Let's just get this out of the way: The new outpost of Republic in Calhoun Square has nothing on the original Seven Corners location in terms of atmosphere. Yes, the views are nice and it's a very welcome addition to an area that's lacking in really good beer bars, but the lofted space, in the former home of chachi bar the Independent, just doesn't have the well-worn, dark, wooded charm of the original. (Note: The gross smoking patio has been destroyed and remade into sunny atrium seating.) Fortunately, what they do have is a menu identical to the one at their successful Seven Corners store. 

It had been some time since we stopped by Republic to actually eat rather than to just wade through their extensive and oft-rotating beer list, so a visit to this second location, which opened in early November, seemed in order, and it offered some very nice surprises. 

After a successful and very hush-hush soft opening on Monday evening, Nightingale, a new late-night spot in Whittier focused on drinks and small plates, officially opened its doors to the public at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Here's a sneak peek at what's on the menu:

What are they up to now? 

"I can't seem to figure out how we made it on this show," said Molly Broder, owner of the restaurant. "We always wanted to get to that level where the restaurant was getting national press, but I didn't think we were really a diner, drive-in, or a dive," Broder admitted, while others nodded in agreement. "I guess I have thought of the pasta bar as sort of a modern-day Italian diner, but we're definitely not a drive-in, so we decided to have the viewing party at a dive!" Broder was clearly joking about the venue, but they did give the place a drive-in theater vibe with big screens, popcorn on tables, and giant boxes of Skittles, Sno-Caps, and Raisinets.

The family-run establishment prides itself on authentic dishes from all regions of the country, and the owners are always looking for ways to share their Thai culture. We were there to take part in the festivities, emceed by Amazing Thailand employee Laura Murra. Stunning traditional costumes and insanely upbeat Thai pop music were part of the fun, but one of the evening's biggest highlights came from manager P'Kob, who is married to P'Yin (pictured above) and is an expert in the art of kae sa luk, or traditional fruit carving.