Five Feet Restaurant

05/31/2008 Posted by foodie1998

I really wish that I would've liked this place. After reading the reviews on city search and seeing the 4-star rating, I had high hopes. Unfortunately, Five Feet fell flat on everything, and I mean everything. For a weekend night, it was surprisingly empty. I thought it was odd, but didn't think anything of it at the time. The decor looked like an old diner, with the music to match (think Ed Debevic's). Well, with its great reviews, we decided to splurge for the tasting menu with wine pairings. What a waste of $95 for 1 person (before tax & tip)! The waitress was overbearing, pushy, and condescending. The food was average at best. Our first course consisted of PF Chang's lettuce wraps, crab rangoon, and potstickers. The "famous" catfish was drenched in a ketchup-infused sauce and seriously could not have costed more than $10 to produce. The wine pours were pathetic and did not even equal a full glass in total. I never figured out how salad caprese and humboldt fog cheese fits into a supposedly "contemporary Chinese" menu. Perhaps it was the huge discrepancy in the quality of the food and the price that turned me off. But seriously, $95 for food and wine that would've cost $40 at PF Chang's was over the top. Now I know why it was empty on a weekend night. Don't believe the reviews that raves about this place. It makes you wonder. Seriously though, save you money and eat elsewhere. You'll be glad you did.

Pros: None

Cons: overpriced mediocre food, overbearing and pushy wait staff, no ambiance, bad decor

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

05/30/2008 Posted by dmenkes

I have been to 5 Foot before, but we'd ordered off the menu. Last night, the three of us went for the 12-course tasting 'Menu without a Menu.' Chef Kang came up and greeted us and asked if we had any special requirements. My girlfriend (who had not eaten there before) mentioned she was a vegetarian and was allergic to avocado. My father and I said we'd eat anything, and I said I have a very high tolerance for spice. What then followed (over the next 4+ hours) was extraordinary all the way around. I've read several negative reviews here and elsewhere and they all seem to be about the tasting menu. To the detractors I have this to say: the tasting menu prices are clearly marked--so you shouldn't get all huffy or surprised when you see the bill. This is not a Chinese restaurant in the typical sense. This is Chinese/French Fusion food, and boy does it work. This is not the place to go if you have a show to catch or an urgent appointment afterwards. Eating here is an experience. This *is* your destination and only item on your to-do list for the night when you show up. If you want to do the tasting menu, go on a slower night like we did and call ahead of time to see if Mr. Kang will be cooking. Around hour 2 of our night, Mr. Kang came out and asked how everything was going and if we needed to change the pace. We asked if he could slow it down a bit. He did. Seriously, those four hours flew by. By the time we were having the Fromage course, he sat down and shared drinks with us. We got the opportunity to chat him up about the food and his restaurant, and he had great stories to tell for sure! How anyone could come here and have a bad experience boggles my mind. I was watching the other tables while we ate. Every time a server came up to ask people what they thought of their meal, every single one of them gave the same expression--"wonderful!" Everyone there was very friendly--from the busboys to Mr. Kang. We left stuffed and happy. The perfect meal.

Pros: Food, decor, experience

Cons: None