Posted on July 12, 2007 at 12:22 p.m.

Food: 4/5  Vibe: 4/5  Service: 1/5  Value: 3/5  Overall: 3/5

I know from my discussions with the old manager that they don't pay their servers very well, and they can't afford the ultra high priced sushi chefs. The service is consistently bad, but you can't find a better place to just show up on a Friday night with 10 people and expect to get good drinks, good atmosphere, and decent sushi. Try doing this at Tei Tei!

On Sushi Zushi

Posted on March 2, 2007 at 4:33 p.m.

Food: 3/5  Vibe: 4/5  Service: 4/5  Value: 4/5  Overall: 4/5

Grab ya some oysters from the raw bar and wash em' down with beer at this cajun "light" festive establishment. Geared more to the party crowd than the dinner crowd, at six bucks a dozen during happy hour you can't go wrong. Fresh shrimp, oysters, crab cakes, and buffalo wings. Rock music and single early thirtysomethings seem at home here, and dinner turns into a party if you stay past 9pm. During the day and evening, a low key restauraunt, at night, a lively bar. Party On.

On Hurricane Grill

Posted on March 2, 2007 at 2:39 p.m.

Food: 5/5  Vibe: 5/5  Service: 4/5  Value: 3/5  Overall: 4/5

Fabulous food? Yes. Everything you would expect from Nobu. Cool, hip décor? Of course. The millions spent renovating the former, marble-laden, WASP-ish Beau Nash are evident. A see-and-be-seen place full of beautiful people? You better believe it. If these things are enough for you, then read no more. I, however, actually left with a slightly strange taste in my mouth, but not from the food. Our group certainly would have tried half of the menu, but do we really need the waitress to stand there and “push” certain items on us over and over again? Perhaps a group that hasn’t eaten Japanese cuisine before would welcome the constant nudging, but it felt downright overbearing and intrusive. She actually seemed disappointed when we asked for a double order of spicy tuna rolls, but she perked right up as soon as we agreed to try the $18 yellowtail appetizer that she suggested (at least three times). I’ve had this dish at many fine Japanese restaurants, and while very tasty, the tiny portion of five paper-thin slices accompanied by equally diminutive jalapenos didn’t seem right for the price. One of their signature dishes – the black cod in miso – felt like it was prepared beforehand and then quickly reheated when we ordered it. Yes, we all loved it, but the texture was slightly mushy and not as good as it should have been. The biggest problem I have with Nobu is the extremely high prices. Extremely high… oh, did I tell you that the prices are extremely high? You will not find a more expensive piece of sushi anywhere in Dallas. Our table of four spent over $400, and our alcohol intake consisted only of one bottle of sake and four single glasses of wine. While the rest of the menu is very diverse, they surprisingly only have five sakes to choose from, one of them being a very expensive “made by” Nobu brand. In this day of hundreds of high quality sakes available, why only offer five choices? If you are looking to impress people, have an endless bank account (or a corporate expense account), and don’t show up expecting a table without a reservation, then Nobu is for you.

On Nobu

Posted on March 2, 2007 at 2:28 p.m.

Food: 5/5  Vibe: 5/5  Service: 4/5  Value: 4/5  Overall: 5/5

I was a little afraid of the prices here, but let me tell you, it is well worth it. Where else can you get over 20 varieties of fresh oysters from all over the world, and over 25 varieties of fresh fish. Also available : lobster(2 lbs !), clams, mussels, and great crab cakes. The portions are large, the service is great, and you feel as if you are eating in the dining room of an upscale cruise ship. We went for a "tasting dinner", but after review of thier incredible menu, decided against it. There were too many other great items that we wanted to try. If you are seafood lover, and have money to spend, there is no better restaurant in Dallas. Great wine list, too. Located in the Westin Hotel at the Galleria.

On The Oceanaire Seafood Room

Posted on March 1, 2007 at 5:50 p.m.

Food: 5/5  Vibe: 4/5  Service: 5/5  Value: 3/5  Overall: 4/5

If you are looking for a romantic, intimate dinner for you and that special someone, look no further than York Street. Immediately upon being seated, we were greeted with warm hand towels, bowls of almonds and olives, and a glass of complimentary white sherry. These little extras were just the thing to get us settle us in while we perused the diverse menu that changes daily. We were plagued with indecision - everything looked delicious. We soon found out that we were right.

We started with deliciously rich foie gras, which was served with a cranberry reduction and tiny croutons. Additionally we ordered four perfectly presented Cushing Bay oysters that were small, sweet, and light years beyond what you would find at the typical raw bar.

Not quite ready for our main course, we split a perfectly proportioned order of steamed mussels and clams, which were attractively combined in one dish. As we quickly devoured them, we discovered the sauce-soaked bread hiding underneath – a good thing since it kept us from impolitely using our spoons to savor the broth.

The main courses are extremely varied, with everything from scallops to sweetbreads; however, after much thought, we chose the rabbit and the sturgeon. Even as an avid a seafood lover, I have never even seen this fish on any menu anywhere. What a great surprise to find that it is one of the most deliciously marbled whitefish that I have ever tasted. The rabbit was luscious as well, falling off the bone and perfectly accompanied with quince and East Texas peas.

Each dish is listed with wine recommendations by the glass, and we agreed with their choices each time.

Be aware that York Street is extremely small - seating only 40 - so be sure to make a reservation, especially since there is no place to wait for a table due to the compact floor plan. Mirrored walls help open up the space, and amusing black and white photographs dress the walls. Though the atmosphere and expert level of cuisine easily lends itself to stuffiness and pretension, York Street’s service is far from intimidating and overall quite welcome and friendly.

On York Street

Posted on March 1, 2007 at 5:41 p.m.

Food: 5/5  Vibe: 5/5  Service: 5/5  Value: 4/5  Overall: 5/5

This is arguably the best sushi bar in Dallas. Everything about it is A-list. From the Japanese chefs that have been there for years, to the finest grade seafood available, you will be hard pressed to find something better in Big D. On the sushi menu you have the typical yellowtail, tuna, salmon, eel, and others. But also more exotic items such sea urchin, toro, and even baby abalone are available on a regular basis. Grade A, super fresh, I’ve never had a bad piece of raw fish here. On the grill, “robata” side, don’t miss the marinated sea bass, a specialty here. It’s a perfect appetizer for 2. Also snapper, branzini, scampi, and many other varieties of seafood are plucked from the ice bin in front of you, skewered, and grilled whole, right in front of everyone sitting at the sushi bar. Another great item to try is the “beef on the rocks”, a 6-slice order of ultra high-grade washu beef, served raw with an extremely hot rock and a soy based dipping sauce. Grab the beef with your chopsticks, dip it into the sauce, and cook it to your desired doneness on the rock. It has a cool, simple, high end asian look, with warm wood and veregated stone works. Cool buzz, but not too loud. Get there by 7pm if you don't want to wait, or sip cold saki in the bar while you do. Too many good things to say about this place..enjoy!

On Tei Tei Robata Bar