Mark T.
Yelp
Pringles?! Are you kidding?!
As this review was coming together in my mind, the one word which kept coming back was "inappropriate". There are certain things which are perfectly good and fine at Delroy's Deli, but not at this price point.
For example: The Wagyu Tartare. I've had more than my fair share of tartares (though mostly fish). Often times, it is a homemade chip, maybe a premium Taro, perhaps even a tostada. Pringles, meanwhile: don't hold up without breaking, have too much salt for their weight, and cheapen the experience.
Also, what is it with the plastic cups? Not even a red plastic tumbler but cheap, bendable, disposable things you would get if you asked for a water cup at a fast casual restaurant. Again, something that severely cheapens the experience.
Then, there was the meats...
I don't want to be all doom and gloom, so I'll give them a little credit. The meats were generally high quality, and ultra-premium cuts. While A5 Wagyu is not unlimited (understandably, given the cost), one can have as much [regular] Wagyu as they can eat in 90 minutes. There's just one little problem: *generally* high quality.
If this were a Texas Roadhouse, and of two similar steaks was more lackluster, I would be more forgiving. However, at these prices, I become significantly more selective. I expect that anything leaving the kitchen be of excellent quality, and not "ehh, good enough". For example: The A5 Wagyu (limited to 1/pp at gold tier). This is one the server offered to cook for me. Fair enough, this is an expensive piece of meat, and I should leave it to a pro. Good thing I didn't go for it myself, for I can't blame how chewy it came out on a skills issue. It was replaced, and the next portion had the appropriate qualities.
Another example is the Australian Wagyu: the way it was sliced, it wasn't possible to have a nice thin sheet on the grill, only a lumpy mishmash. I asked the server, and turns out it's supposed to visually resemble something one might find in an Italian Beef. Fair enough... except once I'd eaten it the server brought out another, without my asking, and said this one was the same item, but a better cut.
With both of these, the same thing remains true: With top-tier prices, everything leaving the kitchen should be top-tier quality. A better or worse cut of the same item, chosen randomly or capriciously should not be a thing.
Now, let's talk service: I absolutely want to give credit where credit is due. All food items came out very fast, and I don't think an empty plate sat on the table for more than two minutes before being cleared. It was obvious the service staff wanted the patrons to be happy. However, I feel for a place whose shtick is you do some portion of the process yourself, the attentiveness was taken to the nth degree.
It almost felt as though the service staff was breathing down my neck. Offering to help show me the grill when I sit down is great, but offering to cook every other cut of meat is overkill. Not being able to walk up to the milk tea machine without being asked every time within 10 seconds if I want a cup of ice is another example thereof. If you're going to have a self-service station, add an ice machine and make it truly self-serve, or remove it entirely.
Now, lets pivot and talk menu: There was no shortage of what are generally superb cuts of meat. There were also a small handful of seafood/sushi-like items that were highly appreciated, such as the salmon carpaccio. Something that was missing though? Veggies! For instance, I would have loved to grill up some onions. All I had were the few in the salad provided at the very start. Otherwise, your options are Zucchini and a Mushroom Platter.
Finally, sauces: IIRC provided are a mildly spicy dry seasoning, a salt and pepper mix, a yuzu sauce, and a sweet sauce. Not bad, and other than having salt and pepper separate, I didn't feel as though something was missing. At the same time, it is hard to compete with the incredible sauce selection at Shinhwa Korean Steakhouse (1/2 mile down the road).
I think Chubby Cattle needs to take a step back and take a big-picture look at what they're doing. The meats are undeniably fancy/bougie, but quality control could use some work. The service is so attentive, I am surprised no one offered to brush my teeth for me at the conclusion of the meal. While some things are premium and high end, others don't just feel cheap, but *are* cheap. While I can appreciate a good cut of meat, the overall experience at Chubby Cattle still didn't hold a candle to Shinhwa Korean Steakhouse.
