Inaka on La Brea

I played with a bunch of sound artists Saturday for SASSAS's recreation of Cornelius Cardew's Scratch Music. We loaded in at Noon, had a 90 minute rehearsal, took a short break and then performed the work. We didn't have a big audience but I heard we made it into the LA Weekly. Man, we were so tired afterwards and brain dead. After loading my equipment back into my car, I found myself with composer's Steve Roden and Glenn Bach. We decided to go get a bite to eat. I suggested Inaka at 131 La Brea Avenue, LA CA between Beverly and 3rd Street. We drove in Glenn's Volvo tank. I'd not been there in 10 years. This place has been around since the 70's I believe. It's a little pricey but the foods vintage macrobiotic and awesome. I had the Inaka Bowl and a side of natto and tofu. Glenn did not like the natto so Steve and I ate it. The Inaka Bowl was filled with steamed vegetables on a bed brown rice. It's simple, healthy and freshly delicious. The most interesting part of the meal was the tea. I got a hot mugi cha, barley tea, that was so soothing and heavenly. Steve got another tea which turned out to have a soy sauce base with pickled plum. It was funny and painful watching him try hard to drink it. He was a trooper through the first 1/4 of the cup but he just couldn't do it. I took a taste and it reminded me of the tea I had to cook and drink after going to the Chinese Herb Doctor in Chinatown. I remember it stunk up the whole house but it did work. I still have that pot you have to buy to cook the tea. I just can't throw it away. Steve ordered the soba noodles which came with two huge brown rice mochi's. Good stuff but make sure you allocate at least 2 hours for dinner. The service is at a mushrooms pace and rightly so. (Slow down...)