Toku Modern Asian 德


2014 Northern Blvd
Manhasset, NY 11030

Want to work on your triceps? Skip Equinox for this restaurant – I did see two ladies who are members at my Equinox.

Inattentive service, good decor and pretty delicious food @ this upscale Asian fusion restaurant in the Americana.

The doors and umbrellas: It rained cats and dogs last Friday noon. A few staff were by the door but no one made a single move to to open the glass door for us. We fumbled with two umbrellas, a cake and handbags.   I’ve to ask them to put our dripping umbrellas away after we were led to our big booth, about to sit down. It’s unthinkable.

Very poor first impression.

The tea pot: the booth tables are bare (tables in the middle are covered with white cloth) and large for three of us – no complain for this. The surface of the table, could have been better for the high price it charges. Their raw iron tea pot is similar to mine, handsome and heavy. I’ve hard time to pour tea especially when sitting down. Not a single waiting staff came to pour. I signaled our waiter to pour, he did so, once, with great reluctance. Maybe I’m spoiled by Chinese restaurants – the waiting staff do come and refill your tea from time to time. A good place to work on your triceps.

Disposable chopsticks: There are few kinds that I’ve seen/used from take out or even at some eateries. Some are short, some long, Some are square some are round. I find the long and round to be better looking and easy on the hand. Toku uses short and square, the kind cheap eateries use, usually putting them in a plastic container for the customers to take. It looks uncouth and uncomfortable on the hand. The stone chopsticks rests are nice touch (Nobu does the same but I couldn’t remember if Nobu uses threw-away kind too) but … Ok, on the whole, if they use cheap chopsticks, why don’t they provide plastic forks and knives too?

Foods: are ok. The restaurant was busy, almost full. Yelp review

    

The bathroom maid: the 3-booth bathroom (if I counted right) is rather smallish, and they station an attendant there, who turns on the water and hands your a paper towel, silently. Hmmmm… the last time I’ve seen a bathroom maid was at 21 Club and the lady was quite a charmer/chatter. A dollar bill was in the clear tipping jar. I’ve heard the oil country princes are big tippers. Oh … hope their girlfriends and wives are equally good at tipping if they venture this far.

The birthday cake: We bought a cake for our friend’s bday. They put it away before seated us. After the meal was done, we’ve to ASK for the cake. The waiter and two busboys came with our cake and their sparkles and sang. Nice … but where were our candles? After a long wait, the waiter came, “we throw the bag away.” The pack of candles was in the bag.

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