Ichiban Japanese Restaurant

Ichiban Japanese Restaurant: 4641 Washtenaw Ave. Ann Arbor

That is Alison and me standing outside the new Ichiban Japanese Restaurant. It is located in the strip mall across from Spicetree Apartments along with Bistro Bar and Grill, Dynasty Buffet, the Comcast Office, the Bingo Hall and the drive-thru Starbucks which used to be a Blockbuster (do you know where I mean, yet?). I wore a skirt that day and Alison is wearing shorts because it was actually sunny and warm. Remember it being sunny and warm? I digress.

Ichiban is not a chain. Despite several accounts to the contrary, I have been assured that it is solely owned and operated by Sky Chen. The restaurant opened on Valentine's Day of '08 and means "number one." By the way, it is pronounced "itchybon" (a really fun word to say over and over again). No, there is not a fellow Ichiban in Florida or any where else for that matter. Hence, the "number one."
My Meal: Fried Oysters, Ichiban Combo Platter, Hibachi Steak (teriyaki style) w/ Clear Soup, House Salad, Vegetables and Steamed Rice, Green Tea and Diet Pepsi (notice the recurrence of the diet Pepsi throughout my reviews, I love me some diet Pepsi)

My Cost: $38.80

Atmosphere: It is an amazing space. Driving up to the restaurant (which used to be a terrible deli (I did eat there once)/DTE energy payment center), I was a little hesitant to believe that this could at all resemble a Japanese Steak House atmosphere (though, I've only been to one besides). When I walked in, it was as if I had been transported into another place, possibly Japan (though I've never been and can't be sure). A separate room houses Hibachi tables with family-style dining; the typical chef at the table, fire leaping, and laughter erupting style. The separate dining area encloses an expansive bar/sushi station, individual booths and "tartar" tables with private dining behind a cloth curtain. We opted for the private tables in the larger dining room. The decor is elegant and sophisticated with beautiful Japanese prints, amazing wood-work and soft, subtle lighting. The Japanese music is quiet and non-intrusive, adding to the ambiance. The carpeting was beautiful as well! I never look at carpeting! Overall, the dining experience is heightened by the slow, graceful feel of the space. Bonus points for the awesome HD big screen T.V!

Service: Fine, overall. Our server (didn't catch her name) was polite, informative and patient with my annoying questions. The food was prompt and she came back often to check on us without being a nuisance.

Taste: Here's another: "oh, dear." First off, I admit the huge mistake of getting the fried oysters as an appetizer. In my defense, the server did recommend them as a popular item. My first bite resulted in a slightly chipped tooth due to the stone/shell left on the oyster. They were greasy, flavorless and just a bit too squishy. Never get fried oysters at a Japanese restaurant. Unfortunately, I learned this from Christy afterwards (thanks for the laughing at me, too, man). You will recall that I have very limited experience in the Japanese food realm and will be learning a lot through this process. Second, the spring rolls were greasy and just not very flavorful. The shrimp was okay, I mean it is fried shrimp! How can you go wrong. The chicken katsu was overcooked, but had some nice flavor. I'm glad for the fruit sauce; a blend of mango and seasoning in gelatinous form. The apps tasted a lot better with the fruit sauce.

The standout of the whole meal was the incredible dressing on the house salad. I've had this soy-orange-ginger dressing in several different Asian settings and though I've always been a fan of its flavor, been less satisfied with its texture and consistency. (you know, the gritty chalky type thing). Anyway, this dressing was so good I wanted to drink it straight. With a hint of garlic and a good blend of acidity, savory and sweet, this dressing was extremely creamy with no grit or chunks of ginger. The greens were actually, well, green - not just a bunch of iceberg dumped in a bowl with a couple of matchstick carrots for color. The salad was the bomb! I mean the real bomb. Thank goodness, because my teriyaki hibachi steak was terrible. Loads of grisle, chewy and tough, it was like eating part of my shoe with a hint of soy and pineapple, without having a knife to cut it. The teriyaki sauce was definitely runny and annoyingly combined with the water left on the bottom of my plate from not properly draining the steamed vegetables. To give some credit, the vegetables were fresh, steamed perfectly and well-portioned. I just wish that I wouldn't have had watery teriyaki sauce poured all over them. The plate also contained the biggest carrot I've ever seen at a restaurant. I will give a bonus point for that. I also have to compliment them on the clear soup, a nice simple flavor profile with not a lot of fishy taste (I've tasted fishy clear soups, yes indeed). The tea was also excellent and so was the diet Pepsi.

Value: Well, hmm. Okay, so it definitely was not as good as what I spent for it. If I'd have spent half of the money, I would have been a little happier. If I'd spent a quarter of the money, I'd have been golden. Alas, I did not, so I cannot be happy or golden. I do give a point in value for being able to eat in such a beautiful atmosphere.

BREAKDOWN
Atmosphere 1 2 3 4 5
Service 1 2 3 4 5
Taste 1 2 3 4 5
Value 1 2 3 4 5

OVERALL: 2.75

So it doesn't seem as bad as I made it out to be after doing the rating system. I would remind you that the 5 in Atmosphere really bumped this baby up. Look at value. See? Look at Taste. See? Not a fan, overall, though I can see why people would return. I admit that I did not try any sushi and I have heard that they have great sushi and that the fish dishes are to die for (metaphorically, of course).

ELEPHANT COUNT

So, it will definitely take someone dragging me at gunpoint, begging or me being hungry with no possibility of any other food source (including my own arm) to get me back there. I would have actually given it half an elephant if I knew how. Not for me. Sorry Ichiban.

Paradise Restaurant

Paradise Restaurant: 883 West Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor

Located in the Collonade Shopping Center (Big Moes, some hair place, etc. etc.) near the Briarwood Mall, Paradise Restaurant specializes in Chinese and Vietnamese Cuisine. As the first Chinese restaurant visited in my quest for W.C. restaurant knowledge, I was actually feeling a bit confident about the experience. Frankly, I've eaten at Paradise before, so I knew that I'd be okay. Being Christy's favorite Chinese place in the area, I thought it would be a good one to start at, to sort of rev me up for all the other Chinese places I will have to eat at.

Why do I dislike Chinese food? Good question. First, it is (in my experience) always disgustingly greasy. I once got garlic green beans (thinking it would be a healthier option) from an anonymous Chinese place (which I will visit again, sometime) that were covered in so much oil and butter that it ate through the carryout container. Second, I once got food poisoning (it had to have been) from eating at a Chinese restaurant and so even the thought of Chinese makes me a bit queasy (I will, unfortunately be eating there again as well - YEAH FOOD POISONING). Third, the descriptions and names of foods are never appetizing to me. (come-on Rainbow Beef? Sounds like something that spoiled out a few weeks ago) Fourth, the plate comes and everything is brown. Now I know I don't see color very well, but when everything seems to match on a plate, I'm a bit suspicious. Fifth, it is often too salty.

So, there's the facts, man. Enjoy the review.

My Meal: Egg Drop Soup, Kon Pao Tou-Fu, Hot Tea

My Cost: $13.57

Atmosphere: Pretty typical. Extra points for the giant Buddha statue when you walk in. Points deducted for the fake flowers (not a fan at all, don't understand fake plastic trees, either (Radiohead reference)). Christy will be happy to know that I did visit the restroom and found it to be very clean and fresh smelling. A subtle floral aroma. The music was awesome; tripped out 70's disco and Crystal Gayle type ballads- all in Chinese! Definite extra point, there. Everything pretty clean, except our table. Side comment: the silverware was the heaviest I'd ever felt at a restaurant - almost weapon class. Overall, the dining room felt really cozy. In fact, I didn't want to get up right after eating. So we sat and chatted.

Service: Luckily, I was eating with Christy. The lady who owns Paradise is apparently not a fan of me. I am trying hard not to judge the service on past experiences, but she is not so nice to me. She loves Christy, though. Who can blame her. Service did improve over the last few times I've been there, so I can only assume that she warms up to more "regular" customers. Points taken away for not recommending a popular or favorite dish. How can there not be a most popular dish at a Chinese restaurant? Anyway, she was prompt, attentive and courteous. I am giving bonus points to the cute guy in jeans who kept refilling our water glasses.

Taste: Great portion sizes, flavorful kon pao sauce and the tofu was fried perfectly. The egg drop soup lacked a little seasoning, but what do I expect from egg whites and broth? The consistency was great, though - nice ribbons of egg white with none of those chunky ends or slimy pieces (yeah, you know what I mean). The rice was sticky but not dry. The only thing I would have liked was for there to be more heat to the kon pao sauce. I asked for medium and it was really mild. I guess I could have eaten those deadly dried peppers, but really, am I going to? The veggies were fresh and cooked really well. Pretty standard, though not to greasy. I may have to reevaluate my first point.

Value: Good portion size (isn't that what I'm looking for?) for the money. Pretty standard but worth the money. Drinking a lot of tea also helps.

BREAKDOWN
Atmosphere 1 2 3 4 5
Service 1 2 3 4 5
Taste 1 2 3 4 5
Value 1 2 3 4 5

OVERALL: 3.25

Elephant Count

I will probably eat at Paradise again (Christy likes it). I give it two elephants and recommend it for those looking for a comfortable yet affordable night of Chinese. The carryout would be a great option, as well.



Happy Eating!

Paesano's

3411 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor

A family owned restaurant situated in the heart of Strip Mall Row: Washtenaw Ave., Paesano's is a startling beauty amidst the Arborland Mall and the odd new complex containing the vitamin store and Jimmy John's and whatever else people who buy vitamins and eat at Jimmy John's in the same trip purchase. Truthfully, I've often avoided Paesano's just because of my twisted perception of it being difficult to get to (you know what I'm talking about, that damn middle lane where cars are always trying to merge eastbound and often cut my car off (a tad resentful)). I'm sorry Paesano's; it turns out that you aren't painfully difficult to get into and your parking lot is quite a bigger than apparent from the road (bonus points: as I get older, parking becomes more important, especially when the ol' hip is acting up).

An authentic Italian restaurant committed to true Italian lifestyle and culture; Paesano's sees itself as more than just a place to eat. Offering cooking classes, Italian language classes, wine education seminars and winemaker dinners, this place is a cornucopia of all things Italian. (or at least of all things regarding Italian language, food and wine - and possibly interior design, but not knowing anything about Italian interior design, I am not able to verify this for sure) If you are interested in this cornucopia, they've got a pretty good website (paesanosannarbor.com) where you can check out the menus, find out about events (just noticed the totally awesome Don Giovanni Opera Dinner!), learn about the staff and a few more neat little Paesano's bobbles. (Do you feel a positive review coming on? Just wait...)

My Meal: Coffee, Palate Teaser of zucchini mousse with mint and raw sugar, Caprese (fresh mozzarella, basil, tomato and balsamic reduction), House Salad, Grilled Garlic Pork Chop with spring onion barbecue sauce and chive roasted potatoes

My Cost: $40.81

Atmosphere: I'm going to refer to the style of the interior space (notice the subtle language change from normal to "snooty") as "quaint elegance." The main dining area is large but feels cozy, comfortable and modern without being gaudy (I totally love that I just got to use that word!). The room did not appear overcrowded (though all tables were occupied) and our table felt relatively private though we were seated next to other diners. The lighting was dim enough to mask the dirty jeans and the fact that I had not bathed that day, yet I could still read the menu without taking off my glasses (note to reader: I have very bad vision and will take away points from restaurants whose menu fonts are tiny and/or their dining rooms are too dark to see the silverware). I did get a chance to visit the restroom this time (Yeah Christy!) and found it to be warm, inviting and very clean with a fresh scent (bonus for the great photos of Italy (Check it out Jess E.)). Bonus points are also awarded for the sweet middle section of the ceiling with the rustic wooden beams and the Italian language class being taught to a table of customers by Salvatore Bisaccia while we ate.

Service: Lisa, Robin and I were served by Dani. Dani was okay. She did warm up after a bit, becoming more personable and funny. She was adequately attentive and answered all of my specific questions (thumbs up for this as it tends to annoy servers in some establishments - and that is why I test them out on it). I enjoy that she brought up the palate teaser (for free! I'm poor so that's great) and made me feel really special about it. Frankly, I really like feeling special. I do have to say, however, that I was a bit disappointed that she did not know what was in the palate cleanser and politely argued with me about the mint (I was right, not that I need to be right (but I was))

Rant: I understand servers at your local dive not knowing (and/or caring) about every product, but damn man, that is part of what you pay for at the "fancy" places. Step it up people! Get to work. Sorry, rant over.

I will give credit to all the other employees I passed on the way to and from the restroom. Everyone said hello and smiled; that must get tiring and I appreciate it.

Taste: Again we conjure my philosophical food dilemma and a possible topic to explore throughout this journey: I am picky and critical (some say hypercritical) about food. As I stated in my opening blog, I am required to ask my server what she/he recommends and/or what is popular. I am then required to eat said item and remain objective regardless of my personal feelings towards said item (remember hot dogs? they'll be coming, don't you worry).

So, I ask you friends, what do you do in this hypothetical situation:

Let's say we ask a server, we'll call her Dani for convenience sake, what she recommends. She immediately tells you the Grilled Garlic Pork Chop is great and states, and I quote(hypothetically, of course): "If there is one thing Isabella (the hypothetical chef in this hypothetical situation) cooks well is a fantastic pork chop." Okay, so you get the pork chop and find it to be the best seasoned piece of cardboard you've ever tasted. Great sweet and smokey barbecue flavor with a little bit of heat accentuated by the light flavor of fresh spring onions smothering all those layers of paper. What do you do? How do you remain objective (hypothetically) and not take double points away now that you have had your hopes and dreams of eating the best pork chop of your life so viciously dashed? I mean, imagine that this thing is like eating a fantastically seasoned phone book. Now, when I say phone book, of course I am referring to a small town phone book, but still! Could you bring your own phone book and pay half price? How do you cut through your phone book with just a steak knife. Clearly, I am disappointed (hypothetically). Am I an a***ole for expecting something remarkable when told I would get it? Am I being too critical just because she told me it would be great and then I was disappointed? Was it great and I am just too picky? These are questions I will ponder while jogging and playing sudoku.

Anyway, the rest of the meal was excellent in quality, preparation and taste, so I gotta give 'em credit. The ingredients were incredibly fresh, crisp and flavorful. The seasonings had a great balance. My coffee was even great and bonus points for having raw sugar! I highly recommend the balsamic reduction on the Caprese Salad and found my potatoes to be totally edible and actually tasty (not a potato fan - you will find that I am not a fan of a lot of foods and should possibly seek out other lines of work where I do not have to encounter such foods). Damn you overcooked pork chop! It would have been a stunner if not for you.

Value: Tough. Disregarding the pork chop, this was a great meal and worth every penny. Unfortunately, I cannot disregard the pork chop as it was my entree! Good seasonings, good products, a little rough and the pork chop cooking. I should have eaten more bread and drank more coffee to make up for the expensive phone book.

Breakdown

Atmosphere 1 2 3 4 5
Service 1 2 3 4 5
Taste 1 2 3 4 5
Value 1 2 3 4 5

OVERALL: 4

After all my pork chop ranting, I've got to say that I will definitely be eating at Paesano's again. It's a good Italian place with quality ingredients and excellent atmosphere. It feels like the type of place you go to when you want something better without having to put on the heels (though you could if you wanted). Great date restaurant or special occasion venue with friends and family. I'll just stay clear of the pork chop!

Elephant Count

Inaugural Restaurant: The Full House

The Full House - 57 Ecorse Rd, Ypsilanti

The Full House was opened at about 9:10 am on June 15, 1973. This is according to the little story in the menu. ( I admit that the little menu stories always add some points for me. I enjoy being able to read something while waiting for my food). Claimed to be the longest running, single operator restaurant in Ypsilanti (though I'm not sure if this is good or why it even matters), they say that they have had the pleasure of serving 10 million burgers to their customers throughout the years. Well, make that 10 million and 4, because Deafula, Alison, Deborah and I decided upon burgers, of course.

My meal: King Burger (1/2 pound, the works, no cheese), Fries, Coleslaw and Drink (diet Pepsi)
My cost: $9.28

Atmosphere: The dining room is pretty clean and really outdated (bonus points for retro/vintage style without even trying to be retro/vintage style). I love the fact that the non-smoking section has ash trays (just in case). The Full House doesn't present itself as anything other than a local burger joint where you could meet friends and have a beer (if you so choose). It felt very Ypsi to me, which is something I just can't explain. You have to feel Ypsi to understand, but for me it is a very good thing. The menu design is cute and the booth is comfortable. The room is not crowded and the addition of video games, keno machines and tv's lends to the feel of a working man's establishment. I definitely could see myself (a few years ago) sitting there after work b.s.ing with fellow Full Housers.

Service: I thought the service was excellent and extremely attentive (a couple of my fellow diners thought it was a bit overboard and I could see that). Our waitress, Claudette, was friendly and knowledgeable about the products. She did seem to get a bit confused when we were ordering but we were a bit confusing. Unfortunately, points were lost for the mistake in Alison's order and the forgetting of which meals were which (a personal pet peeve and I believe it is poor customer service, especially since you wrote it down!).

Taste: Oh, dear...hmmm. So this brings up an interesting question; perhaps a personal philosophical food dilemma? Am I hypercritical about food because I am in the food industry? My fellow diners thought the food was good (or as Deafula puts it P.A.B = Perfectally Acceptable Burger (I am going to use the P.A. thing from now on, thanks friend!)). I completely differ in my opinion. I thought that the coleslaw was pretty tasty (fresh,seasoned well and innovative because of the mustard dressing - not something we see often my friends). But the burger and fries? Not so good, especially not for a place that claims itself as the best/only burger in town. I don't understand that: when a place makes a claim about the quality of product and it isn't true. Do they believe it? First, there are other burgers in Ypsi. Second, it is definitely not the best one. Okay, rant over. I thought that the burger was dry and lacking in any seasoning. I'm often glad for condiments. My fries were inconsistent: a strange combination of soggy and crispy with some not cooked all the way through. I once learned that this happens from oil that is too high or too dirty. I cannot comment on that being as though I didn't look at the oil. I do have to say, however, that Deafula's fried okra was yummy. Not soggy, not oily, great flavor and Claudette gave us Frank's Red Hot (bonus points).

Value: Got what I expected. Not too cheap and not too expensive. I also drank enough diet Pepsi to offset any and all extra costs associated w/ the meal.

Breakdown
Atmosphere 1 2 3 4 5
Service 1 2 3 4 5
Taste 1 2 3 4 5
Value 1 2 3 4 5

OVERALL: 3.5

Elephant Count:

So, realistically, I will never choose to eat at the Full House on my own. I will need someone to hold me at gunpoint, beg (it only works w/ love) or be famished with no other possibility of nourishment. Sorry, Full House, it isn't that you're bad, it's just that I don't want to eat at you again.



1 down....several hundred to go....



Happy Eating!

The Criteria (or okay okay, I'm blogging again)

Hello Fellow Foodlovers!

I apologize for the delay in writing. I've missed you. I've missed you all. Thank you for being patient. Deafula finally just called me out the other evening on the way to the Ghostland Observatory show (by the way: strobetastic!) about my lack of followthrough on the whole review part of this process. It is what I needed. Thanks friend. I warn you: I am lazy, busy and slow. This is a deadly combination in the blogging world, I fear. But together we will mush on.

Anyway, about the review portion of this whole task (I now refer to it as such because I am no longer disillusioned to believe that this is a little hobby). I will use the following criteria graded on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being poor, 3 being acceptable/average, 5 being excellent) to standardize the process:

1. Atmosphere - based on Cleanliness, Comfort and Style (sorry Christy, I don't think I'll get a chance to use every bathroom, though that could launch a whole new blog)
2. Service - based on Attentiveness, Friendliness and Promptness (notice I say friendliness and not cheerfulness-I believe cheerfulness can be faked quite well while friendliness cannot) I also want to add that while writing this I realized I am a fan of the -ness endings
   
3. Taste - Quality of Products, Cooking Technique, Seasoning
4. Value- When all is said & done, was it worth what I paid? I will also give each restaurant a $ sign for cost of basic meal ($ <> 30 dollars) I knew that one day those <> symbols would pay off!
5. Overall-An average taken of all the above

I have also decided that I will give each restaurant a rating of 1 - 3 elephants based on my returnability probability. The reason for this is simple: I love elephants and I love the word elephants. 1 elephant means that I will only return if dragged by gunpoint and/or really really hungry and someone I love begs me (I am working on my unhealthy, gunpointing relationships..hhm hhmm). 3 means I will eat there so much that it may become my very own "Cheers."

So I guess that's all there is about that. On to the reviews.....



Happy Eating!