Liquid Ginger

(Ginger Eggplant)
Liquid Ginger
Ste. 118
101 Southeast 2nd Place
(in the southeast corner of the Sun Center)

2.5 thumbs up (Pretty Good. It does the job. Eat here only when you're in the area and can't think of anywhere else. Eat here rarely.)

Menu Highlights: Garlic Eggplant, Crispy Lime Tilapia

Price Range: High teens for entrees

Liquid Ginger is housed in the old Gainesville Sun offices, and to be honest, it looks exactly like what you'd expect if someone opened a restaurant where a newspaper used to operate. It looks like they tried to make a nice restaurant, but were unable to erase the stains of gnawed cigar butts and the scent of a hot lead from the walls.

The basic concept here is the Bento Box, a square, divisioned plate that segregates many little foodstuffs from each other. There will be rice and the entree, but also a small salad, an unexpectedly pickled vegetable, and something featuring wakame, tamari, sesame, etc.

Face it, America, we love Japanese bullshit. They love our crap too, so it's really a symbiotic relationship when it comes down to it. Some restaurateur figured out that we Americans would pay good money to eat compartmentalized, tiny portioned, mildly desirable items, and sold the item around the country.

So, let's get down to it. Liquid Ginger is pretty decent. It's nothing amazing, but will suffice in a pinch. You'll never get out of there in under an hour, whether you have 2 people or 20 people. I'm not sure if it takes that much time to assemble the food into the tiny portions or if they're just ridiculously slow. Either way, settle in for a long night. All meals come with a salad, soup, and ice cream (vanilla, red bean, or green tea flavors). As with any pan-asian joint, it's not terribly authentic, but certain items are worth eating (see above).

One big surprise is how flavorless and bland the Liquid Ginger entree is. Naming your place after the most uninspired item on your menu is never really a good tactic, but then again, we are in Gainesville.

So, all in all, it's OK. Check it out if you're in the mood for a stir fry dish. They also have a vast selection of teas that I highly recommend.