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| - Anju earned its five stars in spite of some organizational glitches. The food was all marvelously interesting, with flavorings echoing the far reaches of the globe. This kitchen is preparing world class, Michelin quality, James Beard award winning dishes. Yet, there is a lack of polish about the restaurant, which is disappointing considering the culinary treasures produced by the chefs.
Our problem started at "the front." Two young women, looking frazzled and defensive, first could not find our reservation. Once our name was discovered, the one seemingly in charge, looked past me into the lounge and said our table was not ready. I asked if we could sit at the bar, and she said all seats were taken for at least 30 minutes. She never checked with the bartender. Also, she never looked at me, never making eye contact, no smiles, no welcome. Suddenly, she grabbed two menus and led us to a "walk in" table in the lounge in front of the bar. I asked if a table was available in the restaurant, and she haughtily said this is the restaurant. I told her I meant the main dining room, and she simply said no.
My wife and I then waited an inordinate amount of time. I was in the restaurant business in Milwaukee, and as a former owner/manager I knew what was going on. No one was assigned to our table. We were just about to walk out, when a young man named Matthew stopped by and asked if we've been helped. He was very empathetic. Two minutes later a young woman came by to be our server, and I told her we've been taken care of.
Matthew was great and led us through the huge menu. The fried tofu, oxtail tortellini, curry seafood, and fried brussel sprouts were all flavorful and delicious, and each of us had separate favorites. We had a wonderful meal.
Matthew was great. Oh, BTW, five minutes after we sat down, there were several empty seats at the bar.
At the end of the meal, I called the manager over to compliment Matthew. The manager, as good managers will do, was more concerned about the problems. He gave us 10% off our meal which was unnecessary, and we made it up on the tip. I'm glad the manager was so attentive.
Anju has the potential to be one of the best restaurants in North America. However, great restaurants require a commitment to the whole operation. Fantastic food is often not enough. With some fine tuning, concentrating on staffing and design, (the decor and ambiance need work) Anju would make every world class list. The food was that good.
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