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.