Luis A. Gonzales
Eng 1020
Writing assignment

What us your favorite Fantasy restaurant?

As the knife cut through the air and slid into the pink flesh of the fish, the air was perfumed with the fresh smell of sushi. In Miami we have an eclectic group of people that bring their cultures. This resonates in the ambiance of several different restaurants here in south Florida. My personal favorite restaurant to dine at is not just delicious it is also expensive. The three criteria that I hold a fine dining establishment to are the menu, the service, and the overall ambiance. Without further adieu I announce to you that I frequent NAOE. As you may have guessed from my introductory sentence, I enjoy sushi. This Japanese staple is an amazing culinary achievement in that its most beautiful feature is its simplicity.

First and foremost, when visiting an upscale restaurant, there is nothing more annoying that being bombarded with a culinary overload! Being in an establishment that claims to offer French, yet serves Italian is perhaps the best way to have me never return. The beauty of NAOE is that the head chef sets the menu. Meaning that each and every visit is a unique one. There is no selection, when you set up your reservation you are prompted to accept that fact that everything being offered is at the whim of the chef, and that they do not cater to vegetarians. The only recourse that is offered is a small column that only allows for allergy information to be input. The menu at NOAE is an elegant three-course meal that ends with a bang!

Secondly, the element that separates a good restaurant from an amazing restaurant is the service, at least in my opinion. At NAOE there are two servers. Although this may sound like an understaffed restaurant it is not, I will elaborate later. The two hostesses play an important role in the entire feeling of the restaurant. The servers are at your beck and call. They are unbelievably attentive, I remember the last time that I was there, I finished my beverage, a Saratoga sparkling water, and before I knew it I had a freshly chilled bottle place in my ice bucket. It is these small, minute details are those that leave a lasting impression.

Last but not least, another paramount factor that has to be taken into consideration is the ambiance of the establishment. The most unorthodox concept at NOAE is that only a maximum of eight people will be allowed in at a time, and each seat must be reserved. NOAE only seat a total of 16 patrons a night. The small and tight nit environment is amazing in that it allows people from all walks of life to congregate. The last time I was there I spoke with a multi-millionaire who bought us an expensive bottle of sake. The fact that there are only eight people at either of their two dining sessions means that the two servers are more than enough to cater to each the client. Another interesting fact about NOAE is that the restaurant is hidden. The concept that the owner has is that only those who know of NOAE go to NOAE. So in other words it is like a speakeasy!
In conclusion, the crème de la crème of dining experiences is to be had at NOAE. With a menu that is hand crafted by a renowned chef takes all the guesswork out of placing an order. The two lovely hostesses are very aware of the needs of the customer. Mix all of that with the fact that they only serve a total of eight people at any given time means that you will always have interaction with those sitting at your side. The concept of NOAE is fascinating, and I wouldn’t have ever known if it wasn’t for my girlfriend. The biggest drawback to NOAE is its price. As of the time of writing this paper the current cost is $80 per person, this is not including a pre-dining cost of an additional $80 to cover parking and other miscellaneous expenditures. All in all this Japanese restaurant leaves nothing to be desired, and could be known as the best sushi place in all of Miami, that is if anyone ever finds out.