Nick Boer weathers gum-chewing service at Movida, "Livermore's most exciting restaurant" (tallest midget?), to find a very talented Michael Mina vet in the kitchen, behind a pretentious setting: "Still, giving in isn't so easy, even with the oversized wine glasses (ostentatiously etched with a Movida logo), mood lighting (flickering candles and bulbous chandeliers that go dim-bright-dim), and glossy 2-pound menus ... With a multiplex and performance art center across the street, the noshing concept is a great way to gather or regroup before or after a show. But don't wait; the food is spirited enough to create its own special occasion." Upshot: 2.5 stars. [CCT]
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