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(11/25/02 5:04am)
After eating countless Big Ten's and Jimmy John's subs, my friend Avi Loewenstein and I craved ethnic food. We wanted the stuff that you'd get in mother's kitchen on lazy Sundays. Unfortunately, Little Tibet is not the place to find it. \nAfter seeing the quaint converted house, we decided to give Little Tibet a try. After all, how can a place called "Little Tibet" not be true to Tibetan cuisine? We made our way to the entrance, bypassing rows of Tibetan prayer flags and other various flags. After a few brief awkward moments, we were greeted by the hostess and offered menus. It was a bit confusing at first because we were never told to seat ourselves. We finally figured it out.\nThe décor is interesting. Little Tibet is a converted house, giving it a cozy and pleasant feel. A mix of traditional paintings and flags cover the wall. The menu was not what we expected. It predictably had Tibetan cuisine, as well as Thai, Indian, Turkish and Middle Eastern. Now I'm no geography major, but those countries cover a good part of the globe and have extremely varied cuisine. The cuisine of a country is defined by necessity; for instance, traditional French food is less dependent on spicing dishes and is more concerned with allowing the natural flavors of the fresh vegetables and beef to come out. This is why Avi and I were perplexed with the variety on the menu.\nThere are some restaurants that can pull off a varied menu; it is hard, but possible. We thought that perhaps we had found one of these places. After ordering an appetizer of Samosa (fried spicy dumplings), we were brought water and a delicious Thai Iced Tea. By far the Iced Tea was the best I've ever had. It was sweet and had a touch of milk, giving it a smooth feel. \nAfter taking a few extra minutes on deciding what to order, we decided to split our meal into countries. I took Thailand, and Avi took Tibet. Both entrees included a salad and soup. \nThe Samosas came with the salad. They were flavorless balls of fried dough with one piece of carrot, and about two peas. The salad, which came directly from a bag, did include a delicious ginger dressing. As for the soup, I think it was probably the worst soup I've ever tasted. It was an extremely small portion. In fact, it was so small that it pretty much came in a shot glass, and after we tasted it, Avi and I considered shooting it. The soup was canned chicken broth with sliced cabbage and 2 horribly chewy and flavorless dumplings. \nWhen my entrée of Pad Thai arrived, I indulged myself in it. To my surprise, it was much better than the other food they had served. I could only finish half before I was full. \nMo Mo, a Tibetan specialty, was what Avi ordered as his entrée. About a dozen little dumplings filled with seasoned beef arrived. The beef was seasoned well. Unfortunately, the proportion of meat to dumpling was silly. The dumplings were obliviously steamed about 15 minutes before arriving at our table, yielding a crunchy and inedible crust on the majority of the dumplings. The sauces served with the dumplings were delicious, but couldn't compensate for the entire dish. Avi ended up dousing the dumplings in the sauce in some vain attempt to soften the dumplings and make them edible once again. \nUnfortunately, our quest for ethnic cuisine was unfruitful. I'm not going to lie to you. When you are walking to the bars on Kirkwood, make a quick stop to this restaurant and pick up some Thai Iced Tea. Keep the rest of your money for drinks.
(11/12/02 4:51am)
Situated on the small street behind the hustle and bustle of Kirkwood is a quaint little international restaurant. Casablanca, which serves Moroccan cuisine, offers an experience as though you were eating on the shores of Northern Africa. As you walk into the small dining room, the smells of spices of Morocco fill your lungs and the sights of traditional decorations enchant your mind. \nTo begin your Moroccan meal, order a dish consisting of several dips, which include hummus, eggplant, kalamata olives, fresh tomatoes, and artichokes. To accompany this, your server will bring you fresh bread,directly from the oven, so that you may indulge yourself in this delightful epicurean appetizer. \nWhile you are eating your appetizer, ask your server to bring you a cup of Moroccan tea. This traditional tea, served in a silver pitcher, consists of a base of green tea with fresh mint leaves and a large heaping of sugar. \nAs your stomach begins to fill, your server will bring you your entrée. As a suggestion, try their Couscous, which is served with seven different vegetables. You may also ask to include chicken on kefta. Couscous is a staple food of Northwestern Africa and is a ground grain of hard wheat. It is similar to rice and maize. For those that are not familiar with kefta, it is generally considered a spicy meatball from lamb or beef and is quite good when combined with a plate of couscous.\nCasablanca offers a small dessert list. This makes no difference, however, because by the time you are ready to eat dessert, you will have absolutely no craving for it. Your first and second courses will leave your stomach filled. \nIf you desire good food in a unique atmosphere, then Casablanca is surely a restaurant to visit. With its traditional Moroccan dishes, it will definitely be a flavorful evening.
(10/23/02 4:06am)
The Sicilian region of Italy has had a long history between other countries in Europe, resulting in an exotic mixture of ingredients in their culinary recipes. If you are looking for a quiet romantic place to experience such delicacies, then venture off campus to Flora, 620 W. 5th St.\nThis moderately priced restaurant features family dishes of pasta, chicken and pizza, all of which will enlighten and delight your taste buds. \nThis restaurant offers a limited amount of appetizers. Nevertheless, most of the entrees come with a small house salad and freshly baked bread directly from the oven. Be sure to add some olive oil and parmesan on your bread to help evoke thoughts of Mediterranean islands. \nWhen deciding what Entree to order, first choose whether you prefer to eat meat or pasta. If you opt for a meat dish, you have a variety of choices. The same if you are choosing a pasta or pizza dish. During my visit to this restaurant, I ordered the gnocchi in a red meat sauce. Gnocchi has been a longtime favorite dish of mine, and Flora did a wonderful job creating this dish. You may decide upon a marinara or an herb and olive oil sauce if you don't prefer a meat sauce. The only disappointment I had with my Entree that evening was that I waited a long time before the dish was served.\nTo further indulge myself after a terrific meal, I decided to order the home-baked chocolate five-layer fudge cake that had just been taken out of the oven. My waiter warned me that it was a large slice and even though I didn't question him, I was shocked when a square slice of cake, 6 inches by 6 inches, arrived at my place. Upon finishing that slice, I was full. \nIf you have an open evening and you would like to experience food from Sicily, bring a friend and make the trip to Flora. You will not be disappointed.
(10/21/02 3:55pm)
Loud upbeat music, dancing, singing, flashing lights, all made for a fantastic Friday evening at the IU Auditorium. "Blast II: SHOCKWAVE" is the sequel to the Tony and Emmy award winning production of Blast and the best show I have seen at IU.\nThis show was exhilarating. It was positive, uplifting, exciting and inspirational. Performers were all over the place, dancing, singing, doing acrobatic tricks and interacting with the audience. I even had a performer sit next to me while he played the trumpet.\nNot knowing what to expect, I thought this show would be similar to a marching band. I was wrong. This show might be based on a marching band, but evolution must have been rapid because this is a complicated, choreographed extravaganza incorporating elements of ballet and gymnastics.\nWhen I spoke to Doug Booher, the director of the IU Auditorium, earlier this week, I realized that his enthusiasm for this show was remarkable. After going, I can see why. He said he knew what a treasure this performance would be for Bloomington residents and students. \nFor the two hours while I was sitting watching this performance, I was transformed from a theater in Indiana to a theater on Broadway in the heart of New York City. This show is truly a one of a kind. It could easily earn its place on Broadway and the respect from the New York theatrical community. \nNot only did I have a grand time, everyone seemed to be in much greater spirits upon leaving the auditorium after the show. Even at intermission, people were out of their chairs giving standing ovations. \nTo top off the evening, the performers came out into the foyer to meet the crowd. Smiles and handshakes were exchanged by everyone. \nIf you are looking for an incredible show to bring family and friends, then "Blast II: SHOCKWAVE" would be it. It is an experience that will be remembered forever.
(10/18/02 4:55am)
This Friday and Saturday, the campus will be rocked by the sounds and sights of "Blast II: SHOCKWAVE" at the IU Auditorium. A sequel to the Tony- and Emmy-award-winning "Blast," the show consists of a compilation of music and special effects.\n"Finally the musicians have pushed away the chairs, thrown out the music stands and crawled out of the pit and onto the stage," said Jim Mason, the show's creator.\n"Blast II: SHOCKWAVE" is a performance unlike any other musical. It is a celebration of musical styles, including classics, jazz, blues, rock and roll and Broadway.\nEven though it is a musical performance, do not expect it to be stationary. Cast members execute difficult and intricate drill movements while performing two hours of music on woodwind, brass, electronic percussion instruments and cell phones. Just like "Blast," "SHOCKWAVE" has no storyline, but is a musical journey that combines music, movement and color. Performers multitask; dancing, singing and playing instruments in the same show. \nWhile derived from "Blast," "SHOCKWAVE" puts on a show markedly different from the original.\nWhile "Blast" focused primarily on a marching band style, "SHOCKWAVE" moves away from the marching band aspect by adding woodwind instruments to the traditional brass. Where "Blast" was derived from marching bands, "SHOCKWAVE" comes from a progressive big band style. The musical selections include more jazz and international flavors. The visual ensemble uses more traditional dance styles intermixed with the color guard style using flags in styles specifically created for "SHOCKWAVE." \nOriginating at Walt Disney World, this show has toured the country and will be making appearances at over 50 destinations this year alone. It is so popular that it has already begun booking its shows for the next year.\nDoug Booher, director of the IU Auditorium, said he expects a large crowd for the show.\n"Traditionally on our homecoming nights we get between 2,000 and 3,000 people in for our show," he said. "We expect that both Friday and Saturday night." \nWhile large crowds are expected, Booher said there are still seats available.
(10/08/02 4:18am)
If you're looking for a place to take that special someone or just going out with a group of friends, check out Mikado. Located at 895 S. College Mall Rd., it is only a short distance away from campus.\nWhen visiting a Japanese restaurant, do as the Japanese would, order edamame as an appetizer. This dish of freshly boiled soybeans served salted was originally introduced to Japan more than 1,000 years ago and has since become part of the Japanese culture. At Mikado, you have the opportunity to experience such a delicacy. For $4, your server will bring you and your guest a bowl of fresh edamame. If its too warm, just wait a minute before you begin munching. Among the other appetizers, Mikado offers a variety of vegetable and seafood dishes. One such dish, grilled Shiitake Mushrooms available for $7, was filling, but slightly bland. \nWhen it's time to order your entrée, choose the Sushi. Mikado offers delicious hand rolled fresh sushi of multiple varieties. If raw fish is not your forte, you can always try the California Roll ($5.95), a combination of avocado, crab, cucumber and rice, rolled in dried seaweed. This Maki roll makes for an excellent meal. When ordering your California Roll, you have the choice of having rice on the outside or on the inside. If you are at all worried about your sushi falling apart, make sure to specify rice on the inside. \nAmong the other fabulous sushi selections, Mikado offers wonderful tuna and salmon Maki Rolls ($3.95 per roll). Made from fresh fish, these rolls are pleasing to the palate. For those looking to eat something more exotic, you can choose a variety of dishes offering octopus, eel, or sea urchin. \nAfter finishing an appetizer and entrée at Mikado, I guarantee you will not have room for desert. But if by chance you do, there are many options offered on the menu. From ice cream to Japanese honey cake, just take your pick and indulge your taste buds. \nMikado is a wonderful authentic Japanese restaurant. Celebrate a special occasion or just go with friends; in either case, you will be delighted by your meal.
(10/04/02 5:18pm)
A large crowd gathered on Wednesday night anxious to see the ever-popular performance of Grease. Unfortunately, this performance might have enticed malevolent thoughts about paying upwards of $50 per ticket. From substandard acting to technical difficulties, this show could use a slight makeover. \nIt's disappointing to see a show when the supporting actresses and actors are much more engaging to the audience than the stars. Even though it happens rarely, it occurred on Wednesday night. There were only two people in the entire show that were owed my due gratitude. Vince Fontaine, played by Arthur J.M Callahan and Betty Rizzo, played by Jacqueline Colmer. Not to say the others were totally and utterly embarrassing, but they could use some practice. To sum up the acting, it felt like I was sitting through a high school performance. \nThe technical issues were just about as problematic as the acting. It began with the letter "G" burning out in the lighted sign, which hung from the center of the stage. There were also problems with the projection of voices. Whether it was a microphone issue or a performer issue, it is hard to say. What is easy to say is that it was hard to hear the soloists during songs. \nI would like to end this review by making a positive note. Although I felt like this show failed in many aspects of theater production, I do believe that it was entertaining. It brought fond memories of the movie and enjoyable music. For those that are looking for an enjoyable, but not fantastic tangled and abridged version of the movie, this would not be a bad show to see. But for those that wish to see a reincarnation of the original movie in a theatre performance, this production might not be the best choice.
(10/01/02 4:34am)
It was no ordinary dinner. This past Wednesday, tables at the Scholars Inn were covered with delectable dishes specially prepared for their annual wine-tasting dinner to launch Oktoberfest.\nThe menu, designed by a variety of chefs from Scholars Inn, highlighted traditional German dishes. Dinner began with a Rabbit and Spaetzle Soup, paired with a Maximin Grunhauser Riesling. The second course consisted of a Stuffed Bobwhite Quail on a warm bread salad with toasted pine nuts and currants. It was served with a Dr. Burklin Wolf Estate Reisling.\nNext, Sauerbraten was served with brussel sprouts and smashed fingerling potatoes. It was accompanied by the only red wine of the evening, a Graf Neipperg Red. The final course of the evening was Schwarzwalderkirschtorte, better known as Black Forrest Cake. This two layer chocolate cake and a butter-cream cherry filling was complemented with a Madonna Riesling Eiswein. \nBefore each course, a glass of German wine was brought to the table. The sommelier would then explain the history of the wine-producer and describe the vinification process. Then each dish would be brought out and the chef, who prepared the course, explained how each was impeccably constructed. \nEvery wine-tasting dinner that Scholars Inn hosts is from a unique area of the world.\n"We choose dinners based upon where our wines originate. We like to pick wines from popular regions," said head chef Chris Spear.\nThe dinners, designed for the connoisseur of fine food and drink, first began at Scholars Inn during 2001. The first, a scotch dinner, was so popular they continued holding these events. \n"We began in February of 2001 and have been doing it ever since. Oktoberfest has been a very popular time for holding this dinner," said Christi Coulston, general manager for Scholars Inn. \nThe evening ended with a short one-question quiz given by the sommelier. One lucky guest, who was the first to answer, left the restaurant with a $25 gift certificate to use toward his next visit. \nThe wine-tasting dinner brought together a group of people from the Bloomington community and taught them the history of Oktoberfest through fine foods and wines. During the dinner, everyone had smiled continuously, cherishing the moment. \nOne student, sophomore Melissa Skolnick, said she was extremely pleased with the dinner. \n"The wine-tasting dinner at the Scholars Inn was just fabulous. I've come away with a new experience and would definitely do it again. I especially enjoyed the last wine, the Madonna Riesling Eiswein." \nKarry Feigenbaum, owner of Scholars Inn explained the purpose of Oktoberfest.\n"The whole concept of The Scholars Inn is for people to have a good time while they dine," she said. "We want wine to be fun. We hope that these wine dinners make it easier for everyone when they prepare a meal at home or go to a restaurant."\nThe next wine-tasting dinner is scheduled for Oct. 22 and will focus on the wines of Italy. To make reservations call (812) 332-1892. Scholars Inn is located at 717 N. College Rd.
(09/17/02 5:06am)
Local celebrities, artists and volunteers shared their artwork at the annual art auction and dance performance benefiting Amethyst House on Friday evening. For 22 years, Amethyst House, a non-profit organization, has been helping both men and women who are suffering from substance abuse and other addictive behaviors. \nAmethyst House has already planned what they are going to be doing with the money raised from the event. "We are raising money for the Amethyst House "Out of Ashes" campaign, which is trying to rebuild and expand the men's house, which burned down last February," said Tom Cox, executive director for the organization. The cost of building the new house will be $500,000. Over half of the money has already been acquired to begin the process. \nVarious artists and celebrities from around Bloomington donated pieces consisting of pottery, photographs, paintings, crafts and poems by a New York City Fireman. The long list of artists included such distinguished individuals as Dean McKaig, who donated a hand painted treasure box, and Stuart and Cathi Norton, who donated a painted teapot.\nDuring the silent auction, people could speak with members of the Amethyst House and recovered victims of alcohol and drug abuse. One such representative was Eric Gann, who lived in the house from October 2001 until February of this year. Eric was one of those who has turned his life around and made a full recovery from substance abuse. \n"My life has changed in a thousand different ways for the good since living in the Amethyst House," he said.\nThe evening was shared in part by the Monroe County chapter of the Indiana Addictions Issues Coalitions. Leslie Leasure, a member of the coalition represented the organization and spoke with guests about the importance of educating the public about addictions.\n"There is a lot of stigma against people that are both suffering from drug addiction and those that are recovering from it and what we do is work to reduce that stigma," Leasure said.\nThe benefit continued into the evening with dance performances by the Indiana Dance Theatre. The dances, choreographed by Diane Buzzell, consisted of four stories, "The Story of Death," "The Story of Struggle," "The Story of Survival," and "The Story of Hope." In order to inform guests about addiction, each dance was preceded by a speech from a recovered victim who shared a story about their experience with Amethyst House.\nAfter the dance performance, people continued place bids on the artwork. The evening concluded with musical performances of popular 19th and 20th century music by the group Mitten.