Holiday Feast

I just got back from a Rosh Hoshana dinner with some friends at a restaurant in Culver City, Akasha.  It was selected because they actually have a special Rosh Hoshana menu.  Not that there's a whole lot to choose from for holiday delicacies, basically brisket or a boiled chicken, though with a bunch of good-looking starters.

A bunch of us did a mix-and-match, picking some starters off the holiday menu, like potato pancakes, and the main course off the main menu.  That's what I did.  I figured that brisket wasn't all that far a leap to barbecued ribs.

The restaurant is fairly nice, somewhat modern with a hint towards old world, with a lot of heavy wood.  The food ranged from fair to tasty, with small portions that are vastly overpriced.  Most of the other people at the table loved the place, so I'm glad for that.  Me, it was fine, but not more than that.  And did I mention small portions that are vastly overpriced?

The potato pancakes were pretty good.  The barbecued ribs were okay flavorful for restaurant ribs, not much for rib-joint smoked for six hours ribs.  A bit too dry and they dropped off the bone if you starred at them.  And they cost $27.  Now, I know from ribs -- it's my favorite food, and I get them reasonably often.  I went to a new rib place just last week.  For $27, I was expecting a slab.  I got four ribs.  That's expensive, even if they were great.  Which they weren't close to, but fine.  There was also a large cup of cole slaw, something that I normally love.  These were almost tasteless, almost dry, sort of like eating a cupful of cabbage.  Some people don't like creamy cole slaw sauce -- you'd have been in heaven here.

It wasn't a bad place at all.  It was pleasant and if someone invited me there again as their guest, I'd be fine going.  But to meet?  Probably not.

Still, I liked my idea of barbecued ribs as a replacement for brisket.  It was great in concept.