Automotive

  424 Martin Luther King
(at 5th) — 839-8668

    If you're like me, you loath the idea of taking your vehicle in for repairs. So, when Kelly's Jeep started making a strange clicking sound, I was gripped with the fear of the inevitable — the loss of a vehicle for a couple days, disruption of our daily routine and a a huge repair bill from a mechanic I don't trust.
    But this time was different.
    On a recommendation from Steve Fossum, I took the Jeep to Grove Auto Repair at 5th and Martin Luther King. There, I was met by Mike, one of the three brothers that own this family-run business. He quickly diagnosed the problem (no, it was not the transmission...) and three short hours later called me to inform me that the Jeep was fixed! The total charge for the two new U-joints — $105. Fabulous.
    Highly recommended.

Restaurants

  10th at Clay — 763-8495
www.lecheval.com

    Open question — what is the best neighborhood restaurant? For my money it is Le Cheval at 10th and Clay. This horsie restaurant has Vietnamese cuisine in a very busy, very large, upscale eatery in a somewhat downscale neighborhood.
    Do you like your flavors subtle? Does the word nuance describe your taste? Then don't go here. The flavors here hit you upside your head with a two by four. The they come back at you with a two by four with a nail in it. Two of our dishes had a sauce of salt, pepper, and lemon. Woh! I'm salivating on my keyboard just thinking about it. Damn, I hate slobber on my space bar.
    Here's what you need to do. Make reservations. This place is always busy. Invite lots of friends. You are going to want to taste everything. The more people, the more dishes you can order. If you like to eat fast, order everything when you put your drink order in. If you like to eat at a measured pace, you have to put your orders in a little at a time. The service is incredibly quick.
   So what to order? The following list with comments is from thedude.

• Spring rolls — excellent!
• Imperial Rolls
• New Zealand Mussels — to die for...
• Ginger Chicken — very good
• Cube Beef Steak — awesome
• Salty Prawns — totally bitchen!
• Skewered Pork Thingies — killer
• Watercress Salad With Chicken — excellent
• Vegetable Bird's Nest — crunchy noodles... yum
• Garlic Green Beans — yummy
• Vietnamese Coffee (iced) — nice!
• Saigon Beer — fabulous

    From the list above I strongly recommend the mussels, salty prawns, and watercress salad. If you are a vegetarian, don't fret. There is plenty for you. Try the tofu curry.
    You could start with this list, but by all means try some new dishes. Then tell us which ones you like. The prices are not bad. We spent $20 per person including tip for a feast.
    Four stars. Wear loose clothing.