Trendy Eats: Lunch @ Tamarine

In my town, When I came to Stanford from Mansfield, Ohio I moved from one farm to another. "The Farm" here in Palo Alto however is completely different from the farms I was accustom to. Instead of fields of corn and soy beans, the primary crop of this farm seems to be the human mind. There are also many other differences between my small hometown and the ritzy Palo Alto. One of the biggest differences is the cuisine. Where I come from, Applebee's and Outback Steak House are considered high class eatin'. Restaurants are for eating and are all, for the most part, generic. Here in California, however, people seem to be obsessed with trendiness. From FroYo hot spots to Whole Foods, everyone gravitates towards what I call fashion food: food that is popular or in style if you will. Being seen eating at these stylish eateries is more important than the actual taste of the food.

A few of my classmates and I traveled to one of these trendy restaurants on Monday to grab a bite of lunch. Tamarine, on University Avenue, describes their cuisine as "contemporary Vietnamese" and offers a variety of small plate entrees on their menu. As soon as we entered, the vibe of the decorations was very modern. Silver and green straight-back chairs stood around sleek black tables, and even though it was midday, the room was dimly lit. Contrasting with the chic interior, loud hip hop music was playing over the sound system. "Hm.. odd. Must be trendy," I thought to myself.

For lunch I started with the Wakame Salad, a seaweed salad with avocado, tomato, and tofu. I really enjoy traditional Japanese Seaweed Salad and so I decided to give this version a whirl. It was definitely different, but light and refreshing. It came plated very delicately on a small dish which was aesthetically pleasing. The dressing was very sparingly used which was also a plus. My only complaint about the salad was that the seaweed was very slimy and soft. I prefer a much more crunchy seaweed so I was a little displeased. Visually the salad was an A, taste-wise I give it a B-.

For the main entree I had a dish called Kurobuta Pork Prime Rib with a side of coconut rice. The rice was spectacular. It came wrapped in a banana leaf in a small bowl which was simple yet elegant. I was really happy that the coconut flavor was distinct but not overwhelming. I was worried that it would taste to much like a dessert by its description, but it was worked well as a side item. I didn't feel the same way about the Pork Prime Rib. The flavor was completely bland and the meat itself was mostly gristle and very hard to chew. By the end of the meal I found myself just wanting more coconut rice instead of finishing the pork.

Overall Tamarine was trading on being trendy, hip, cool etc. and by these standards I think they achieved their goal. The artwork on the walls, other decorations, furniture and ambiance were all mellow and had a good vibe. However, when it comes down to it, a restaurant needs to trade on the quality and desirability of their cuisine. For such high prices and poor service (the waiter twice forgot to bring items that we ordered) , Tamarine's food did not live up to my expectations. It is not stylish chairs or trendy music that brings me back to my favorite restaurants, it's the assurance that I'll enjoy a good, quality meal.