I could make that! (And that’s not a compliment!)

Another Friday, another lunch with the parents. The itinerary for this day held Hecho, a new Japanese slash Tequila joint in the Financial District (yes, that’s the first time I’ve seen that combination also). My meal will probably go down as one of the most disappointing I’ve had in the last four years. In all fairness to Hecho, my parents made wiser choices than I, and were proportionally happier.

Factoring in my dad’s offer to share pieces of his monstrous sushi and sashimi platter, I opted for the grilled fish of the day (salmon). Perhaps this was my naiveté, but I expected them to grill it and then put something top of it. Or add a side. Or nestle it on top of a bed of something. Something, ANYTHING to mark it as their own. I can tell you exactly what they did to prepare it: they sprayed a pan with non-stick Pam, dropped a Costco salmon fillet on it, waited a few minutes, flipped it, and then put it on my plate. It was dry, bland, boring, and completely unsatisfying (thank goodness for the Luna bar in my purse, which I downed immediately). I resorted to pouring Soy sauce on top of it to give it some sort of personality. My request to grill it rare apparently fell on deaf ears as it was overcooked and dry. The accompanying white rice, three-bite house salad, and miso soup did very little to save the situation. I simply expect more for $16.

My parents fared a bit better. My dad was served a generous sampling of sushi and sashimi, but I would expect such at a $24 price tag. I had a bite of my mom’s fried tuna filet and thought it was decent but nothing mouth watering.

To add insult to injury, the ambiance left much to be desired. The service was particularly slow. The furniture was uncomfortable; the backless bar stools are so low to the ground that I felt I sat down at the kids’ table and my bum started to ache before the entree arrived. The paper napkins were the nail in the coffin for me; they are totally acceptable if the food and prices are similarly casual. But when most selections on the menu are $16-24, the restaurant needs to spring for cloth napkins (and a freaking dressing for the fish).