A patient and helpful waiter, combined with outstanding food and a perfect semi-sophisticated (but not too sophisticated) vibe, easily results in a strong five star rating.
The menu is more than a bit complicated. I believe there were actually six of them this Friday evening. That's half the fun and where a helpful waiter comes into play. Since a majority of our party had never been to the restaurant, we opted to share numerous small items to sample the menu. Many were ordered on the recommendation of our waiter. We were not disappointed. Interestingly, the bistro green beans tapas was my favorite dish (I was traumatized early in life by too many middle school cafeteria green beans, so green beans are never preference of mine). Or were the pork belly buns my favorite? Or the shrimp tempura udon? Can't decide.
Highest praise came from my daughter, the one who lived in NYC for a year. She stated, "this reminds me of my favorite NYC sushi spot."
I greatly appreciated the helpful waiter who showed no impatience with our illogical ordering process or our preference for water (there goes the big tip in many waiter's eyes) as our beverage. We tipped him as though we had all ordered cocktails.
The location, wedged between a Subway and a Circle K, doesn't impress. But open the restaurant door and you'll be rewarded. Reservations suggested if you are going at a peak time.