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You’ve all walked past Eurochow wondering what was behind the large, white drapes. You’ve probably also pondered what the name means since it sounds a bit like some sort of pet food. When I found out the restaurant offered Italian-Asian cuisine, it had me even more confused.

But finally entering Eurochow was a cool experience – it almost felt like revealing a mystery that had been standing in Westwood ever since I first arrived at UCLA.

The ambiance of the restaurant is, in a word, pretty. It appears very clean and pure as you are led up a white, glowing staircase overlooking the perfectly symmetrical interior.

The staff is as courteous as any you will find nearby: They make sure you get a royal treatment when they seat you, place your napkin in your lap, and very kindly help throughout your meal.

The food was good, but not great. The best part of the meal was the calamari appetizer, served with lemon and lime and a fancy-looking tartar sauce in a bowl, but a wide assortments of other appetizers are offered, such as asparagus and frog legs.

I had the New Zealand lamb, but you’ll probably be better off ordering a pasta dish, since its simpler and relatively cheaper.

Besides, the actual dish was made up largely of bones; finding edible meat proved to be difficult, though I swallowed some fat-filled meat just to be polite. Otherwise I would not have touched much of my plate.

The coffee was good, but like everything else, it was served in minute portions. Everything, while arranged very decoratively, was quite small and perhaps worth a lot less than what it actually cost. You get the impression you are paying mostly for the presentation and not for the actual meal. While Eurochow is indeed a very nice environment with some of the best service around, you may want to reconsider your weekend dining plans if you like larger portions or are eating on a budget.