J. Alexander’s
My mom and I had lunch at J. Alexander’s about two weeks ago and she was totally disappointed. I’ve been to this place a total of four times and I’ve been disappointed all those times except for my first visit which was maybe 3 years ago when I had their famous prime rib. This Nashville-based restaurant reminds me so much of Houston’s. They pretty much have the same look and feel. But it stops there. Food-wise, I prefer Houston’s where food is consistently good.
We started off with the seafood gumbo. It had a nice, bold broth, a good amount of seafood, and not a whole lot of rice. It also had just enough heat that you can feel it in your tongue but not enough to make you sweat. Overall a good soup.
I chose the Special Of The Day which was a grilled sea bass topped with a lime-pesto sauce and mango salsa. The fish, pesto sauce, and salsa all tasted fresh but I got tired of the taste of this dish after a few bites. It’s like when a dessert is so rich that you can’t eat it after a few bites. That’s how I felt about it. The couscous pasta provided to temper the dish and mellow it out, but on its own, it was saltish and dry. It must have been the very sweet, syrupy salsa that ruined this dish. Disappointing, nevertheless.
My mom had the Grilled Pork Loin with Bang Bang Sauce which is nothing but barbecue sauce. This dish was so bad we both couldn’t swallow the first bite and literally had to throw it out in a napkin. The pork tasted boiled and the sauce was a pathetic excuse for a Thai barbecue sauce. They really need to remove this from the menu.
For me, the execution of the dishes here just falls short. In an attempt at inventiveness, the combination of ingredients on a dish just doesn’t make sense — a combination of syrupy sweet with salty doesn’t always make a good combination. I’d rather spend my money on Houston’s any day.
Insider tip:
Right next door to The Forum Shops.
The scoop:
J. Alexander’s
5245 Peachtree Pkwy
Norcross, GA 30092
(770) 263-9755
Technorati Tags: J Alexander’s, American-Asian cuisine, fusion, steaks
Email This Post
digg
stumble
reddit
tag this- No related posts
7 responses so far ↓
1 Meeya // Nov 11, 2008 at 2:32 pm
we have one branch right beside our home but i’ve never tried dining there, ever.
too bad.
2 Chloe // Nov 11, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Meeya — don’t even bother. Lunch at $60 isn’t worth it. Highway robbery!!!
3 Laurie // Aug 17, 2009 at 5:54 pm
I’m surprised. I love this restaurant and eat here all the time. The service is always great, I love the food and people are so friendly
4 Alison // Aug 26, 2009 at 11:54 am
I agree Laurie… my husband and I are big foodies and we love this place. Maybe you should try a different location. We live in Chattanooga and it is always wonderful!
5 Mary // Sep 28, 2009 at 7:08 pm
I’m totally surprised at this review.
6 Mary // Sep 28, 2009 at 7:10 pm
I’ve dined at J. Alexander’s in Nashville numerous times. As a matter of fact, the pork tenderloin is a favorite of my family’s. Either you encountered a bad chef, or your taste pallet is a little too big for your britches.
7 Chloe // Sep 28, 2009 at 8:37 pm
@Mary: either I probably encountered a bad chef or you don’t have good taste
Leave a Comment