Taste of Beauty

Upon arriving at the restaurant, we had high expectations as we had seen excellent reviews on both Yelp and Google. Unfortunately, our overall experience was subpar and did not meet our expectations. Despite over two weeks having passed since our visit, we are still discussing our disappointment.

We had made a reservation for lunch a few days in advance and were seated in a private room. Upon taking our seats, we immediately noticed hairs and stains on the chairs. Given that we were both dressed up for the occasion, we attempted to clean the seats ourselves using wipes, to no avail (see attached photos).

Food: While the restaurant offered a cheaper lunch option, we opted for the "regular" tasting menu. We selected Orchid because the lunch special menu would not have been sufficient for our needs since the portions are known to be small. The plating of the dishes was impressive, which is why we rated this aspect with two stars. Clearly, the chef had taken time and effort in designing each dish, and the first few were enjoyable. However, the dishes became excessively salty after the first two courses. We were also perplexed by the tofu, which was served with raw oyster sauce. The servers were knowledgeable about the dishes but were simultaneously cleaning the floors during our meal, which raised concerns regarding hygiene standards since they did have to serve and touch the plates.

Environment: Despite there only being two parties in the restaurant that day, with the other party consisting of four to five people, the music played was a playlist of heavy metal and rock n roll music, literally. This caused the other party to speak louder and louder to be heard over the music, resulting in the entire restaurant being filled with noise. As a party of two, we struggled to hear each other due to the loud talking and the restaurant's "interesting" music choices.

Pricing: The pricing of the regular tasting menu was $89 per person, with an 18% service charge included (see attached photo). The total cost for our meal came to $225.62 for two people. Although there were eight dishes in total, we left the restaurant still feeling hungry. In comparison, Gordon Ramsey's Hell Kitchen is similarly priced, albeit without the service charge, and includes only three courses. Despite this, we left feeling extremely satisfied and full without the need for additional add-ons.

In Conclusion: Despite having high expectations, our experience at this restaurant was a significant letdown. From the unsanitary conditions of our seats to the excessive saltiness of the dishes and the strange combination of raw oyster sauce with tofu, we were left feeling very disappointed. The servers were knowledgeable, but the fact that they were also cleaning the floors during our meal was concerning. Additionally, the music selection made it difficult to hold a conversation, which detracted from our overall experience. Finally, while the plating of the dishes was impressive, the quantity of food for the price paid was insufficient, leaving us feeling hungry even after eight courses.

Regrettably, we cannot recommend this restaurant based on our experience, and we advise others to seek alternative dining options. Hope they could take in what I wrote here today and improve in the near future.