Finally got over to this place, not sure how long it has been open, months maybe? It's near Hooters ... I had to ask directions at Gung Ho Pizza since I was walking down the shady side of the building; a kind waiter at Gung Ho actually *walked* me over to Tribe, which was great service!
I sat downstairs, in a spot that had a bit of an air con draft, but that was my fault. There was an upstairs with some cozy tables for two, but I was dining solo. Ever since it was discovered that I'm not the spoiled son of a Chinese-American medical doctor, my dating pool has shrunk dramatically.
Place has a crunchy granola vibe, must be some California thing they're imitating. There's a chain called Wagas, and a local place called Moka Bros., which are tapping into the same thing... ya know, light wood, chalk boards, healthful food ("grain bowls"), waitstaff in black t-shirts.
T-shirts with slogan
The whip-handed foreign boss was on site, which pleased me. I believe he is an American though he was speaking Chinese to his workers. He also had the good sense, given his balding pattern, to keep his hair very short and some designer stubble on face. The staff seemed happy.
Glossary of Righteousness
Nice design element on the kitchen door, a slot in the shape of the Tribe 'T' logo ... those are the thoughtful touches I look for. Waitress was friendly (they all are, with *me*) and appeared to have that rarest of all things among Chinese girls: a shapely ass. Food came out in good time, not too quick, not too slow, just as Goldi likes it.
My Twitter buddy @murdochsj recommended the lamb meatball sandwich, but they were out. So I got a chicken tandoori salad wrap (68 kuai, US$10.95) instead. I also got some beet hummus (48 kuai, US$7.73), an Australian beer "Pure Blonde?" (38 kuai, US$6.12), and a carrot cake doughnut (25 kuai, US$4.03) for dessert.
Wrap tap on wood, as Bobby Short sang.
My wrap was too dry. The filling to wrap ratio wasn't right. The filling itself wasn't bad, there just wasn't enough of it given the amount and dryness of the wrap. I like the idea of healthful food, but it has to be expertly done, and this fell short. Of course I'm an American pig and prefer things that drip.
Looks like tomato paste but it's hummus, not enough crisps
The hummus was a lovely color (from the beets) and it tasted good, but the texture was too smooth for me, too goy. Nothing compares with the hummus I ate during my year in Lebanon as a UN "peacekeeper." And the hummus didn't sit with me very well, not sure why, just a brief moment bouncing along the scooter later where I thought, "hmmm." They crisped and salted some cut-up wrap to scoop the hummus with... I had to ask for a second helping of the crisped wrap (no charge) to finish the bowl of hummus -- again a ratio problem.
Vegan schmegan, nuke that bad boy and hand it to Homer
They nuked the carrot cake doughnut (those are coconut flakes on top), which was nice and warm and the electromagnetic radiation negated its vegan quality (I hope).
Grand total 179 kuai, US$28.83, so it ain't cheap. They were doing good business on a Tuesday lunchtime, so the rising middle class in China is not suffering from price shock. Take credit cards, quick with fapiao.
