I'm Not Sure what Kind of Restaurant this is...
Written: Jun 01 '00 (Updated Nov 25 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Food comes quickly, nice atmosphere, trendy people, always full of good looking people... people watching place,
Cons: Not really a satisfying meal, go to a real Asian restaurant and you'll be happier.
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| Captainsoon's Full Review: Republic |
Everytime I go to Republic I end up confused.
Just what are they trying to get at? They're kind of like soft-core erotica, they give you a hint of the good stuff but never go all the way.
Republic serves decent dishes of mixed asian descent. I guess that's the easiest way to put it...
they mix the styles of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai - basically, and the diner ends up with a freshman course in Asian culture, but then your teacher is a white person.
I'm trying to give you the feel of the restaurant as best as I can.
Have you ever taken a foreign language class in school and the teacher of the class is not a natural speaker of the language? I took intermediate French my second year of college and my French professor spoke the language with a Mid-western (Minnesota) accent. Kinda freaky.
The food at Republic is kind of like this.
They get the feel of Asian cuisine but not the flavor of it.
When I go there (usually I go every couple of months with my girlfriend because she likes it) I usually get a salmon sashimi salad, this is served with cucumber and sesame dressing, it's OK. Then for an entree I'll get something Vietnamese - a grilled beef and rice vermicelli dish that has a sweet fish sauce and cucumbers.
I'm not unhappy with the food, but the portions are way too small. I'm always still hungry afterward.
Plus after you leave you can't say that you had Chinese food, or Japanese, or Vietnamese, you say "I had Republic".
The feel of the place is the best thing about it, they have a nice full bar, you can sit, smoke and get a drink, look at the beautiful stuck-up women who frequent Union Square at night. They have a good assortment of beer, including Asian beers like Singha. The seating is spacious, the tables are like park benches, they don't have individual chairs... it's actually spacious and clean. The ceilings are HIGH, the place is a huge loft-like warehouse converted into a restaurant. They don't give utensils, you get chopsticks, they try to get the feeling of dining in a asian street market I guess. The talking of all the guests echo throughout the restaurant so it adds a bustling energetic feel to the place... I don't recommend it for quiet dinners.
The cooks and delivery guys are all Asian... probably Chinese, and for the money that this place makes, I'm certain they're highly underpaid. Also in typical New York City restaurant style, the busboys are Mexican.
The waiters and hosts/hostesses on the other hand look like they were picked from fashion magazines. The waitresses are stick-thin sunken cheek model types with the attitudes to back up their look, they give you service that you can't complain about but you don't feel compelled to praise the service either, they'll bring you your order and be off before you can ask for a glass of water, you'll end up asking the busboys for everything else besides taking your order.
At the end of the meal your waitress will show up again with a smile and plop your check down for you and be off again.
I would recommend Republic for a group of friends who want a light meal before going out drinking on a Friday night. It's got that kind of feel to it and it's not really a filling meal. Also, be prepared to spend about $25-$30 on a meal for one person (that's with a small salad, entree and drink).
It's hip, but remember, do you go eat at restaurant to be hip, or to have a nice satisfying meal?
Food:
Great Salmon Sashimi salad. The Thai dishes are also very good, but all the dishes are miniscule, like they were made to serve a Barbie doll.
Service:
Fast, prompt service, no personality in the servers... they are almost like stone. Eerie.... the bus boys are nicer.
Decor:
Looks cool, wooden benches as seats, like picnic tables almost. Comfortable but you can't sit back in your seat.
Special Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations:
Go a few times and try something different each time.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Captainsoon
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Member: Greg Soon
Location: Long Island City, NY
Reviews written: 45
Trusted by: 5 members
About Me:
I'm from California. I live in New York.
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