A wee bit pretentious, somewhat under-portioned, and slightly overpriced with, at times, chaotic service.
I was invited to Tadashi on Monday of Austin Restaurant Week (Round 2) with a group of four friends. Their published menu looked tantalizing: Ceviche, Chilean sea bass, cheesecake. Mouth-watering to say the least!
Unexpectedly, Tadashi featured a check-in offer of edamame. This was a bit surprising given that it was Austin Restaurant Week (ARW). With four of us Yelp-enabled, we were advised to bank two of the edamame offers. One of my co-diners claimed his offer, but encountered a technical issue. It was a bit disconcerting to watch the kerfuffle that ensued to prove the entitlement. Take it on faith, guys, if you can see the Yelp app and a check-in; table of five here to drop $300 on dinner, after all.
Everyone chose to order from the ARW menu, which should have made life relatively uncomplicated for the waitstaff. We ordered all courses up-front, with the only significant variation being in the selections of appetizer and dessert, since everyone ordered the Chilean sea bass as their entree. Yet, when it came time to deliver, there seemed to be mass confusion on the part of our waiter as to who ordered which appetizer.
Once misdeliveries were settled and plates photographed, I began eating my ceviche salmon appetizer. Or should I say I began playing "Where's Waldo" hunting vainly for the ceviche? Unlike former President Bush, I eventually found the diminutive weapon of mass deception well-camouflaged under a mass of vegetation and virtually indistinguishable among the tangerine slices. Don't get me wrong: the presentation and flavor of the ceviche were fine: it's just that the dime-sized, diaphanous sliver of salmon was hardly worth the top menu billing it received.
Entrees were delivered next with no miscues. I guess it helped that we all ordered the same dish. Again, presentation was spot-on with the three-ounce portion of seabass served atop three grilled asparagus stalks. The sea bass had perfect texture and flavor, however my portion seemed to have the largest cross-section of skin of all the portions served. That made it a challenge to get every delicious morsel of sea bass, even substituting a fork for chopsticks. The grilled asparagus was a real let-down. I expect grilled asparagus to be a bit challenging, but these were lethal projectiles. I successfully discombobulated one stalk, but finally gave up on the other two, lest dinner become a cartoonish affair. I could just see a piece becoming airborne and launching into the bodice of one of my co-diners.
Last, but not least, desserts were served. Presentation was perfect. I opted for the green tea cheesecake, which was served as a glass-coned no-bake filling with a dollop of whipped cream atop. Four of us ordered this, and one ordered the pomegranate parfait, yet delivery was once again confused. We all agreed that the cheesecake was delicious; the green tea flavor was appropriately faint, and it had just the right balance of sweetness to complement our meal.
Once again, I feel a need to emphasize the helter-skelter service. Part of the confusion may have stemmed from a team waiting approach (with considerable assist by co-owner Shawn McClain), but I expect better coordination and less confusion at this address. Everyone was friendly and polite, mind you. But, if our waiter was in training, please state that up front so we can adjust our expectations accordingly. In the absence of explanation, it just seems as though you don't know how to provide superlative service.
One other item of note. At some point during the evening, a wine glass being bussed from another table exploded on the floor immediately adjacent to our side of the table. There was a very pregnant pause while the large, menacing glass shards lay unattended on the floor. Bus staff eventually returned to sweep up the mess, but it was almost an afterthought that someone inquired if everyone was alright. It's not as though such accidents aren't allowed to happen, but, when they do, I expect prompt and significant attention to customer safety.
In summary, when I drop a Grant on dinner, I expect more than just a "look who we are" experience. Unfortunately, that's where Tadashi seemed to be last night. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind whatsoever the chef has excellent food offerings and preparations. But when a restaurant offers a table d'hôte menu for a spotlight week, I do expect them to pull out all the stops, not to cut corners in an attempt to increase their cachet. Tadashi failed in my case last night on the premiere content for each plate served (except dessert) and with the modestly lackluster service provided.
I will be back to explore more of their exciting menu, but next time I will choose items a la carte. And I will bring friends, so in case things go awry, there will at least be good conversation. read more