Majid's - talk about atmosphere!!

Like Ed - I had a birthday trifecta - started last tuesday at my mom's w/ a girl's luncheon - boombozz pizza, white caste, and shots of apple cinnamom moonshine - yeee-haaww!! On wednesday (2-2) my "day", hubby and I went for a low key dinner at Zaytun - no kids, just us, enjoying the food.

And last Sauturday was the final nite, so we chose Majid's for great food, music and fun...and of course we got all three, and then some! We reserved a table for 7 in the bar, knowing we wanted to hang out an hear Bobby J after we ate. Everyone in my party - including hubby - all commented at one time during the evening "great choice!!" I agreed with all of them! Majid came over and thanked us for coming there to celebrate - he also stopped by here and there throughout the night to make sure everything was perfect. I introduced myself to Stephen D (Hi Stephen!! had a blast - thank you, thank you!!!) and he got the night rolling for us. We ordered the Israeli Syrah (actually had 4 bottles of it throughout out the night) but Stephen set me up with awesome coctails that complimented my food.

Tried lots of different dishes (with 7 people it's easy to do) - from lamb pops to seafoof stew, quail, tenderloin, oysters. Everyone was very happy with the food and service. Once the music started some of us danced - Bobby J and the band came back to schmooz a little.

We talked about special "nights" there - a first date at Indigo, meeting up at Rick's after a funeral to cry, laugh, and celebrate life, etc. We all agree that Majid's feels comfy and familiar, but offers something new in the area of low-key nite-life...a place to meet up with old friends and make new ones (Hi Steve P & Becky!!! - so nice to meet you guys!), whether in jeans or suits, for a celebration, or to just grab a beer and chat with the bartender. I know we'll be back, and so will our friends that joined us last Saturday

Great to meet you as well Nancy. Seems like everyone was out celebrating a birthday this weekend.

Becky and I are down with everything you said. When you factor in everything; ambience, service, quality, etc. Majid's is hands down one of the best dining experiences in the metro. We loved it.

We were there also Saturday night. I haven't had a lot to post about it because I think my experience wasn't the same as the one you had at Majid's. I love Volare, the food and staff, and I think Majid's just isn't for us. Two completely opposite dining experiences as a whole. So I'll stick with Volare and wish them well at Majid's. I don't think I'd return though. I am, however, glad that other people are enjoying it there.

[Robin Garr]

We were there also Saturday night. I haven't had a lot to post about it because I think my experience wasn't the same as the one you had at Majid's. I love Volare, the food and staff, and I think Majid's just isn't for us. Two completely opposite dining experiences as a whole. So I'll stick with Volare and wish them well at Majid's. I don't think I'd return though. I am, however, glad that other people are enjoying it there.

Amy, I hope you'll feel free to be more specific. Nobody here will take potshots at you (I'll watch out for that ) but since Stephen and others from Majid's are here, I'm sure they would be eager to respond.

[Robin Garr]

amy, i talked to 2 people today over lunch who didn't have such a great experience with either food or service this week at majid's.

Are you willing to tell use either who they are or what they said? As I just told Amy, I know the people at Majid's would respectfully hear and appropriately respond to constructive criticism, but your post comes VERY close to an anonymous drive-by shooting. And as everybody knows, anonymous drive-by shootings are one thing that brings me yapping and snapping out from under the porch, because they just plain aren't fair.

What a blessing that there has been so much support for us from the community in the early life of this restautrant. If there is only one person who knows how many times we have been caught off-guard, it is me.

I am sorry for any shortcomings we may have in our infancy. I promise that as this restaurant grows, every day we will strive to accept constructive criticism to improve our guest's experience.

Our goal will remain to serve our guests to the best of our ability, everytime.

Thank you
Majid

it's not my place to get specific.

In my opinion, if it's "not your place to get specific" - it's not your place to post vague, second-hand, anonymous nay-saying, either. You can't have it both ways.

My response is purely for constructive criticism and it's just my experience. With that said, we had a tiny slew of things that didn't make for the best dining experience. We had a thirty minute or longer wait for our reservation. Our highlight of the night was a dark haired male bartender who made a great martini. We were the youngest people in the place, aside from the staff. The bar area seemed to be the best spot of the restaurant. After finally being seated everything else just sort of snowballed downwards. We were right behind the hostess station. All the servers seemed to be around that area talking about things regarding the running of the restaurant very loudly with one another (they were busy so it was like mini-bursts on server angst, ect). Our server was unpolished. I overlooked it as much as possible but I still never felt like I was having a dinner but more of like watching someone flounder. Unfortunately our dishes disappointed too. We really were looking forward to it. We'd even picked out what we were going to order ahead of time. Our entrees were our least favorite part. I did the lamb shank and I kind of felt like I got a dish that was mostly bone or what was left of a dish they were running out of for the night, if that makes sense. My husband got the seafood stew and it contained a lot of seafood but most of it was not what was list on the menu as an ingredient and it ended up being a some of the only types of seafood he didn't like to eat.

So I think that we, personally, just got an off night/off server. I have heard amazing things from other people and like I said, I think that's awesome. I was truly hesitant to even respond to this but I can see that constructive criticism may help a new opening. Take it for what it's worth, they were slammed, new place, new staff. I understand how hard it is to work the kinks out with a new place. Sometimes it's hard to order the dishes that are right for you the first time you visit a restaurant. I think the small plates menu is more our style but we did feel slightly out of place with the bar crowd. They've probably got some growing pains and I am sure trial and error with both staff and food, just like everywhere else.

Amy, that review sounds honest and open and willing to forgive. Thanks for being so frank, and so hopeful that things would improve.

why can't a so so review be excepted in the same context?

Because it can hurt, rather than help, a business.

I think you really don't get it...how anonymous, vague "I heard third hand it wasn't that good" comments can hurt an independent restaurant.

See...Amy's somewhat-not-so-great review was first-hand, and specific. That's different from annemarie's "I heard from two people, one a well-respected-attorney, that it was not that good" review.

really.... what's the difference if a friend of your tells you that they ate at abc eatery and they say it was delicious. and someone comes on here and asks for an opinion about abc eatery, and you say, "a friend of mine ate at abc eatery and said the food was delicious. that's ok because it was a positive.
but it isn't excepted (because it's heresay) when it's a negative.
many people have posted on here about a friend or a friend of a friend eating at abc eatery and they posted that "they heard this and that" mind you a positive review. why can't a so so review be excepted in the same context?

I take all "Ferris Bueller" reviews with a large grain-of-salt. The salt's not necessary if people refrain from posting second-hand, lacking-detail negative reviews. There's plenty of bad that comes from those, but it seems like the only good is the attention the poster is searching for.

Amy, that review sounds honest and open and willing to forgive. Thanks for being so frank, and so hopeful that things would improve.

I completely do think so. Majid does amazing things with staff and restaurants and I have no doubt that he will whip this place into shape. I do think that the regular menu is not our favorite type of food and coupled with the clientele in the bar, I think that it would not be 'our' restaurant. They do have a patio though and we often find ourselves gravitating towards places with those in the summer. So maybe I misspoke when I initially said we wouldn't return. I'll say we will wait for the warm weather and venture there when I can dine in warm air.

With respect to other opinions...

Generically speaking, I do not typically enjoy "fine dining" experiences. In very general terms I find most of these places to be pretentious and an extremely poor value (I could care less if they spent $25 dollars each for their napkin rings or salt spoons, it doesn't make my entrée taste any better). THAT is probably why I enjoyed Majid's as much as I did. Majid's was the perfect storm of excellent food, efficient service and relaxed atmosphere (did I neglect to mention Stephen's AWESOME cocktails) without the typical fine dining pinky in the air - bug up my ass attitude emitting from the hired help and the clinentel. We will be frequent visitor to Majid's and will spread the word far and wide about this wonderful addition to the Louisville dining scene.

Nice...VERY nice job Majid.

My response is purely for constructive criticism and it's just my experience. With that said, we had a tiny slew of things that didn't make for the best dining experience. We had a thirty minute or longer wait for our reservation. Our highlight of the night was a dark haired male bartender who made a great martini. We were the youngest people in the place, aside from the staff. The bar area seemed to be the best spot of the restaurant. After finally being seated everything else just sort of snowballed downwards. We were right behind the hostess station. All the servers seemed to be around that area talking about things regarding the running of the restaurant very loudly with one another (they were busy so it was like mini-bursts on server angst, ect). Our server was unpolished. I overlooked it as much as possible but I still never felt like I was having a dinner but more of like watching someone flounder. Unfortunately our dishes disappointed too. We really were looking forward to it. We'd even picked out what we were going to order ahead of time. Our entrees were our least favorite part. I did the lamb shank and I kind of felt like I got a dish that was mostly bone or what was left of a dish they were running out of for the night, if that makes sense. My husband got the seafood stew and it contained a lot of seafood but most of it was not what was list on the menu as an ingredient and it ended up being a some of the only types of seafood he didn't like to eat.

So I think that we, personally, just got an off night/off server. I have heard amazing things from other people and like I said, I think that's awesome. I was truly hesitant to even respond to this but I can see that constructive criticism may help a new opening. Take it for what it's worth, they were slammed, new place, new staff. I understand how hard it is to work the kinks out with a new place. Sometimes it's hard to order the dishes that are right for you the first time you visit a restaurant. I think the small plates menu is more our style but we did feel slightly out of place with the bar crowd. They've probably got some growing pains and I am sure trial and error with both staff and food, just like everywhere else.

Thanks for the details! It will help us improve. To be honest, there comes a time in every house's life when the 'don't gossip or beg at the host stand' issue must be adressed. Now is that time, evidently.

That bartender is Clinton- and he is one of the finest, most dedicated people I have ever had the pleasure of working alongside. He works the hardest of the stations, closes and does so with a smile. Oh! And his technique is crisp- as good as you'll see in NYC or beyond.

We have a new chef- Charles Reed. He is doing great work already, yet we should allow him time to get the concrete under him, so to speak.

The problem with this kitchen, as it stood, is that it simply can't handle the volume we are seeing. 8 burners don't cut it. Majid is investing a great deal of money to expand the kitchen. The progression is almost finished- I'm smelling the nuance of adherant, as we speak.

Long story-short this is a restaurant designed for foodies. We're starting out patient and cautious, willing to take our lumps in order to preserve the techniques, staff and guests that will walk with us on this culinary journey...