The Restaurant Thread

I think it would be fun to share some of your favorite restaurants with fellow TNLers. Of course, living here in NYC means I have access to many, many unique (and expensive) restaurants owned by famous chefs. Not that I go to them too often, but we do try at least 1 new place every year while we are still living here.

So tonight, we decided to go to Morimoto's restaurant. To those not familiar with Morimoto, he is one of the Iron Chefs from the famous Japanese cooking show. His restaurant is just his namesake, website is here. Amazingly enough, he was actually at the restaurant working tonight and we even get to meet him. He seems really down to earth.

Here is the outside of the restaurant:
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1244007089

Inside, there is a giant wall of glass bottle decor from the ground floor all the way to the basement where the bar is. Pretty neat.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1244007089

I ordered 3 things. The first is the Rock Shrimp appetizer. It has 2 flavors, wasabi and buffalo style. Very yummy.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1244007089

I tried their Spider maki (Soft shell crab roll) and it was probably the best spider maki I ever had. I didn't take a picture though. My main course is SaGa Bop, which is a beef bowl of rice. According to our waitress, SaGa beef is even more tender/sweet than Kobe beef and a higher grade of specialized beef. I have tried Kobe beef in Japan and it was AMAZING. I can't compare the Kobe beef I had since that was 4 years ago, but this SaGa beef is really really tender. It just melts in your mouth.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1244007089

My wife ordered the tasting menu, which is great if you like raw fish. Her main course though is a surf and turf. I tried alittle bit and it was alittle spicy and scrumptious.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1244007482

And we even got to meet Morimoto himself. Very nice and friendly guy!
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1244007089

The bathroom has an interesting feature....
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1244007089

Overall, we are really impressed with Morimoto. If you like Japanese cuisine, I would highly recommend it. We will definitely come back (maybe in a couple of years). Last year, we tried Bobby Flay's Mesa grille and didn't come away all that impressed. I am glad we came here this year.

Next year, we will probably go back to Mario Batali's Babbo, which we went 2 years ago and probably had the best Italian food there, ever. It is seriously that good.

Here's a shot of my favorite restaurant on a gloomy winter afternoon.
Click for full size

I also enjoy the sampler.
Click for full size

I even got to meet store manager Jesus!! He didn't speak much ingles, but he was super nice!
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1244032539

I've sort of wanted to go to Morimotos for a few years, I've been a dork for Iron Chef for years. A close friend of mine went not too long ago and said that it wasn't very good for some reason or another, and that made me sad :(. Glad to hear a different opinion.

I've been to a couple fancy celebrity restaurants. The first time I went to NY a few years ago I went to Bobby Flay's place. Just walked in and got a table, apparently he reserves a couple tables just for walk-ins which I thought was pretty neat. Food was pretty good, and he has a neat open kitchen so you can see the chefs doing their thing.

In England I took my girlfriend to one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants for her birthday--not the insaneo three star two month waiting list one, the more accessible one star two week waiting list one. Food was good, a bit dark and dowdy, and no shouting from the kitchen, which I didn't expect, but kind of wanted.

That's it for celebrity chef places, I don't go out to eat often for big fancy pants meals very often but splurge pretty hard when I do.

(Morimoto is my least favorite Iron Chef, btw *Edit* - I take that back, Kobe is my least favorite, screw that dude)

Morimoto's has a restaurant in Philly too. I've always wanted to go to that one.

Also Mario Batali's in NY.

Here is a local establishment that I'd like to share with you guys.
http://www.adeelchowdhry.com/blog/wp.../mcdonalds.jpg

It's a multicultural experience as I've found 90% of the workers speak spanish, strangely enough there was not a taco in sight. Another plus to this fantastic restaurant is it's ability to serve you mediocre food even at 3am! No reservations needed, and there is generally a 2 to 3 car wait.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chux

Here is a local establishment that I'd like to share with you guys.
http://www.adeelchowdhry.com/blog/wp.../mcdonalds.jpg

It's a multicultural experience as I've found 90% of the workers speak spanish, strangely enough there was not a taco in sight. Another plus to this fantastic restaurant is it's ability to serve you mediocre food even at 3am! No reservations needed, and there is generally a 2 to 3 car wait.

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Mediocre?

HAH

Here's my McDonalds.

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1244039279

That's a good looking McDs.

That Morimoto's looks economical.

If your even in Cleveland, there is one of the better BBQ places I have even been to outside of texas that nobody knows about.

http://www.alwayshungryny.com/images..._Version_2.jpg

Interesting color theme on the building (which is in a bad part of town, go early)

http://www.zvents.com/images/interna...31_primary.jpg

They have awesome shit, like this shit, it's not healthy so vegans, fuck yourself!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/...326b88.jpg?v=0

Inside of place, it's not bad

http://images.citysearch.net/assets/.../7992808p1.jpg