangy vegetables, spicy chicken, soft bread with a crunchy crust. I was a bit sad that I didn’t order one for myself.
My noodles would have been pretty good if it weren’t for the chicken, which tasted slightly stale, like it had been leftover and mixed in rather than specifically prepared for the dish. It was sort of one-note, though the noodles weren’t bad. I also could have used more veggies, more crunch.
Still not a bad way to get me out of my wine haze and please my belly. And the desserts looked promising – might have tried something if I weren’t stuffed (yes, although it wasn’t the best dish I ever tried, it was good enough for me to load up the chopsticks). Not sure if I would ever drive up to Silverlake specifically for Gingergrass. However, if I do find myself hungry (even ravenous) after another Sunday wine tasting, I wouldn’t mind stopping in for a banh mi sandwich.
Gingergrass
2396 Glendale Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90039