Apparently, the wait times for a table vary greatly between the different locations of this restaurant chain. While I was glad that Charlie and I didn’t have to wait at all for our seats, and of course, it’s always lovely to dine in the serenity of a sparsely filled restaurant, this UOVO on Wilshire deserves to be much more crowded, whether at lunch or dinner time, than it was when we were there. Granted, it’s not, perhaps, a restaurant you’d go to celebrate a birthday or an anniversary, but if I worked or lived nearby, I’d eat there at least once a week. Although there were aspects of my food that just missed the mark, lunch at UOVO was overall a very positive experience, and I’d give the place a B+ for all the things it gets right. It’s the perfect spot for when you just want a quick meal, but at the same time, you respect your taste buds too much to subject them to the indignities of an Olive Garden, or worse. My guess is that the somewhat inconspicuous façade may be partly responsible for the absence of a crowd queuing up to enter this restaurant at lunchtime. UOVO is situated at a corner on Wilshire, and one enters from the side, while from the main street, the restaurant is easily overlooked as it’s partially obscured by a fence and foliage, both of which enhance the space for customers dining al fresco, but perhaps hide the restaurant a bit too effectively from pedestrians and motorists.

I was pleasantly surprised, too, when we got the bill, to discover how affordable UOVO is. My pasta and beer (which, admittedly, might not have been enough for dinner, but was a perfectly adequate combination for lunch) came out to a mere $23. I mean, I might’ve spent the exact same amount for lunch at Norm’s—but I’m hella glad I didn’t. Another surprising fact about UOVO: as stated on the invoice, the restaurant is a “no-tipping establishment.” This atypical policy makes me a little worried for the financial well-being of the servers, but it does mean additional savings for the customers.

At the Motion Pictures Museum, there’s a current exhibit dedicated to the opus of John Waters. Several artifacts from Waters’ life on display demonstrate his drive and perseverance as a struggling young filmmaker, such as his detailed expense tabulations and the crude flyers for screenings of his early films. Though he did eventually find commercial success with films like Hairspray and Serial Mom, Waters’ perseverance was likely much tested in the years preceding, and there must’ve been times when it seemed like the world would never accept Waters or his movies.

Over lunch, we got a brief history of the establishment from Zach. This particular location opened its doors in 2020—just before the pandemic forced those doors shut again. Like the indomitable Waters, the athletes who never stopped training till they got to the Olympics, and others who persevere in the face of tremendous challenges, this restaurant weathered the pandemic lockdowns and somehow kept going. Sadly, many restaurants and other businesses in our city did not survive the pandemic closures, just as many individuals never get to see their work validated or their efforts rewarded. Perhaps, what truly separates the tortoises from the hares of this world is who can doggedly finish the race, no matter how much time or hard work it takes. I’m glad that UOVO was one of the survivors!