Today S. Irene Virbila checks out Wilson in Culver City, a slightly avant garde spot cornering the new Museum of Design Art & Architecture. With a vanilla headline like "Good stuff well done" we didn't expect any blowout reviews, and in the end, Miss Irene is pleased enough with the place:
Wilson is a California take on the gastropubs that have swept through London, a place to get some decent, hearty grub (emphasis on the hearty) made by a chef dedicated to the idea of fresh, local food, accompanied by a glass of well-made beer or wine. Wilson is one more sign that young chefs are heading for the hoods where rents are cheaper, the competition isn't as stiff, and the vibe is local and casual.She goes with one-star for Wilson, which seems apropos since she sort of dissed chef Michael Wilson's youthful over-the-topness, which is more her taste buds than being a bad thing. Today the "S." stands for "so-so," not just because her opinion is so so-so, but also because the Times put a bad link for the Wilson website on the review. And is it odd to anyone else that Miss Irene just reviewed Wilson's owners' other restaurant, Piccolo Ristorante, just three weeks ago?
Elsewhere, LA.com finds kabobs and cabanas at Chakra; Franklin Avenue's Mike and Maria check out Mozza; Linda Burum skips a real trip to Malaysia for Tropika; Gastrologica finds Spago still on top of its game; and Potatomato slurps ramen at Santouka in Torrance and finds a good bento box at Usui in Little Tokyo.
