So I got to see Jonathan Coulton at Largo last Sunday, and we tried Addiction Bistro.
Apparently, we were not the only ones to think grabbing a bite before the show was a good idea. We got the last available patio table about 6:15pm. Very pleasant (if a little chilly) and we were seated next to other folks also going to the show, so it was really pleasant conversation. We even saw Angelyne driving down La Cienega in her pink 'vette.
But 6:30 passed. And 6:45. AND 7:00.
We didn’t actually get our food until almost ten after, which left us not much time to enjoy it. Which is a shame because the truffle burger was actually a very good burger. The truffle aoili, as it almost always is, was pointless. A few stripes of mayo with truffle oil stirred in. It didn’t add much to the already very tasty burger and carmelized onions. But even so, a good burger is a good burger.
The gnocchi with gorganzola was less so. I’m fairly certain the kitchen got ‘into the weeds’ and rushed something, because several of the gnocchi were still stuck together, and thus ended up a little undercooked. When you bit through one, it left a texture like play-doh in the middle. And the sauce was honestly kinda bland, which would have been less of a problem had the gnocchi been better.
We were more fortunate than the couple next to us, who, despite sitting down a few minutes before us, were served AFTER us. In fact, one of them just got their food to go and ended up eating it from the box walking back to Largo.
This is one of the very few restaurant experiences that left me kinda unhappy. Enough that I actually regretted having to run off before I could speak to the manager about it.
The waiter DID apologize and expressed surprise at the ‘pre-show rush.’ Really? You’re 100 feet from a theater where they hand out assignments 90 minutes before showtime, and you’re surprised people all want dinner then?
And, since I had so much time to peruse the menu, I got to read it thoroughly. Take a look at it yourself:
http://www.theaddictionbistro.com/site_media/menu_web_dinner.pdf
Look how “Fantastic!” it all is. “Amazing!”, “Addictive!” “INCREDIBLE!”
So! Many! Exclamation! Points!
Still, the location and price are pretty right for a nice, non-wallet busting meal if you’re in the neighborhood.
PS- The show was amazing. Aimee Mann was playing bass for him and did a couple of songs from her upcoming album. YAY!!
This is very helpful though, since I don’t know the moderate places in this area of town.
