Jamie Kennedy's Gilead Bistro

I ate at Jamie Kennedy's Wine Bar when it first opened years ago. Everyone was raving about it, but I left disappointed.

The staff who greeted us at the door were snotty. Our server was terrible. The food was mediocre. So when I was asked to photograph Kennedy's new restaurant, Gilead Bistro, my expectations were low.

I will say though, my visit to Gilead Bistro was wonderful. It felt friendly, not snotty at all. It just had a nice, intimate, relaxed vibe.

The staff who greeted me were friendly (of course they tend to be nice when they know you're there on behalf of the paper, but I think it was genuine). Photographing in the kitchen, I expected Kennedy to be a little rude. He wasn't. In fact, he was quite friendly. Maybe I've seen Gordon Ramsey on television too many times.

And the food looked amazing. I was really hoping Kennedy was going to suggest I take some home, but I guess he knows that you can't run a business on freebies.