Izakaya Nomad

13 W. 26th St, NY, NY 10010

Rating: 5 - Disappointed
Visit #: 1
In brief: How excited we were to stumble across a Japanese restaurant a couple blocks away on 16th St but how terribly disappointed we were by today's service experience.
M. and I were feeling hopefully looking at a $12-14 lunch menu at new to us, Izakaya Nomad. But we had a bit of a longer wait than told and ended up at the bar, which is normally quite fine. They even brought out a conciliatory tea, which I appreciated. But then we ordered and went through a small salad and a cup of miso soup and twice more the same question about our order. Now we're waiting. And waiting. And then someone comes out to tell us that the hot stone rice bowl is not possible because there is no more rice. It will take 20 minutes at least. I say, incredulously, no rice dishes at all? I can't have the katsu or anything that has rice in it? He sheepishly says no, only ramen. Which is, of course, not at all what I wanted for lunch. So I grudgingly acquiesce and then we wait. And wait. And wait. 15 minutes later bowls of ramen arrive. I can't say we wouldn't go back, that's how starving for Asian restaurants we are in the Flatiron, but the service experience was so overwhelming disappointing that I find it hard to want to go back anytime soon.