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Nicola’s and Nobu Announce Pocketbook-Friendly Dining

Posted on August 6th, 2008 2:38pm by Nancy Nichols
Filed under Events, Restaurant News, Uncategorized

Rising food and delivery costs are hitting the Dallas restaurant industry hard. Thankfully, we haven’t been thwacked as bad as other areas of the country, but many local restaurateurs are fighting to stay alive. KRLD Restaurant Week, which runs from August 11-24, will help put people in the seats, but I don’t think it does much to a restaurant’s bottom line. Some restaurants are taking a long-term approach. Today, Nicola’s in The Shops at Legacy in Plano, announced a new menu option–on Sunday and Monday night’s they will offer a four-course Cena di Famiglia (Family Dinner) for $19.95 per person. Nice.

Nobu is participating in Restaurant Week and they’ve decided to keep a similar $35 three-course meal on the menu all year round. Nice, too.
Remember Dishers: Hug a farmer and feed a restaurant. Eat out often. Report back.

17 Comments to “Nicola’s and Nobu Announce Pocketbook-Friendly Dining”

Marcus @ August 6th, 2008 at 3:35 pm

The last time I as at Nobu for restaurant week our waitress went from accomodating and friendly to condescending and rude after we told her we were there for restaurant week. After ordering wine and inquiring about a few appetizers for the table, the waitress asked “you realize that is off the regular menu and not included in the restaurant week price.”

I have not been back and have no desire to return. There are too many places in town that serve better sushi without crappy service.
Buddy @ August 6th, 2008 at 4:03 pm

I dont know about all restaurants but I ate at Bobs on Lemmon last night and it was packed. For a Tuesday night in August that aint bad.
J.B. C. @ August 6th, 2008 at 4:17 pm

Nobu + Restaurant Week = bad service + bad food choice selection

I pity anyone going after my horrible time there last year.
allison @ August 6th, 2008 at 4:34 pm

Ah, man! I have reservations there this year.
Dallas Dude @ August 6th, 2008 at 4:46 pm

I stopped in at Nobu for dinner last Friday evening and had an amazing experience. Service was top-notch and while the sushi rolls were mediocre, the dishes (seared toro with yuzu miso and jalapeno salsa and the wagyu beef tataki style, in particular) were out-of-this-world.
Nancy Nichols @ August 6th, 2008 at 5:38 pm

People, please do not judge a restaurant by it’s performance on Restaurant Week. I know, I can’t believe I am saying that but here is the deal: because they are adjusting to a different style of service with the fixed-price course dinners, many restaurants have trouble adjusting so quickly to the different pace. The kitchen does too. On top of that, the restaurant really isn’t making any money because of the charity donation and servers don’t make as much money because the tabs are lower. It’s a hard two week grind on some places.
snootyfoodie @ August 6th, 2008 at 6:09 pm

Exactly, NN. RW is a great deal for diners but not so much for the restaurant or servers. Not saying anyone should expect or tolerate bad service but consider a server’s check during RW is, in many cases, 2 or 3 times less than normal. Can’t imagine anyone would get jazzed about working for 1/2 or a 1/3 of their normal $$.
snootyfoodie @ August 6th, 2008 at 6:11 pm

If all the restaurants here aren’t doing it already, the bill should show what the meal would’ve cost normally (like they do in most other major cities that offer something like RW here) and encourage, urge, demand the diner to tip on the normal amount. Something tells me this would alleviate a lot of the bad service complaints.
Nancy Nichols @ August 6th, 2008 at 6:59 pm

Nice tip, Snooty.
Dubious Brother @ August 6th, 2008 at 9:53 pm

There is no excuse for bad service regardless of the circumstance – RW is to showcase the restaurant to new customers. The customer is always IMPORTANT, RIGHT, KING, QUEEN, ……..
PQ @ August 7th, 2008 at 7:52 am

I would only agree with Snooty’s plan to show the “normal” cost if restaurants were using their normal menu for RW. The high end places in my opinion substantially lower the calibur of dishes they are serving. This is totally understandable given the constraints of the $35. I do not think it makes sense to tip as if it were normal menu prices..
KellyK @ August 7th, 2008 at 9:12 am

Snooty is exactly right. We always tip on what the bill should have been. I can’t imagine that anyone wouldn’t. RW customers should be getting the BEST service and food even over the regulars if you have to. We go we try, we have (hopefully) a great time and we come back because we HAVE to take our mother/brother/sister/father there for their birthday/special occasion. Nobu is one of the bad ones and I am guessing they have lost a customer base due to bad service during RW.
foodczar @ August 7th, 2008 at 9:26 am

By the way Nancy, I checked Nicolas website and their Sunday Family Dinner special that they list is not $19 but $28 per person. Can you please find out what’s up? Thanks!
M*L*H @ August 7th, 2008 at 9:29 am

One of the reasons you go to RW is to try out a place you may have not been before due to the price point. Hopefully, you will have great service and great food to encourage you to try it out at “regular” prices. For many people, budgets are limited and this is a way to try out places they would have never gone otherwise. But I find it hard to tip on what the “orginal” cost would have been. I do tip more than 20, but my service still have to be better than just so-so.

My best experience during RW weeks were the places which treated just as they would have treated someone ordering off the “regular” menu. These are the places I remember, recommend and go back to and pay full prices. I also take the time to write the manager a little note to say how much I enjoyed my RW week experience, how I was treated and how wonderful it is that their restaurant take part in this week for Dallas.

Places of note for me during restaurant week? (They got a nice letter…)
Lonesome Dove Western Bistro
Del Frisco
Nick and Sam’s

Place it didn’t happen?
Capitol Grille

I still go there, like the Stoli Dolis and the food. But they want to see you on the regular menu nights.

Enjoy the 2 weeks all.

Allsion, Nobu will be fine!
J Paul @ August 7th, 2008 at 1:50 pm

“On top of that, the restaurant really isn’t making any money because of the charity donation and servers don’t make as much money because the tabs are lower. It’s a hard two week grind on some places.”

I’m going to have to disagree a bit with Nancy (which is rare). Please correct me if I’m way off base here, but isn’t the reason RW is held in the dog days of August in part because business is normally slow? Aren’t tips from lower tabs much better than tips from NO tabs and empty tables?

I also think restaurants DO make some change from wine and liquor sales during RW, if not on the food. I try to at least have a cocktail if not wine with dinner. Let’s throw in some free publicity while we’re at it too.

Here’s what should be an obvious newsflash for restaurant owners and servers:

We RW participants use this time to try out new places, or high dollar establishments we aren’t willing to take a chance on at regular prices because we are not sure if we’ll like the place. You provide a decent meal and good service during RW and your chances of a return visit at full price increases tremendously. Many a restaurant has made my rotation list because of a good RW experience.

I went to the Crescent Club during RW just to check out the view and liked the experience so well that I joined as a member. That never would have happened in a million years had I not tried them out during RW.

On the other hand, bad service (includes attitude) or food experience during RW has convinced me to never patronize certain establishments again. And I make sure my friends are informed as well.

So if it hurts your bottom line, or your servers are just too snooty to provide good service, please do NOT participate.

To those that do participate and provide a great experience, we’re all very thankful to you and the staff for that and the charitable contributions it produces. I always look forward to RW.
M*L*H @ August 8th, 2008 at 9:17 am

Amen J Paul!!
Gastronome @ August 8th, 2008 at 10:24 am

Far be it from me to disagree with Miss Nancy, but I second J Paul’s post. Those of us who can’t afford the best restaurants in town treasure this two week opportunity. When our friends who know and respect our taste in food and restaurants ask for recommendations for a special occasion meal, often times what we have to say is based on our experiences during restaurant week. It’s some of the best (or worst) advertising a restaurant can get and while everyone from the owner to the bus boy contributes, they all also stand to benefit (or loose) the remaining 50 weeks of the year, depending on how well if they “advertise” themselves now. Caveat Vendor!