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| - As a good friend & I entered the N9ne corridor, Pat Sajak hurriedly sauntered past us as if Vanna White was in an upstairs suite waiting for him; interesting start to the night. A stunning hostess asked if we wanted a table because we could be seated right away. We thought it would be busy and planned to eat at the bar. Thankfully we stuck to that plan.
The meal started with a pair of appetizers: Ahi Tuna Tartare & fried Rock Shrimp. The delicious shrimp had a light breading that added texture that did not overpower the shrimp. The assorted dipping sauces were very good but the shrimp could stand alone on its own. I had less of a liking to the tuna tartare. What I did not like was the tuna appeared smashed so much that you could not tell if it was indeed tuna being served. Perhaps I was expecting a presentation of "ahi-poke" cubes of tuna where the freshness of meat could be seen and appreciated. To me it seems that if the tuna is smashed beyond the point of being unrecognized, it's just a way of masking the quality & freshness of the fish.
Despite the very small disdain I had for the tuna tartar, it did not make me less excited for my main dish; the 28 oz bone in Prime-Rib. Dear Fellow-Yelpers, let me tell you: it was FANTASTIC! What was put in front of me was a "Brontosaurus rib-meat" that only Fred Flintstone could appreciate; it was intimidatingly large. I could see the perfect reddish-pink of medium-rare that was under au jus poured on the prime-rib. Upon the first slice, I realized that I could have used a straw to cut into the very tender meat. The first bite was so breathe taking that I truly did pause and almost cried. Our server saw this and asked if I was okay, but I held up my index finger as if to say "give me a moment while I appreciate all that is good in the world." She smiled and left me alone to enjoy the rest of my bite.
Needless to say, I savored every bite that could muster of my prime rib. The au jus is a bit different than most I have experienced in that it contains more of an "herb" flavor than salty. That was fine by me because it complemented the already salted outer crust of the meat. The fat content in the meat was perfect; not too much but just enough to keep the flavor and juiciness intact. My only regret was that I was unable to finish my Bronto-rib and had to sheepishly ask for a to-go box. My "swag" took a hit and I had to turn in my "man-card" for such an offense of not being able to consume such an excellent piece of prime-rib.
Despite the meal, what really made me give my 5 star rating of N9ne was the service. Jasmin from Lanai, you are a Superstar!! As we sat at the bar through the entire meal, my friend and I attentively watched Jasmin's hair flip over her shoulders with each sexy head twirl. Yes, it is relatively easy for two cocktail infused men to observe a beautiful woman do anything but this was completely different. Working alongside Jasmin was the spiky haired, broad shouldered, Latin accented Roberto. What I saw was teamwork personified.
Roberto & Jasmin worked behind the bar like a fine tuned machine. Need a bottle that was out of reach? Roberto was there reaching upward for Jasmin. Need to replace an emptying bottle of vodka? Jasmin was there full bottle in hand for Roberto as he poured the bottle's last drop. I watched Roberto quickly make a 16 shot order for a large dinner party. Jasmin was there handing each possible ingredient as he poured them into the drink shaker. Now there wasn't any bottle twirling, tossing, or singing "The Hippy-Hippy Shake" while this teamwork was happening but it was a pleasant side show to appreciate. Done with laughs & playful bickering like a happy married couple, Roberto & Jasmin worked together perfectly all night. When there is genuine laughter & joy in the workplace, it can only reflect positively in the product which is served to the customers.
Should you dine at N9ne and have an opportunity to eat at the bar, please do so. Jasmin & Roberto will do little things like constantly replace your cocktail napkin under your drink just because it got soggy from condensation. It shows the amount of pride they have to keep their work area clean & presentable to the customer. This can only translate in being attentively served & making sure you receive the best possible dining experience; isn't that what we all should want?
And should you dine at the bar, if your cellular phone needs a a charging, Jasmin will gladly unplug a work device behind the counter and use one of her needed outlets to bring your very important phone to full power. Need to order a drink or a refill? Make sure you snap your fingers multiple times in the air for all at the bar to see & yell out "HEY, CUTIE!", Jasmin LOVES that and will make sure you are served first and without disdain.
Thank you very much to the entire staff at N9ne for making my visit a most memorable one; a return is imminent.
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