So recently a place called The Collective has been popping up all over my Instagram feed. I’ve been seeing my more stylish and cool friends post from there, and it always looks like they’re having a good time. As someone who is always trying to be slightly cooler and constantly looking for ways to flex on Instagram, I decided to check it out.
First off, I have to speak a little bit about the set up of The Collective. You see, it’s not a traditional restaurant. Instead it’s like a really trendy mall food court that’s filled with local restaurants instead of Taco Bells and Chick-fil-A’s.
The space is situated in the heart of Midtown, and it features 11 restaurants ranging from a donut shop to a hawaiian restaurant to a barbecue joint and everything in between. Tying everything together is a huge bar that’s located in the center.
Because of the way that The Collective is set up, this review is going to be a little bit different. I decided that it was best not to review every single restaurant at once because I really don’t think that my stomach can handle all of that. Instead, I’m going to be focusing on Cafe De L’asie because that’s where I ate at this time. I’m guessing that since the 11 restaurants are so diverse, your experience will totally depend upon which one you visit. Because of that, I think I’ll return in the future to review some of the other restaurants and see how they compare.
First things first, as soon as I pulled up I got bougie vibes from this place. Maybe it was the valet parking (side note: I went on a weekday evening and I had absolutely no problem finding parking without the valet. Unless you’re going at a super busy time, you can probably save your money and skip it) or maybe it was the $150,000 G-Wagon that was parked parked out front. Either way, coming here made me excited because it made me feel richer than I actually am.
The actual layout of the restaurant was very sleek and modern and just screamed “new”. There was also a very spacious outdoor patio and a rooftop bar that didn’t open until sunset. The overall atmosphere of the place really impressed me, and I think it greatly contributed to the overall dining experience.
The prices and the vegetarian selection varied widely depending upon which of the restaurants you ordered from. As I walked around, the kung pao tofu bowl at Cafe De L’asie caught my eye, so I decided to order from there.
Cafe De L’asie itself is a very interesting restaurant, and I’ve honestly never seen anything like it before. Its menu was a mix of Asian-European fusion. There were traditionally European dishes such as crepes, traditionally Asian dishes such as steamed buns and then dishes that were a hybrid of the two cultures such as pad thai with italian noodles and mango salsa.
The specific dish that I ordered consisted of white rice, fried tofu, grilled zucchini, carrots, and kung pao sauce.
After about 20 minutes, I was paged to go pick up my food. If we are being completely honest, I think the bowl was just a bit too spicy for my tastes. However, I also acknowledge that I am a total wimp when it comes to spicy foods, and most people probably would be fine with the spice level. I’m actually not the biggest tofu fan either, but the tofu in this dish was extremely crispy and well seasoned, and it might just be the best tofu that I’ve ever had. Also, it was plated beautifully.
Overall, the dish was light and satisfying, and I would totally visit this specific food stall again. However, if I ever do return then I’ll probably order something else just because of my issue with the spice level.
I think The Collective is perfect for anybody that is trying to plan a group outing. The diverse group of restaurants within The Collective cater to many different interests and dietary restrictions. This way, everyone can find something that they enjoy and nobody has to compromise! I also think this could be an excellent spot for a first date. It’s trendy, its located in a cool area, and there’s so much to choose from that you don’t have to worry about offending your date with your restaurant selection. As for Cafe De L’asie, I think it’s a cool concept that’s worth checking out if you like fusion food.
Overall, my dining experience was very enjoyable, and I’m excited to return and check out the other stalls within The Collective.
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