I’ve attempted to go to Ten on the Downtown Mall for several nights and, despite its motion activated LED bar, it has been rather empty. I swear it’s motion activate; go check it out if you don’t believe me.
What gives?
Well, several things. Ten has a pretty cool scene, but the layout is a disaster, I’d say worse than the notorious Mas. If there is any sort of crowd, good luck getting a drink, the bar is all of 5 feet long.
Ten is not friendly to the wallet. The fish is absolutely amazing and they are rumored to fly in fresh fish every day (although, I don’t know how that works on Sunday). I’m no miser, but when they go over the lobster roll special and it costs 18 dollars, I’m thinking “WOW, that must be a ginormous roll.” No, actually it’s one piece.
Ok, Charlottesville is a wealthy town, but appealing to only a high end demographic won’t sustain a place like Ten. It’s too hip (honestly, I think that’s the problem) and too expensive for Charlottesville. They just got their own proprietary Sake!
Sure, things will get better when Darden kids return, but for now here is how to improve things.
- Offer Dessert. Plain Gearhart’s just doesn’t cut it. At least get some Taj.
- Make the dark side a cocktail lounge. Expand the bar, kill the uptight booths and make it a little more laidback.
- Happy Hours at hip times, like 12 Midnight, WHEN NO ONE IS THERE.
What do you folks think?
Related posts:
- Calling All Spies… Go to OXO Tonight and Report Back at 0200 Hours
- Clandestine Meet-up
- Let’s Help Restaurants for a Day: Find the ABC Agent
My husband and I ate there for the first time last Friday. We were the only customers. Of course, it was early in the evening, but frankly, we wondered how anybody finds the place with its Top Secret hidden entrance.
The food and service were excellent but too expensive for us. I doubt that we’ll go back while there are other good Japanese options in town.
Great food that left us breathless, although not as breathless as the bill…..
I was just about to write a scathing review of Ten after someone gave me play-by-play of their dinner there this weekend. Amazing timing.
I had my birthday dinner there this year and was prepared to be blown away, but…yeah, for the price it should’ve been more of an experience. Also our table was next to the bar so lots of dopes in shiny shirts and mousse were trying to pick up girls an arm’s length away. Not the ideal scene.
Upstart, you can still write something.. I ain’t no expert.
The thing about Ten is, it doesn’t HAVE to be expensive, just don’t order the kobe steak or blue fin tuna tempura. It’s certainly possible to have a well above-average sushi/sashimi meal for under or around $30. While that’s by no means cheap, neither is any sushi when all’s said and done.
Oh, unless you also want to drink. Then forget about it.
I love the LED bar!
I eat a lot of sushi. I actually made phone calls when I read that a new study proves that pregnant women who eat a lot of fish birth smarter kids. Specifically, I eat a lot of sushi when I travel. I’ve sought out the newest or best wasabi-infused tobiko and tuna tataki, all washed down with a well-designed shochu martini, wherever I go. I make poor financial decisions, for the record.
For food, Ten is average. I don’t think I’ve admitted that I think this to anyone. The shrimp tempura maki comes overcooked and rubbery, the avocado tempura is undersalted, and the tempura overwhelms the lobster in that dish. The kobe and chicken skewers are very fatty and like Thor said, miscroscopic. (Some fat is good.) I’ve had each of these more than once, so these weren’t exceptions.
For presentation, Ten is above average. I was impressed with the creativity of lighting up translucent seaweed salad. The edible tempura leaf with the avocado is kitschy. And the oversized white bowl with the palm garnish with the edamame is inviting.
For service, I think it’s above average, too. The staff is knowledgeable and efficient. I’ve never felt like they were upselling. The only problem I’ve had is with timing, which often isn’t their problem but the kitchen’s.
I like the location and interior, too. It was perfect in winter. It was always warm, and watching snowfalls on the mall from the second story was a sight I haven’t enjoyed since dating a man who lived on the mall a few years ago. But more than anything else, I like that Ten makes me feel really special. It’s not exclusive! But it feels exclusive. That’s really shallow of me, but I don’t care.
Finally, price. Ridiculously above average for the food. But I’ll pay that to feel special. I’m done.
TEN: we want to hear from you, show yourself!
I really like that idea of a late night happy hour, Thor. I haven’t noticed such a thing at any other establishment in town. Is someone else doing it?
I’ve personally been very happy at Ten. Every visit has been wonderful…so much so that I have a “favorite” waiter (a really tall guy, who seems to know everything about food and wine). Unfortunately, I have heard a few stories that were chalked up to problems in the kitchen (one person got something they ordered after the bill arrived!), which Lilith wrote about as well.
Looks like I’ve been lucky so far. I’m still a big fan and hope that I don’t have a reason not to be in the future!
I went to Ten once, and it was okay, but only okay. Not good enough to choose over the handful of truly excellent restaurants in town–I don’t care if the fish was swimming that morning.
I know they get a lot of there fish from honolulu fish company and they can get it fresh every day but ther is a twenty pound minimum so if there not busy they might not be able to fill that order. I’ve honestly never eaten there but from what I hear the chef’s an a-hole and the food isn’t that great for my money I’d go see Ted and Manabue over at Miyaku and I’ve dropped way more money there than I’d be willing to spend at TEN.
Miyako’s great. I like Tokyo Rose, too, but that stripmall is such an eyesore, and it’s depressing to eat in a restaurant that’s almost always empty. Sakura’s average. The Japanese steakhouse on 29 is average, too, but so dark and in such a decrepit building. Doesn’t stop a lot of people! Asian Express is what I’d expect of a place that delivers Chinese and Japanese out of a space the size of a one-car garage. Thin rolls in few pieces, small sushi cuts, for the price, but very good. Is there anywhere else to go?
I wonder if thor has ever been to TEN? the layout, and restaurant for that matter, is amazing! The bar is awesome and much longer than 5ft? and they don’t have a propietary sake ? They do, however, have an extensive list, the only one in town.
As far as price, I eat out very often and to get this quality fish (thor himself exclaimed “amazing”) prepared in this fashion I would honestly expect to pay more.
Your suggestions, happy hour in C-Ville is a violation of ABC laws.
Cocktail lounge?? this is a restaurant, not a club, those uptight booths are actually used for people having dinner, if you want a club, go to xlounge where they actually do have a happy hour (until the ABC find out!).
My final point; it really kills me that as our dining scene continues to grow in C-ville and sophisticated restaurants like Ten open, instead of embracing this, blogs like this just want to put as negative a spin as they can on them. I love that I can now have this type of dining experience w/out going to a big city. I also love that I can sit at the bar with my wife on a saturday night, enjoy a glass of wine,sake, or exotic cocktail, and not have to put up with the undesireable bar scene that plague much of the restaurants on the downtown mall.
Ten is simply an amazing retaurant, as is Mas, as is Fluerie. I, for one, am happy to have them here.
Damn! You got me. I’ve never been to Ten. How did you know?
But seriously, I don’t think I’m putting a negative spin on Ten. No restaurant is perfect and as you can see from the gamut of opinions, this blog is less about authority and more about a democratic discussion.
Ten is clearly trying to have that hip mix of cocktail lounge/restaurant. Sure it’s a popular dinner spot, but the hang out potential after dinner time is not so hot. It doesn’t have to be, but trust me drink margins are way higher than food margins.
Maybe you haven’t been there during one of the Dardenfestation nights. It’s a clusterf*ck. Those high backed tables are conducive to segmentation. Segmentation is bad if you want a social bar scene.
Finally, it’s not empty at midnight because of this blog. It’s empty for reasons that I’m trying to point out. No one has to listen to us. We just like to write and claim to know a tiny bit more about the Charlottesville scene than the rest.
In response to FREQUENT DINER – before bringing in other restaurants to qualify your diatribe you should at least have been to them, too. The X Lounge is not a club but a RESTAURANT that happens to serve food until 1:00AM. The X Lounge offers drink specials that are all within ABC rules and there are no “happy hour’ in violation of ABC rules as your ignorantly write.
I’ve never really understood the “happy hour” laws. X, care to expound?
I am so happy to have a place like TEN just a short drive away. Have always had a fantastic dining experience. Attended a wedding rehearsal dinner there in August for 22 that was simply amazing. Bryan Emperor knows his stuff. Only better dining experience was at KOBE in NYC.
Oh please jls5k0.. are you serious? While I’m sure they gave you special attention, they aren’t anywhere close to being world class in service?
Is this a marketing plug?