Melba's

I've been to Melba's before...several times actually. Don't know why I never said anything about it before, but I'm putting something up about it now.

Been there several times and just now deciding to put something up? Why?
I don't know. Noticed I didn't have a posting for it yet and since I just went over the weekend with a friend of mine what better time to put something up then right now?

I guess. So what is Melba's?
A restaurant in Harlem that serves American comfort/soul food. Very small/intimate setting. Great for drinks or taking someone on a hot date. I'm not sure if they still have this but on certain days they have live music. Definitely a nice spot.

Sounds good. During this most recent visit what did you guys end up getting?
Since we were there for brunch, my friend got the fried catfish with a fried egg and french fries and I got the fried chicken and waffles. First off let me tell you that their catfish is excellent! Usually when I go there during breakfast/brunch hours that is always my first choice! Lightly fried, plump piece of fish...definitely a must order if and when you go here. The chicken and waffles were surprisingly really good as well. The waffle was nice and light, the fried chicken was seasoned very well and not over fried...just a good meal overall.

I know you said you've been here before...what were some of the things you had in the past?
THE BRAISED SHORT RIBS! I'm going to go on record and say that these had to have been the best short ribs I've ever had from a restaurant and that is no exaggeration! They are cooked PERFECTLY! Every single time I've gone there and got that, it's been amazing! Outside of the short ribs, I've had their turkey meatloaf, and a whole gang of their sides. Each visit has been just as good if not better then the last visit...when it comes to the food anyway.

Wait! What's that "when it comes to the food..." supposed to mean?
Every time I go here the food is consistently great! No complaints what so ever about the food. Service...that's something different.

What happened with the service?
Normally, the service is satisfactory. But during this most recent visit, it was borderline dreadful! We walked in and had to wait about 5-8 minutes for someone to even acknowledge us. Our food took way too long to come out. And our server was H.O.R.R.I.B.L.E.!!!! How was he horrible? Let me count the ways...
1 - he had an accent. Not that there's anything wrong with that but when you become hard to understand...there's a problem
2 - he completely disappeared! We were sitting there with no food, running low on beverages, getting frustrated about the food taking so long and he was NOWHERE to be found! Then after about 10 minutes he comes walking through the front door. WTF dude! You are aware that you have customers to tend to right?
3 - he was not attentive AT ALL! When he finally managed to stop back at our table (after we waved him down like crazy) and we placed an order for more coffee, he just goes off to do his own thing. He randomly pops up (with no coffee might I add) and decides to have a chat with the manager. Seeing this we decided to approach him (mid his conversation with the manager) and ask about the coffee that he was supposed to get 10 minutes ago!
4 - after we ate, we ended up sitting there for so long that we had to go through a different server to get our check
5 - he finally brings us the check and it wasn't even ours!

We just paid the amount that was on the bill and walked out. I don't even think the bill we were given was even close to what our tab should have been. Needless to say he got a $0 tip!

DAMN! That bad huh? Is it always like that?
That's what's so surprising about the whole thing. Their service is usually pretty decent. I'm guessing this was an off day for them but it was a really BAD off day. And I'm sure the manager (who was sitting right there at the bar where you can see any and everyone) noticed some of what was going on. Not once was there an intervention or a "Is everything OK over here?" "My apologies for the delay..." Nothing. I don't come here all the time but I hope and pray that this isn't how their customers will be treated going forward.

Sheesh...is there anything else that I need to know about Melba's?
Outside of this previous visit, the only issue I have with this place is the size. It's very small and on a crowded day it can be pretty loud and very stuffy. Also, people get into the habit of sitting and staying there for longer then they need to. Not saying you need to eat and run but if it's crowded and there are people waiting to sit, consider moving your festivities to the bar or another location. Aside from that I absolutely love this place.

Recommendation?
I know my review of the service was pretty bad, but I don't want to that to discourage anyone from going and trying out the food. I can obviously look pass the size and the wait time. But horrible service is a huge turn off. Yes the food is amazing and the ambiance is cool, but if the service is shitty then it brings the whole experience down. I will be back there again, but hopefully the next experience will be nothing like my last.

Melba's

300 W. 114th Street

(212) 864-7777

Ricardo's

A few Saturday's ago my father turned...*probably shouldn't put his business out there like that*. I'll just say we celebrated his birthday a few Saturdays ago. In true father and son fashion, what better way to bond with the big guy other then tearing up some hot, sizzling, medium cooked steaks?! Since he had never been and I had only gone once, I decided to keep it local and take him to Ricardo's Steakhouse in Harlem.

Steakhouse in Harlem? Seriously?
I know it seems a little out of the ordinary to have a steakhouse in Harlem. It may not necessarily be the prime location for a steakhouse, but when you think about it there really isn't a default location for a steakhouse. So YES! Steakhouse in Harlem! What I will say is that it's not your typical, suit and tie, business meeting steakhouse though.

Well what kind of steakhouse is it then?
It's way more upbeat! Music is different, vibe is different, service is different, menu is different. It's just an overall different experience from your more "traditional" steakhouses. Not a bad thing of course, but it's just different (sorry for the excessive use of the word different). It has a more urban feel to it. Don't think you're going to walk in to a place that's playing some soft Jazz or Classical music. Or the wait staff is going to be pouring wine while resting the bottle on their forearm ever so gently. As stated on their website, "What makes Ricardo different from other steakhouses is that from the time the doors open to the minute we close, it's SHOWTIME."

Sounds like a place that focuses more on presentations and appearances and not overall experience...is that true?
I don't think so. Don't get me wrong, they are definitely about the presentation. Palm trees in the front, art all over the place, attractive wait staff, etc. BUT...in addition to the appearance the food is really good as well.

Speaking of the food...what did you guys have?
To start we shared an order of mussels with red sauce and beef empanadas. The empanadas were pretty regular. Light crust packed with ground beef. They were good, but nothing to write home to mom about. Those mussels though!!!!! A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.! The red sauce had diced tomatoes and onions and was seasoned VERY WELL! Like, when we were done with mussels and there were no more shells in the bowl, I took a spoon and continued to eat the red sauce (very fat ass of me I know). But yeah...it was that good!

For our main course we both got the special which was the rib eye with mashed potatoes, string beans, and jumbo shrimp...a meal to die for! Everything was very well prepared and well seasoned. Needless to say we DESTROYED our orders and were very happy campers after the fact.

That all sounds really good, but I'm confused...they have empanadas at a steakhouse?
I did say that this is not your "traditional" steakhouse. It's like a steakhouse with a bit of a Latin twist to it. They do have some items on the menu that you would find at let's say a Ruth Chris or Capital Grille, but they also have items that kinda separate them from the norm. Trust me...it works, and it works WELL for them.

Very nice...what else do I need to know about this place?
As much as I love this place, there are some cons. First, let me warn you that this is NOT a big venue. Space is very limited. My father and I sat towards the front by the bar which is a heavy traffic area. You have everyone walking by your table trying to get to theirs and depending on how crowded the bar gets, you may have some folks standing right by your table. There is seating in the back, but those tables are really close to each other. Secondly, I absolutely LOVE the music that they play. It puts me in such a "ready to keep the night going" of a mood. With that being said, the music can be a little too loud. This place is always busy so trying to talk above the several other conversations going on and the loud music can be a bit much. If you can deal with space restrictions and somewhat overbearing noise, you'll have a great time!

Recommendations?

DEFINITELY visit this place. The wait staff is cool...and very attractive. The food is great. The music is banging! Good for a nice afterwork meet up. Dinner with friends or someone whom you fancy (just be ready for the noise). I think that's all I have to say about that.

Ricardo's Steakhouse

2145 Second Avenue

(212) 289-5895