Thursday, November 17, 2011

Bia Hoi: A little nosh, a little Vietnamese beer


Gingergrass's new annex Bia Hoi is up and running featuring its namesake beer, a Vietnamese fresh-beer style brew made in collaboration with Eagle Rock Brewery. At $4 a pint, the 3.8% alcohol beers is of course pricier than its 15 cent Vietnamese counterpart. But this is L.A., and it's a nice light beer just right for a warm summer evening. If you prefer something a little more hefty, there's Cháu Tiên Pale Ale from Carmel's Vietnamese brewer Tuan Chau Tien or Coronado Islander IPA. A small bar menu includes chicken liver pate toasts ($8), a mango/conch salad with shrimp chips($6), savory braised pork and bacon bao (at left) and steamed mussels ($8). The wooden stools aren't really meant for lingering over a pitcher, but they evoke a Vietnamese fresh beer parlor and make a better spot to wait for a Gingergrass table than the sidewalk. During the day, baked goods and salads will provide quick lunches in the space. With new Vietnamese spots like Downtown's Blossom continuing to flood into Silver Lake, it's nice to see the area's original modern Viet restaurant keeping things fresh and sudsy.

4 comments:

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Cat said...

Thanks for the tip I will have to try this restaurant. I love Vietnamese food, it's fresh and healthy. The broths (Pho's) are not greasy, thin and delicious and the meat is usually lean. Honestly, I can't think of any healthier food right now.

Sarah said...

I am going to fly out to stay with a friend and we talked about finding some restaurants to go to while I am out there in LA and I found your site, Yahoo!

Jill Cadavero said...

I love the looks of this place. I have spent a lot of time in New England with the micro breweries. I have friends in LA that I will be visiting in the spring and will make it to this place.