03-24-2010 Tex Wasabi

[Scotty]

Ok I'm curious now, what was wrong with Tex Wasabi? Mind you, I have never been there and due to location, very likely will never go there anyway but I do watch Guy's Big Bite and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network and he's constantly plugging the place so I too figured it must be awesome.

[ampersand]

If you're turned off by the restaurant's typography, you might be a graphic designer.

[Mae Dean]

It's not awesome. The regular sushi is aight, the gringo sushi is hit or miss. I had one with brisket, french fries, and a garlic mayo sauce that was quite good. Liz got one with chicken, mandarin, lettuce and something else that was HORRIBLE. The calamari was extremely boring, and the service was awful. (The guy tried his best to make up for it, but no matter how hard you try, if we ask for a few more minutes to look at the menu and you disappear for 20 minutes in a non-busy restaurant, I'm already predisposed to be upset.

We actually had contemplated just paying for our drinks and leaving, but mercifully, he finally came over a minute or so after that. But yeah. basically, the food was pretty meh. (And in Liz' case, extremely BLEH)

[ShadowDog]

no matter how hard you try, if we ask for a few more minutes to look at the menu and you disappear for 20 minutes in a non-busy restaurant, I'm already predisposed to be upset.

Yeah, me too. That happened to me just this week. I hate that.

[teddy]

I liked the guy when he was on Next Food Network Star, but the constant catchphrases (off the hook, money, etc) have basically stripped any fandom I had. He did ad's for TGI Fridays, and that pretty much made the decision right there how i would feel about his restaurants.

[Remolay]

on the restaurant case, dont blame Guy, blame the people who work there

[Jezebel]

As the owner, the restaurant is an extension of him and if it does poorly, it reflects badly on him. He should be absolutely be blamed.

[darcerin]

So it's basically just another Planet Hollywood or Hard Rock Cafe where the food is awful (and ridiculously expensive), and the atmosphere can't even save it?

I agree completely with Jezebel. If Guy has no idea what's going in that restaurant, then he has no business having it open. Greg, I think you should write a letter to him at Food Network and see what response you get.

[ampersand]

I actually loved the grilled cheese sandwich with tomato when I was at the Hard Rock Cafe in LA. Of course, I was in high school at the time, the sandwich cost $20, and it floored me that you could add tomatoes to a grilled cheese sandwich.

So I have to ask, how bad was the Tex Wasabi's typography and menu design?

[collegestudent22]

So it's basically just another Planet Hollywood or Hard Rock Cafe where the food is awful (and ridiculously expensive), and the atmosphere can't even save it?

Haven't been to Planet Hollywood, but I can't stand Hard Rock Cafe. The food, while overpriced, is OK, but the atmosphere just doesn't work for me. Frankly, the music they have played in the three separate ones I have been too has just been too loud. Love the classic rock thing, hate the fact that I have to yell to have a conversation over it.

[StruckingFuggle]

Love the classic rock thing, hate the fact that I have to yell to have a conversation over it.

>going to Hard Rock Cafe to have a conversation

:lolface:

[collegestudent22]

I didn't go to Hard Rock Cafe to have a conversation. But even ordering is a pain in the ass, due to the high volume of the music. It's like trying to watch TV, but your jackass roommate plays his music super loud the entire time. Over the top and not conducive to a good atmosphere.

[StruckingFuggle]

Or, it has the right atmosphere and it's just not the atmosphere you want.

[collegestudent22]

Yes, but since we are talking about opinions on restaurants, I thought that was a given. To me, there is no point to eating in company if you cannot converse at least to some degree. And you can't do that at Hard Rock Cafe. That atmosphere is identical to the one I get when I eat alone in my dorm with the stereo jacked up. SAME THING.

[BtEO]

I'm actually agreeing with CS22 here. Unless you're in the habit of going to restaurants on your own talking should be expected. Just like if you go to a nightclub you shouldn't be expecting much conversation.