Blue Velvet: You wanna go for a ride?

When you visit a new restaurant for the first time, you never know what you'll find askew.

When I was trying to find Blue Velvet last night around 8 pm, I thought, "Location." Blue Velvet is on the ground floor of The Flat, a former Holiday Inn turned "residential complex" that wants to be part of downtown LA's New World Order. However, it's on the border of downtown, just west of the 110 and firmly ensconced in a neighborhood that falls between "evolving" and "skanky." And a wrong turn near its Garland Avenue address (ever heard of it before? I hadn't) could send you speeding to the safety of the nearest well-lit drive thru.

Once I'd parked my car (there's a valet, but I like the exotic thrill of street parking), I thought, "Weather." Tuesday was blustery and struggling up the hill made me wonder if the location was a wind tunnel. And with much being made about Blue Velvet's poolside dining, that could be a real problem.

At the hostess station, I think, "Reservations." The (indoor) dining room overlooking the pool is full. But we're led through the bar and lounge to a smaller dining room, one without a view but the seats are comfortable, the music's good (if you like the bands on Indie 103) and even the placemats are cool.

I restate my assumptions. Good crowd + handsome space > weird location. Duly impressed.

We order. And I didn't see it coming.