Club Review--Typhoon

Tomm Carroll

An ill wind blows nobody good, but a Typhoon is a different story. The Typhoon in question is the hip Asian bar and restaurant located at the Santa Monica Airport. Despite its meteorological moniker, the forecast is great for fans of exotic cuisine and esoteric music at this nightspot.

The Buzz: An upscale drink- and eatery that caters to more than just pilots and weathermen. Don't let the location fool you, this ain't no airport food.

The Look: Bangkok Airport meets the Weather Channel. Slick and high-tech, Typhoon's decor is an unstable mix of Xeroxed copies of its customers' pilot licenses (which adorn the pillars) and an abundance of meteorological symbols (on the unique mirror behind the bar -- which looks like a weather map -- and as design elements on the lamps hovering over the tables).

The small room favors dark wood and is filled with tables and booths, as well an exhibition kitchen and the aforementioned weather-bar. And when the jazz band sets up, there's even less space. In other words, make a reservation. Upstairs is "The Hump" -- a classy sushi bar that's a bit less noisy than the main room. The rooftop is transformed into an Asian-style beer garden when weather permits.

The Clientele: An upwardly mobile crowd consisting of hoity-toity types, regular folks, high-flying celebs (like John Travolta who has flown his own craft here for dinner) and Zagat Guide-toting yuppies in search of some dangerous dining (and boy, did they come to the right place; see The Eats, below).

Where There's Smoke: Outside on the front or back stairs, or on the rooftop when it's open.

On Tap: McEwan's Export, from Scotland, and Miller Lite only. Fortunately, the bottled beer selection is more varied and specializes in Asian brews including the not-always-easy-to-find Vietnamese beer, Hue. There's a good-sized wine list and full bar service too, of course, including those popular tropical drinks.

The Eats: Pan-Asian fusion. Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, Chinese, Mandarin, Szechuan, Manchurian and Mongolian dishes -- all of them expertly prepared -- are mixed and matched by adventurous diners. From dim sum to kim-chee to pad thai to pho-bo (Vietnamese beef noodle soup), the Typhoon kitchen's got whatever you're hungry for...

...And then some. For the truly daring diners, there's a whole menu section entitled "Insects." Among the delicacies are Chambai ants sprinkled on potato strings, crispy fried white sea worms, bamboo worms in a crisp noodle nest, stir-fried crickets and the piece de resistance, scorpion on shrimp toast. (Sorry to say, our vegetarian leanings prevented us from sampling these dishes, so we are unable to describe their taste.)

The Entertainment: Every Monday night, Typhoon features live jazz with Wake Turbulence, a constantly changing (just like the weather) jazz outfit with no fixed membership. Anywhere from five to 15 players (all of them top-flight) may show up to serenade the diners and drinkers with originals and selections from the songbooks of Mile Davis, Herbie Hancock and other jazz greats. The place gets even louder when the music starts, especially in the big band format.
Warning: Aside from the bugs, the other thing to watch out for is the runway. While it may be tempting to take a stroll out Typhoon's back door and down the stairs to the usually empty runway, it is in fact a federal offense to walk out there, with a $5,000 fine attached.

Club Facts: Typhoon, 3221 Donald Douglas Loop, Santa Monica Airport, 390-6565, Monday-Thursday 5:30-10:30 p.m., Friday-Saturday 5:30-11:00 p.m., Sunday 5:30-10:00 p.m., live jazz Monday nights, no age limit, no cover.