Asahi - No

I've been to Asahi a number of times - most of the time, my experiences have been pretty good. In fact, I took my girlfriend there on her birthday a few weeks ago, and it was excellent. But I'm pretty certain after last night, I do not intend to ever go there again.

Most of you know what Japanese restaurants are like - an entire table is seated, and your meal is cooked in front of you, and part of the experience is the entertainment of it all. Having done that several times, unlike the other patrons, I chose to order sushi instead. Raw fish, right? *Should* be like ordering a salad at a restaurant. ## boy.

We got our drinks - and then our soup - and then our salad - as always. The chef came out and began his 'show'. As usual, he didn't disappoint. But as he got closer to completion, I began to wonder - where the hell is MY dinner?

He cooked the rice, the vegetables, the meat - everyone ate - including appetizers - he cleaned the stove. Now at this point - even the CHILDREN have finished their meals, and are busy playing at their seats waiting for their parents to get the check.

Nothing.

I comment on this, to our wait person (whom I was later informed - was part owner). She says my order will be coming out soon.

By this time - everyone is completely finished. Nothing. Geez, I've been there almost forty-five minutes to an hour - nothing. Finally it arrives - as everyone is getting ready to LEAVE - and heck, I can see our chef already making with the show at another table.

FINALLY it arrives. Well, I'm furious - and those of you who know me know for certain - this rarely happens. Our waitress makes no apologies - except for one lame excuse -

"Sushi is a little slow tonight because we only have one sushi chef on"

Now, don't TWO things come to mind?

1. WHY didn't she mention this at any time within the previous HOUR? Why not when I ordered? Why not sometime while we were waiting?

2. The patrons AT the sushi bar had NO wait, for their food - apparently, customers at tables get last priority.

After this atrocious service - I sent the food back. I had lost my appetite. My girlfriend went to speak to a manager, because I really didn't think I could be polite about it.

Their solution? Oh - I didn't have to PAY for the food I sent back.

How thoughtful. They just shrugged it off. Sorry. We're idiots, clods and provide awful service - but you know, too bad. What do you want from us?

You know, I've been to greasy spoons before that offered a free meal for impolite service or so much as a dirty fork. I didn't even get an apology, except from the manager who basically said, sorry, I can't do anything about it.

I can't say every night at Asahi will be like that - prior to last night - it had always been at least favorable. But I'm voting with my feet now.

No more. I'll go to Monterey. It's not as though St. Mary's is lacking in good restaurants with good service.

I used to meet a friend of mine around 8:30 for sushi, and never had a problem. But, whenever I went during normal lunch/dinner times, the sushi was always pretty late (even if the restaurant wasn't busy). Their sushi is pretty good, and I'll go back, but only during off hours.

I have to agree with Budo...I have only gone twice during "peak" times, and each of those times, even thu I am a "regular" I had to wait longer than I wanted, and that was with me sitting at the sushi bar! But this is typical of most sushi bars I have been to in the DC Metro area as well. Peak times are bad times, if you want sushi eat at an odd hour. Sorry that you felt your service was so bad Frank.

Ok - but - it wasn't as much the slowness of the service at the bar - although getting it AFTER *ALL* the other patrons were finished, mouths wiped, grill cleaned and kids off to the car that I got my meal wasn't enough - it was the lame treatment afterwards, the shrug like "too bad" - I mean, if their reason was "there's only one guy on tonite" - couldn't they have told me? And again - the people at the bar did not have to wait an hour, and there couldn't have been more than eight people sitting there at any time. Somehow the idea of sitting at a grill after everyone had actually left - a full hour later - when my meal arrived struck me as very weak. In contrast, other places I've been to have been more than gracious if service was poor.


I guess I can't figure out why it takes an hour for anyone to prepare raw fish with cold seaweed and rice.

Where Is This Place??

I can only place the one by Circuit City in Waldorf - one time they put way too much sauce on it - otherwise my friends like it - my favorite place to eat in my travels, well there are two - one is the Athenian Cafe in White Plains,never had a bad bit of food or service there since they opened - and the other is Alaska Pete's in Pennsylvania. I have never had such good and big Alaskan KING crabs - just not large crabs - and being from Seattle I am use to prety good ones - we go to the Silver Skewer on 925 - the food is light- their rice has been written up in the Independent -

Originally posted by Frank
- it was the lame treatment afterwards, the shrug like "too bad" - I mean, if their reason was "there's only one guy on tonite" - couldn't they have told me?

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Its just the way a business should be handled. If they were short a cook that night, you let the people know up front. She should have let us know. Not just be like..."oh its coming out soon..it normally takes longer" while Jess, Myra and I were finishing our last bit of rice!



Then for her to get a 'tude with you when you told her to take it away. She had no reason to do that. Plus the guy manager or whatever he was,...was obviously not sincere at all. he was just to much of a busy body to worry about it.

Terrible story Frank but at least you had clean utensils. Biscuit's soup spoon was covered with nasty pink lipstick the last time we were there. I think the waitress got hungry while she was bringing out the food.

Originally posted by Kain99
nasty pink lipstick the last time

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EWWW NASTY! When was this. GROSS GROSS!!

Originally posted by watercolor23
EWWW NASTY! When was this. GROSS GROSS!!

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The night we were together silly!

Originally posted by Kain99
The night we were together silly!

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EWW NO WAY! I wish you would have said something. oh well...its over now.

Sorry to hear about the troubles at asahi. Asahi will be one of the places we'll miss when we leave. We always had good service and the food was always good.

It has been many moons since I've been there. I've never had such rude service, but lunch always ended up being a 90 minute affair when we went there....

A close friend of mine had bad experiences there due to, of all things, their ever-changing soft drink refill policy. He took his family of 4 there and was surprised to see a $20 charge for soft drinks. They said "oh, there aren't free refills". Next time he went, they said they changed that. But the third visit resulted in another $20 surprise. Then their next visit resulted in many little hairs in their food. They've never been back, and it has been over a year.

I would go there again, but I hardly eat out when I'm down here.

Try Sakura in Prince Frederick

My husband and I prefer Sakura in Prince Frederick. We feel the sushi is a better quality and flavor. Bob, the main sushi chef is very entertaining should you choose to sit at the sushi bar.

I agree, it is hard to find good customer service in Southern Maryland.

Frank, I'd be ticked too... Especially at their prices - you expect service with a smile...

Most individuals seated at tables are not ordering sushi, but a few do. I can understand why the designated "sushi" area patrons get first priority. And as everyone knows, sushi does take an extended amount of time to prepare, even though it's raw. They're basically creating "art" out of food. Thank goodness I don't eat the stuff.

Frank said:

Most of you know what Japanese restaurants are like - an entire table is seated, and your meal is cooked in front of you, and part of the experience is the entertainment of it all.

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Not ALL Japanese restuarants are like that.

Frank said:

Most of you know what Japanese restaurants are like - an entire table is seated, and your meal is cooked in front of you, and part of the experience is the entertainment of it all.

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That's not a REAL Japanese restaurant. It's a pseudo-Japanese American restaurant.


Those restaurants were started in the U.S in the 70s. The Benihana chain.
True Japanese restaurants do not serve their meals at a common table. If you see steak or lobster it's probably not Japanese. I haven't found a real Japanese restaurant in SOMD. I know they exist in DC and Northern VA and Bethesda.

Only thing really Japanese is the sushi and the food cooked in the kitchen, which I do not recommend unless you're having lunch.

Triggerfish said:

That's not a REAL Japanese restaurant. It's a pseudo-Japanese American restaurant.


Those restaurants were started in the U.S in the 70s. The Benihana chain.
True Japanese restaurants do not serve their meals at a common table. If you see steak or lobster it's probably not Japanese. I haven't found a real Japanese restaurant in SOMD. I know they exist in DC and Northern VA and Bethesda.

Only thing really Japanese is the sushi and the food cooked in the kitchen, which I do not recommend unless you're having lunch.

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I totally agree with you. I have not found one real Japanese restuarant here. It is pretty sad. All the good, authentic Japanese restuarants I have been to have been on the West Coast, where they actually serve authentic Japanese food. Asahi does serve tempura though, so they are trying. Anyways, most of the stuff on the grill isn't even Japanese. I mean, there Miso soup, isn't even miso soup. It is more like chicken broth.

I can just tell my grandmother to whip up some Japanese cuisine. Nothing compares to authentic Japanese food prepared by someone who actually knows how to cook Japanese food.

What are you going to tell me next, Monterey isn't a real Mexican restaurant? Olive Garden isn't a real Italian restaurant? Please, let a SMIB be happy in his ignorance

I would love to have the chicken, veggie, rice thingy off the grill at Asahi for lunch sometime soon... It's been way too long since I have been there...