For mother's day Grace and I went out to eat some hot pot. You can put together the name but I'm not going to come right out and say it for a couple reasons. Well you know what? Forget it actually because this "review" isn't going to be bad per se. It 's the new Joy Luck Hot Pot where McDonald's used to be. It's really a great location and will make the neighborhood better. You know, no more drugs in the bathroom or right out front. I love the view looking out and there wait stuff was mostly really nice. In fact one of the waiters was an old Kung Fu student of mine.
Our waiter was cool, but maybe a little, inappropriate in terms of what you say when Grace asked "Oh you have to choose the sauce?"
"Yeah?" but like in that teenage valley girl way, but toned down into an Asian male who is slick. I mean he was cool. He's just young. And probably since he works there, it seems obvious that you would have to choose. But when we did Hot Pot before, the sauces are all just there, you don't have to pick. Plus this restaurant also serves regular food. It's a bit confusing. When I go out to eat, I don't like to think. You know?
The place just opened and it seems like it hasn't really settled into the routine yet. Stuff comes late, things get confused. Plus there was a ton of wait staff. That seems expensive. The genius of other hot pot places seemed to be that you can charge a lot and that one or two people can handle the whole thing. But if you are doing banquets too, it gets confusing. Plus most of the money is probably made at the bar.
But what do I know. I'm not in the restaurant business.
"Open your own damn restaurant and see if you can do it better!" and that theoretical response would be correct.
The food was good though.
Suddenly some music started playing and these metro-sexual looking Asians came in doing a dance routine.
Grace thought it was cool. Like they were hired. Like "Lion Dance is out man, now we the metro/gay dance to bring you good luck."
I'm not saying gay or Metro in a derogatory way. Rather the type of clubbing music with movements and dress style. I may be being politically incorrect, but I am describing a culture that exists.
It turns out these guys, (who did not look like the stripper type, too skinny. I guess it could be called "stripper" music sort of) were not hired or invited! So what was up with that? They were quickly escorted out. That was hilarious.
We had the Mayonaise Shrimp of some kind and the surf and turf and a noodle dish. The sauce was forgotten and we asked the waiter covering for our cool young guy just to bring out whatever.
We gave a 15% tip based on the bill because the service was a little confused so I wasn't going to leave 20% you know?
But going home realized something was wrong with the math. I don't think we were charged for a couple of dishes. So what? Should we turn around and do an Honest Abe? No I don't think we will.
I'm sure once all the kinks get worked out this place is going to be awesome and will be a staple of the neighborhood. I actually didn't see a lot of white people, but after going to the theater district I would imagine they would come here. If you ordered the regular Chinese American food, Beef and broccoli type stuff, well maybe that's why they do restaurant style AND hot pot, and maybe they want to get in on banquets too. Food is good for sure. Very good. But I think they are losing money of wait staff. So many waiters... but still confusion and delay.
You know one things is our waiter was like, "I'm ___ and I'll be your server tonight." Like a white place. I think they are trying to do that, to appeal to the American. But it was weird for us, because we weren't expecting us. They have to work that out, whether they will be doing it Chinese Style or American style.. and even though I have heard this stuff that says that Chinese restaurants usually have "bad" service, David Chang of Momofuku wrote an article about why this is not the case at all and I believe he is right. The service is different.If you are used to Chinese service when you go to a white place you will be disoriented and not know what the hell is going on.
But this restaurant hasn't figured out yet how to blend the two. They may just have to put their foot done on one side. I would opt for Chinese service because then you can get the hardworking types that don't speak English but just get it done.
But again, I've never owned a restaurant and what the hell do I know anyway.
I think I will try them again in 6 months and see what's up.