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Tech it out!
Name this Lakeview restaurant: Stark-white interior. Pan-Asian menu. Located on Broadway.
If you said Pingpong you'd be correct.
But if you said Sura, which opened today, just a two blocks south, you'd be equally correct. Despite the uncanny surface similarities, however, Sura's menu takes pan-Asian in a different, more contemporary direction, while Pingpong stays solidly with cleaned-up, fresh versions of Asian restaurant classics. Additionally, Sura serves lunch and it will offer a late-night, post-dinner lounge once a liquor license comes through. (For now, you can BYOB, but don't get used to it.)
We popped into Sura for a quick pad Thai lunch today and must say that we loved the interior-so totally space-age retro glam, I felt like I was at that Hilton in "2001: A Space Odyssey". That front bar lounge is outfitted with wacky bubble chairs hanging from the ceiling, white bean bag chairs on the ground, and molded white plastic DJ deck stands.
Even the servers are wired, walking around with those wireless PDA-type thingies you may have seen in busy NYC spots, which beam your order of Thai Tapas (roasted coconut, endive and palm suger reduction, $5) back to the kitchen. Naturally, in true HAL fashion, there was the inevitable first-day tech glitch--my order never made it to the kitchen, causing a bit of delay.
The rest of the menu takes a contemporary pan-Asian approach: gyoza stuffed with housemade apple chutney (part of the lunch appetizer menu-small, delicious and free when ordered with a lunch entree) and macadamia-nut encrusted salmon with pineapple and tropical curry ($14) on the dinner menu.
Still, since we've been pitting restaurants against each other all week-Alinea vs. Trotter's, Kitsch'n on Roscoe vs. Orange on Roscoe-we can't help wonder if Sura will draw some of the regulars from BYOB-only Pingpong. (Pingpong is no longer just BYOB; offering fun cocktails) Or better question: What will it do to 'hood favorite Bamee Noodle Shop? That place is located right next door. Is Broadway big enough for multiple hip Thai/Asian spots.
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The decor is just ridiculous, like a cross between 2001 and a hairdresser's circa 1957. It's also extremely loud.
I'll take Ba-mee or PingPong over this any day; at least I know I'll get what I ordered.