Tony S.
Yelp
Like my first bite of candied bacon, I was pleasantly surprised by my first visit to Ginger Exchange.
I'd just finished a performance nearby when the family decided to give the place a try. Being a Los Angeleno, I have unusually difficult (not necessarily high, but difficult) standards when it comes to Asian fusion restaurants. In fact, I have similar standards when it comes to dating.
1. She has to be alive.
A. Fusion restaurant has to have some kind of live ambiance.
2. She has to dress well, and show minimal dandruff.
B. Food dishes must have presentation. Looks MUST sell.
3. She can't be high maintenance, and NO I will not take her shopping on a first date.
C. Value for money is a must!
4. She has to have good personal hygiene.
D. Bathrooms must be clean (I compare bathroom cleanliness to kitchen cleanliness).
5. She has to be a good kisser, and not have food particles floating around her mouth.
E. The food must taste good.
Happy to say that Ginger Exchange met most of my standards, and more importantly, impressed the shit out of my uber picky mother.
The sushi tower is not a new concept by any means, but their choice of ingredients and generous dose of sauces and roe/caviar was just right (a tad much on the rice, but I'm not complaining). And added benefit: they use Atlantic Tuna.
The crab rangoon, standard, so acceptable. This is akin to a date having all her teeth. Pass.
The Green Monster sushi roll, with shrimp tempura, unagi, eel sauce, and I think avocado (usually called "monster" roll in other places) was up to par. Very decent.
Miso Salmon. Surprisingly good. I think the garnish could have been better, but honestly, they did this very, very well.
Bibimbap. I wouldn't call this authentic Korean style the way they use their beef, but it was still a good dish. I can see why it's so popular.
Mee Goreng..... ok. Being part Southeast Asian, and having lived in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore for several years, is the only dish that fell short of expectations. It tasted more like a sweetened spaghetti bolognese, which in and of itself wasn't bad, but not for what I wanted it to be. This was likely the only 'ding' on the menu for me, akin to a date that has poorly manicured toenails.... that maybe stink a little... but otherwise has pretty feet.
Overall, including the excellent, excellent service from our server Jarvis, I easily give it 4-stars, and am happy to come back again.