TBA
Simbal
Nom'ing away at Simbal. The somewhat unusual wine list was one of the highlights; it would require someone with more expertise than myself on wine to properly appreciate it!
Half the dishes were very good. The pomelo and shrimp was a nice combination, while the seasoned rice was superb. Very, very well done. The meiji tofu and ahi tuna was very fresh, although not nearly as amazing as the rice or the beef tartare and seasme bun-- assuming you could handle a bit of heat, the beef tartare with the sesame bun was even better than the seasoned rice.
Rest of the meal wasn't quite up to the first dishes; the green beans and bok choy were nicely done but would've been better atop some plain white rice to appreciate the sauce, ditto for the beef tips, which were a smidgen on the sweeter (and a little chewy/tender) side. The coconut dessert was so good it tasted just like the packaged stuff from the supermarket-- which, yes, is actually a compliment.
Coconut flan wasn't bad, but a traditional flan seems to be more satisfying. Everything fit in well with the rather modern and slightly industrial decor, down to the sectional windowed garage-type doors and the nearly fully exposed kitchen. A very modern place tucked into the side of the otherwise very traditionally-styled Japanese-American Little Tokyo Mall.