Here once again, the Eater Complaints Dept. where you can vent, vent, vent and never be kicked off the boards. Sometimes an Eater just needs to get something off his or her chest. We'll be your sounding board.
From: Austin L.
Date: Monday, May 14
To: eater complaints dept.
Subject: Bossa Nova Pico
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Long time reader, first time emailer. Love your blog. I can't believe I got through.
I can swear sometime ago you posted something about the Bossa Nova on Pico. [ed. note: at 10982 W. Pico, near Veteran; just opened a few weeks ago] The restaurant had multiple pump fake openings, complete with facade/signage installation and removal and reinstallation.
I just got back from a marathon lunch (a combination of new restaurant growing pains and two large parties just seated before my four-some). The food was as good as anticipated, being Bossa Nova and all. Given all the time to ruminate our existence between sitting and ordering and receiving food, one had to absorb the surroundings.
The restaurant is like several Trading Spaces episodes crammed into one. There must have been an early decision that the color scheme would be Dank. Everything has not just a rust finish, but that clammy rust, saved for dungeons and fight scenes.
The most noticeable thing that remained throughout the several remodel iterations was the stone veneer. It's a pretty standard flat dry stack pattern, all fine and good, unless, say, you have to sit next to it. Sitting next to would be OK too, if you were wearing long sleeves and pants, unless, say, they had a water pump circulating (and occasionally drizzling) something that had been fresh water on the weekend.
Odd details abound throughout. The trellis with staple gun screening. The weird glazing caulk dam. Next rain, I am guessing the rain from the back patio will drain through the restaurant via the floor out the front door.
I had a punch line I wanted to integrate, but I am going to just throw it out there and let it dangle at the end, like this: When bad design happens to low bidders.
