Let me start by saying I'm generally not one to complain and I NEVER write restaurant reviews, like literally ever, but something made me feel so inclined this one time. Where do I even begin? After being seated by the pleasant hostess, we waited nearly 10 minutes before the waiter even stopped by our table to give us menus and water. We thought maybe it was because we were at least 3 generations younger than the average patron here. However, in his defense, the restaurant was relatively busy and they seemed to be short staffed. A little annoyed at this point, but quickly forgiven, I get how it can be in a busy restaurant. After perusing the menu at length the imperial wagyu steak entree for 2 caught our eye. When the waiter returned we asked him to tell us more about the dish. Commence an elaborate story about how this is a premiere cut of Wagyu beef (22 ounces in total) encased in a thick layer of fat which helps hold in the moisture and flavor, and cut into relatively thin strips. What is so special about this meat, we are told, is the way that it is relaxed in a special marinade with a blend of unique seasonings. The dish is prepared only one way, medium rare, and takes 30 minutes we are warned. It is garnished with anchovie butter and fried capers. The steak is served with an arugula salad and pomme frites, which are blanched first and then flash fried in truffle oil to ensure a crispy outside and soft inside. $65, the most expensive entree on their menu. Wow, I'm already salivating and we can't wait. We place our order and anxiously await this culinary experience. In the interim, he notices us admiring the art work on the wall and drops off a laminated information sheet explaining the artist's work, a nice touch. Fast forward 30 minutes. The dish arrives with a stunning presentation. We each take a strip of steak to our plates and begin cutting into the first bite. This is where the experience took an interesting turn. The knives we were given were not any better than the Oneida butter knives I have in my kitchen at home, no exaggeration. Serrations so fine you need a magnifying glass to see them. It takes a tremendous amount of pressure, force, and fine wrist work to make a single cut into this meat; at least a solid 45 seconds to get completely thru it one time and again it is sliced relatively thinly. We both don't dare say a word out loud initially and are silently watching one another struggle, gripping the silverware as if we're sliding off of a cliff, chasing our sliding plates around the table. Upon hitting the palate the meat is anything but tender as would be expected with a good quality Wagyu. Incredibly tough to chew is an understatement and there are pieces so tough that we had to spit them back out unable to swallow; very reminiscent of the turkey scene in Christmas Vacation. When the waiter stopped by to ask how the meal was we awkwardly asked for better steak knives. After a long pause and confused stare, we were told those were the best knives they had and he would have offered us something better if they had them, which begs the question: what the hell did the chef use to cut the meat into strips!? Additionally, he literally says he "doesn't want to give us a lesson in knife cutting," but then proceeds to do just that and suggests that rather than trying to cut with force we should be using what he terms "gentle pressure." Bless his heart, this isn't my first nice steak dinner and less is not more with these knives. This steak needs a Bob Villa Sawsall. I'm obviously being a little dramatic but you get the point. All of this being said the arugula salad was delicious, the pomme frites were out of this world, and the beef did have excellent flavor. The real issue here was the cut of meat being incredibly and unexpectedly tough and the knives that were ill equipped for the task at hand. Again, I'm not one to complain and didn't want to put him on the spot so when he stopped by a final time to ask how it was, we both said delicious and didn't elaborate further. We paid the bill in full, left a modest tip, and didn't ask for a discount or coupon. But the least I thought I could do is write a review to save others from this disappointing entree (not to mention save your jaw and teeth!). This experience was very disappointing because we had eaten here once before and the food was excellent that time. Forgive and forget I guess, maybe the chef's wife just left him for their plumber and he was having an off day. I'd be lying if I said we didn't leave and walk a few blocks to get appetizers after this expensive meal. read more