The Critical Consumer

Last night we ate at the new Pei Wei Asian Diner in Green Hills and I have mixed feelings about our experience. We arrived at around 8:35pm, not realizing they close at 9:00pm, but I didn’t feel bad when we found out. That’s still plenty of time to be served before 9:00pm, seeing how it is a diner that serves “fast food”. For those who are not familiar with Pei Wei, it is a fast-serve Asian diner that offers dishes from multiple Asian cuisines, like coconut curry, pad thai, mongolian chicken, etc. You order at a counter and then are presented with a number that you clip into a holder on your table. The food is served pretty quickly by whomever is working the line, depending on how busy they are, but you don’t have one particular waiter or waitress.

So, we sat down after ordering, which wasn’t a minute past 8:40, and they were already starting to close the shades. We were offered a to-go box before we even started eating. It felt very much like they were trying to hurry us out of the restaurant. The staff was very busy cleaning up and everyone seemed like they were ready to go home as soon as 9:00pm hit.

The food itself is quite good for fast food, flavorful enough and large portions. However, I ordered the Mongolian chicken that is supposed to come with green onions and white mushrooms. I think there was maybe what amounted to one whole green onion. I was hoping for quite a few more green onions, cause they are just scrumptious when they are grilled. The mushrooms were good, but if they were supposed to be grilled, they were definitely undercooked.

My husband got the Coconut Curry chicken which, he said, was “alright”, but I don’t think he’d be inclined to come back to eat it again. His vegetables were also undercooked, again, if they were supposed to be grilled. Its possible they like the “fresh veggie” preparation, which I actually prefer, but they were definitely mixed in with the other grilled foods, so it makes sense that they were probably supposed to be grilled.

Anyway, the overall experience was quick and pleasant, but nothing to write home about.

Nail Salon review, Part II.

I hate to give anyone a bad review, but that’s kinda the purpose of this website, so here it goes. Upon first impression, Apex Nails seems like a great full-service nail salon. They have an impressive number of spa pedicure chairs that face a long row of nail stations along a mirrored wall. There are 3 flat screen televisions on the mirrored wall, tuned to whatever the staff wants to watch. The last time I was there, the TVs were tuned to the History Channel, the Weather Channel, and (thank god) Entertainment Tonight. The poor girl behind me was stuck on the History Channel end of the salon and kept trying to watch the E! show but it was obviously uncomfortable.

Now, I know most nail salons have the problem of the staff not understanding much English, but I think this is particularly true with Apex Nails. The only person who really speaks much English is the Maitre D, if you will. He’s probably the owner and he stands at the register most of the time directing customers to a spa pedicure chair and then shouts orders in another language to the staff. I usually spend the whole visit feeling like I can’t really tell them anything about what I’d like because they just stare blankly at me anyway.

As I stated in my previous review, I don’t really care about the atmosphere as long as the end product is what I expected and what I paid for. Maybe I make the tragic mistake of still painting my own real nails instead of opting for the more durable silk or acrylic nails. Call me old fashioned, but I think they should be able to just as good of a job on painting my nails as they do with the fake nails. The last two times I’ve gone there, I spend at least 8 minutes under the UV dryer lights and still find that soon after I leave one or more of my nails is already smudged. And I’m careful! This last time, my thumb nail got all messed up when I washed my hands in hot water more than two hours after I was done. I think the flaw is that they use so many coats and they do them so quickly, that each coat doesn’t have time to dry before the next one is applied, so none of them dry for a few hours. And you can’t really expect me to wait a few hours before I do something.

In general, I’m just not impressed with the service or final product from this salon. Their strength may lie in another specialty of nail care, but they miss the mark on the simplest of tasks.

I’m no expert on Nail salons, but I have been to a few in Nashville. My need is very specific, I usually just want a french manicure on my own nails, so I don’t know much about silk nails or fills, or anything like that. But, I didn’t think that should stop me from reviewing the two salons I’ve frequented most and advocate for my favorite.

When it comes to nail salons, I care less about how the salon looks when I go in and more about how my nails look when I leave, as well as how they look 2 hours later and 2 days later. That said, I have found the salon that works best for me, and that is Le Le’s Nails in Hillsboro Village.

First, the logistics. Parking is not great since it shares a parking lot with Domino’s Pizza, a liquor store, Pancake Pantry, and all the other very popular restaurants nearby. Luckily for me, I work within walking distance and find it best if I take my lunch break to get my nails done. The salon itself is nothing fancy. They just “renovated” but really, they just rearranged furniture. They have one old television in the corner that has the captions on, but if you ask, they’ll turn the sound on too.

They offer the full range of services, including spa pedicures, silk nails, and Forever French. They have 3 or 4 spa pedicure stations, and 6 or 7 nail stations. However, I have never seen more than three people working anytime I’ve ever been there. When I was looking for somewhere to take my girls to get pedicures and manicures the day before my wedding, I asked if they had more staff that could do all of us at once. They said they did, so I imagine at busier times, they have more people on site. I’ve never had to wait more than 5 minutes to take a seat.

But the real praise should go to the quality of the final product. The benefit of only having a few long-time people on your staff is that you know that they all know what they are doing. I love my nails when I leave there and I’ve never had a snaffoo after leaving. They don’t use any fancy lacquer or UV lights to dry your nails. Instead, they use a top coat that is the best I’ve ever seen. 5 minutes at the fan, and my nails are good to go. The paint lasts for about 2 weeks before it starts to crack or flake, but until then, they look really amazing.

Like I said, I can’t speak to the more advanced and expensive nail services at Le Le’s, but if all you need is a nice manicure, this is the place to go.

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Update – 09.19.08

As mentioned in some of the comments below, Le Le’s Nails is no longer in business as this location.  The salon is under new ownership and it is unclear if Le Le’s relocated or just sold the business. Jacqueline (comment below) called to see if they would honor the gift certificates her husband purchased for Christmas and the new owners would not budge. I have been in the new salon and was not impressed. The dependability I had become accustomed to with Le Le’s went right out the window. My nails started peeling within 3 days. I can do a better job at home!

Third time’s the charm, right?

Well, charm is a great word to describe Samurai Sushi. Hidden between a pizza parlor and another italian restaurant on Elliston Place, Samurai Sushi is a small sushi bar that can seat about 18 people, max. It reminds me of the sushi place we ate at in Tokyo in the fish market at 7:30am. Except….

The “sushi”, as delicious as it is, is as far away from “traditional” as it comes. But that’s where the charm of this place lies. Can you picture sushi rolls made with mango, strawberries, kiwi (not all in the same roll), asparagus, peanuts, and a few other very unique ingredients? Well, imagine the most delicious fruity dessert you’ve ever had, and add the heartiness of sushi rice, and you’ve got one incredible meal from Samurai Sushi.

Between two people, which is the usual size of my party, three rolls is plenty to suffice even a strong appetite. Of course, we always order too much, usually four rolls, and have a few pieces left over. By “left over”, I mean we’ve eaten as much as we possibly can consume and, as much as we hate to see pieces of delicious sushi go to waste, we must, for our own well-being, stop for the evening.

If you’re into Seafood Salad, you’ll love the seafood salad here. It is the most generous and diverse seafood salad I’ve ever encountered. Large pieces of fresh fish over lettuce, drizzled with spicy sauce. Really, you have to experience it to understand.

For one of the most surprisingly unique sushi experiences in Nashville, go to Samurai Sushi.

Attempt #2 at Japanese restaurant reviews.

Of all the sushi restaurants in Nashville, Ken’s sushi is probably the simplest I’ve seen. Except for maybe Taste of Tokyo, which I’m pretty sure is run by Chinese people who know there’s more money in selling sushi than egg rolls.

Anyway, Ken’s Sushi is run by Ken from Japan and you can find him most nights behind the sushi bar. The sushi is always fresh and you can be sure to find nightly specials on the board by the bar, ranging from King Crab to Salty Squid. There’s nothing too special about their sushi rolls, although the tempura rolls are some of the best I’ve had.

Located conveniently within walking distance of Vanderbilt University and the Division/Broadway hub, Ken’s is a small nondescript restaurant squeezed between Mario’s Italian Restaurant…and something else. Parking is not easy to find on busy nights, but we’ve never had to walk too far. Sometimes we can even park right outside the front door.

So far, Ken’s is the only place in Nashville I’ve seen that serves cold Soba noodles with the traditional dipping sauce. This wouldn’t normally stand out as a special dish except that I had Soba noodles for the first time in Tokyo and it always takes me back a little bit. Their Una Don is also very good, a generous portion of eel on a bed of rice.

A good starter is the seaweed salad, and unlike some other Japanese restaurants, its under $3.00. Ken’s Fingers is another good appetizer, although its really just chicken fingers with a really yummy sweet & spicy dipping sauce. It also takes significantly longer to arrive than salad, or even Gyoza.

If you asked me what is special about Ken’s, I’d be hard-pressed to nail something down, other than that it is dependably fresh and the service is surprisingly attentive, even during busy hours. There’s a familiar feel to it that makes it easy to return,without any fancy atmosphere or gimmicky promises.

I have yet to really spend much time preparing reviews of local Sushi/Japanese restaurants, mostly because I know how much time it is going to take, but I think I better bite the bullet on this one and just do one at a time.

Sonobana is one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in Nashville (their website is a little lacking, but has a pretty decent listing of their food choices). It is located in Lions Head Plaza on White Bridge Rd, near Anatolia Turkish Cuisine and Dalt’s American Grill. The main reason I like it so much is because they offer a unique and vast assortment of specialty sushis as well as authentic Japanese cuisine. Their menu is quite extensive, but each item is accompanied by a picture that usually does a good job of accurately representing the food selection. They have a traditional American dining room, with a sushi bar, but also two tatami mat rooms where you sit floor level and eat around a large table. I haven’t tried that yet, but would love to go with a group some day.

I usually start out with some Wasabi Shumai, which are pork dumplings whose wrapping has been infused with wasabi. Add some spicy mustard and its one kickin’ way to start off the meal (click to see a larger picture):

My usual companion opts to start with the Chicken Negima appetizer, which is basically chicken wrapped around cheese and some kind of steamed veggie (scallions, I think):

Then for the sushi! Not only do they make all the traditional nigiri and typical American sushi rolls, they have some pretty fancy ones too. This one is called the Rebecca Roll and it is a tempura fried California Roll that is topped with baked shrimp in sweet sauce.

Mmmm…makes my mouth water just describing it. Its quite a dish and could satisfy one if they’ve already had soup, salad, and an appetizer. Of course, we always order too much, so here’s some more:

The long one on top is a Snake Roll, which includes cucumber, crab and roe on the inside, then eel and avocado on the outside. The eel is always delicious and the roll is a reliable favorite.

Under the Snake Roll is the Dynamite Roll. This one has tuna, yellowtail, burdock (a root vegetable), mayo & wasabi. Can you tell I like wasabi? It was…okay…not the best roll I’ve had.

The lone shrimp nigiri was me attempting to be brave and it was actually pretty good. After we’d finished our sushi they brought out the fried head of the shrimp, but I didn’t get a picture. And I didn’t eat it.

Lastly, there is the Hiroshi roll. This is otherwise known as the “salad” roll because it is all veggies except for the cream cheese. Even the wrapping is a veggie, radish actually. There is no rice in this roll which makes it quite different and surprisingly light. It was a nice smooth balance to the other, more spicy spicier, rolls.

We don’t usually get any dessert because we are too stuffed to even think about it, but they have a good selection of ice creams, including a fried ice cream, which I should really try someday soon. They don’t serve Mochi, a traditional Japanese dessert, but they do sell it in the adjacent market. They also have somewhat of a large selection of Manga and Videos for rent, if you’re able to read Japanese.

Prices are pretty fair for the selection and freshness. Sushi rolls range from $3.00 to $12.95, but most of the specialty rolls are around $4.50. They have a nice selection of wine, beer, sake and liquor, although I usually stick with Diet Coke.

On a busy night, service can be a little slow, but not as bad as some. Dishes like Sukiyaki and baked Sushi rolls can take a little longer, but its worth the wait in my opinion. All in all, I am very fond of Sonobana (formerly known as Benkay, but has new management). I just found out, from their website, that they have an all-you-can-eat buffet on Super Bowl Sunday! I know where we’ll be February 3rd!

A while ago I did a review of the Mediterranean Cuisine restaurant on 21st Avenue. I gave it pretty high marks and don’t take them back, but I have to say that the Fattoush Cafe on Charlotte Ave is a hefty competitor. Oh sure, Med Cuisine has three times the space and adequate air conditioning/heating, but Fattoush makes up for it with the most tasty Mediterranean I’ve had in Nashville.

From the street, it has a festive storefront for a West Nashville, Charlotte Avenue dive. Sitting right next to a Jiffy Lube and across the street from Krystal, the real estate is not what you’d call prime. I’ve gone there after dark and literally run from the parking lot to the door just to minimize the chances someone will ask me for money or call for me from across the street.

Safety aside, the interior of the restaurant is a bit minimalistic with cafeteria style seating and painted walls. They do have a decorative decor, but its limited to the walls and beaded entrance to the bathrooms. In the far corner is a TV that plays Animal Planet at lunch (at least when I’ve been there at lunch).

Heat and AC are definitely lacking, but the negatives end there. The moment you step in line, you feel taken care of. The server behind the counter is always working on someone’s dish and the chicken and steak rotate behind him to gradually cook on all sides. I have yet to try the meat, but I’ve heard it is tasty. I tend to stick to the grape leaves, baba ganoush, greek salad and falafel. The portions are generous and the food is always fresh.

I don’t really know what else to say except that it is soooo yummy. I suggest it for dinner at least once a week now, but crave it much more often than that!

We are pretty lucky to have a Zanies here in Nashville. Comics from all over the globe come to Zanies to perform and its actually a pretty good venue. We got there about an hour early and got great seats on a Saturday night. I’m not sure about the food cause we just had chips, but they seemed to have pretty fair bar food.

The only downside is that they have a 2 item minimum. It doesn’t have to be drinks, but each person has to buy two things…on top of the ticket fee. Oh well. Our show was worth it.

And they have smoke-free shows. That’s pretty cool.

I love frozen yogurt.

Okay, so that’s not really a review, but I really do love frozen yogurt. My favorite places to get yogurt are Donut Den in Green Hills, TCBY anywhere, and the stuff in the Vandy cafe is pretty good.

The Flying Saucer is an awesome bar in downtown Nashville that serves over 150 80 (sorry, i was way off) beers on tap, plus more bottled beers and some wine/liquor. The atmosphere is friendly, open, and there’s tons of space at the bar and on the main floor.

I’m not a big beer drinker, but they have something for everyone. I usually go with some Woodchuck Cider or a Hummingbird Water, which is a mix of two fruity flavors. They also have a pretty good bar menu with soft pretzels, bratwurst, salads, wraps, and quite a few other things.

Every night is a different theme, such as Pint Night on Mondays, Trivia Night on Tuesdays, Brewery Night on Wednesdays, etc. The male readers might be interested to know that all the waitresses or “Beer Goddesses” wear short school girl skirts and knee high socks. Its a good look for most of the servers, although I’ve seen a few who were pushing it.

The guys behind the bar are always friendly, even on a busy night, which is pretty much every night. On the weekends after 8pm, it is usually always packed and you can find people playing pool in the adjacent pool room. I’ve never had to fight for a seat though. Its surprisingly spacious, even when its packed.