Motif, downtown San Jose

[dh490311]

This is about:

Motif Restaurant and Club
389 South 1st St (between San Carlos and San Salvador)
San Jose, CA 95113
[phone]
http://www.motiflounge.com/

We decided to try this place Friday evening, Dec 5, 2008, when we were looking for someplace to eat within walking distance of the Camera Cinemas in downtown San Jose. We wanted something that wasn't too expensive but looked good. OpenTable.com showed Motif as a Bonus Points opportunity, and it was one of the least expensive offerings, so we made a reservation.

Our first impressions were markedly negative. It's in a huge box of space with a kind of loft at each end and no trace of any sound-absorbing fabric anywhere, as far as I could tell. There were maybe a half dozen tables set up, only one of which was occupied (at 8:30 pm on a Friday), with an open kitchen in the back. Our waiter didn't seem particularly experienced or competent, but we wanted the 1000 OpenTable points and didn't know where else to go, so we decided to give it a try. The next bit of bad news was that they had only one wine available. WTF? Were we going to regret this?

Then the food came.

I'm no gourmand by any means, nor do I have a very sophisticated palate, but I loved everything they brought us. First came the bread, and I've never had anything like it. It was dense and moist, of all things, and quite sweet; it was served with honey butter. I wish I had written down what it was, but we were quickly absorbed in the rest of the meal.

Our starters were the tomato/chicken soup and the chili garlic shrimp with roasted plantain. I was raised in Oklahoma and don't take kindly to really hot-spicy foods, and both of these were *very* spicy to me. But for the first time in my life, I experienced how heat could be present without overwhelming the flavors. All the flavors of the whole meal were rich and full-bodied, and the presentation of everything was lovely.

For our entrees, my girlfriend ordered the stuffed chicken breast with mushrooms, bacon, spinach, and mozarella cheese, which came with mashed potatoes and a creamy mushroom sauce, and I got the honey glazed teriyaki king salmon with coconut rice and sauteed Asian vegetables. The salmon was right up there with the best salmon I've ever had, and the chicken was excellent as well. The sauces stood out as being particularly well done. The sides were all perfectly cooked and fit very well with the main attraction. I could tell there were several cultural influences present, which I wasn't sophisticated enough to identify on my own, but it all worked exquisitely well together.

The chef, Ian, came out to talk with us and explained that he had been raised in Jamaica but had lived in and learned the dishes of several other cultures. I think he did a masterful job of bringing them together. He said they are working on developing a wine list, and he offered us a complimentary experimental dessert: a lemon-chocolate cake served with cinnamon ice cream that was quite lovely. Our total bill, including one glass of wine and tax but not tip, was $52. As we left at 9:30, they were turning the place into a nightclub and letting in the people who had been waiting outside for it to open.

I went to yelp.com to write a review and discovered that most everyone is writing horribly negative things about the nightclub. I think the management would be much better off running it as only a restaurant, but if they do that, the place will need some *serious* redecoration. If the ambiance and barely-adequate service don't put you off too much, I recommend it highly for the food, and I'd encourage you to talk with chef Ian about your experience. I know we'll return, for sure.

[rworange]

Very cool find. Sounds like a chef who loves what he's doing even in a place he's probably unappreciated. That is weird about them not serving alcohol in the restaurant. Hope you write here more. Nice report.

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Motif
389 S 1st St, San Jose, CA 95113