I tried these two places in the Antiques district on N. Orange last night. The first has been open for three weeks and the other for three months.
Nova - They are at the light on Virginia. I had a premonition about them and it rang true. I'm not sure if it the ugly sign, the generic name, the fact that they didn't open when promised, the fact that parking is in short supply or the fact that they made me come down here at night, but, I came in with a sour attitude. They did nothing but make it worse. And it had everything to do with the food. The place looks ok. It's like a tinier Houston's or Hillstone's or whatever they are calling themselves these days. They have a patio. There is kind of a lake view. The interior is simple and elegant (they tore down the dump that used to be here). There is a little bar. The music was too loud and it was dark. I needed my cell phone light to read the menu. The crowd was not hip. The guys looked like John Kasich Rumpled Stiltskins and their wives looked like they got Bernie Sanders to marry them. A Dan Newlin commercial come to life. Short sleeve dress shirts recommended. In retrospect, the food found its level. I had three apps because the entrees were commonplace and overpriced. Not that the apps weren't. However, this way I could give them (and you) more bites at the apple. I had what ending up being a salmon spring roll (the menu does a poor job of delineating what this is) for $12 and a Moroccan Scallop dish for $14 and a Tuna Tostadas dish for $14. The only good things among the three were the sauce the scallops came with and the quality of the tuna. Everything else (from the preparation to the conceptualization) was bad. The salmon (two rolls) was flavorless mush and the rolls were greasy. The rocket they served them with was over salted. There was some kind of drizzle that was barely observable. The scallops (2) may not even have been scallops. I couldn't find that abductor muscle or whatever it is. They also did not taste like scallops. They had no taste. And Gordon Ramsey would have smashed them into a plate and yelled "Raw" if he was at the pass. I eat alot of scallop sushi/sashimi, so, I'm not against a silky scallop. However, a scallop cooked on the raw side can't work in this dish. It's served on a sweet corn puree (hot) with some kind of meat mixed in. You need a firmer/warmer scallop to make this work. Throw in the fact that the "Moroccan" spice (no taste) made it pitch black. Your eyes told your stomach to get ready for something overcooked. And them you get an pillowy ice cube. The tuna was given the same spice treatment. It did more to ruin the tuna than complement it. They pair it with some pita like "tostadas" that stretch the understanding of the term. The final insult is an avocado puree that was way too salty and creamy. Just do it by hand. There are some sliced radish thrown in there too. Actually, the final insult was that these numb skulls brought out everything at once. My relaxing dinner was over in fifteen minutes. The rest of the menu is from the a time when Taio Cruz and One Republic were popular. All the proven hits. Crab cakes, fried chicken, steak, salmon, hamburger, short ribs tacos, etc. A scoop of Boursin cheese they call a cheese plate. I guess it is just as well because any time they riffed they bungled it. They are out of Atlanta. The place seats about 90 (before the heat descends on them and they lose half of their capacity). You have to valet. I don't like giving my laundry to the dry cleaner and he's not a pimple face moron high on Afghan Kush. They are starting lunch on Monday. There is nothing new here even if they become competent in the kitchen. It's a saturated niche. And the prices are high. $10 wine by the glass and all entrees over $22. I spent $50 on three apps and a soda. I'd avoid it, but, I'm sure the Simple Simon's of Central Florida will love it. I had better food ($10 lamb stomach tacos) later on that night at a bar. Insert your own Chevrolet joke here.
Better Than Sex - I followed their interminable build out for months and this was the real reason I came down here. They are only open at night. It's not my bag baby, but, I wanted to "collect" it. They didn't have any tables open, so, I campagned for a glass of wine that I would drink outside. The place serves dessert, wine, beer and cordials. It is decorated in a plush manner. It's very red and dark. The owner is cute and sweet and so was the staff. It's near that Wolf something or other cafe.
BTW - Listening to the Lions opener. Has any one, ever, seen Brek Shea do anything? Why are people in love with him. He's just taking up space. Speaking of which. Is Kaka playing? Does he get royalties on the poop emoji?
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