Location Review88 10th Avenue,
New York, NY, United States
+1 212-989-8883
Menu
Morimoto Restaurant, eponymously named after it's creator Masahru Morimoto (@chef_morimoto) of Food Network's Food Network's Iron Chef , was near the top of our dining establishment hitlist during a short trip to New York City. Most popular with their Omakase menu, Morimoto also offers an a la cart menu that would please anyone looking for an Asian-fusion dining experience.
Morimoto Restaurant
A quick glance at the menu, and regular followers of Food Network's Iron Chef would recognize many of the dishes as ones Masahru Morimoto has prepared for the show. And then there are others which are an untraditional collision of of Asian, Japanese, and fusion cuisines.
Dining Area
The decor of Morimoto is a confusing work of art. A maze of translucent Plexiglass shapes the room, separating the crowded tables. Scattered throughout this maze is an open kitchen, a pretentious looking bar, and sporadic fixtures providing dim lighting to the room. This place has a esoteric vibe, giving you the impression that this was where it's all happening. You are at the very center of it all and there's no cooler place to be right now, than to be dining at Morimoto's
Open Kitchen
A beautifully illuminated bar
Selbach Reisling, Germany, 2010
Sweet, frangrant, and went down like candy. It was hard to believe there was alcohol in this. I could've finished the entire bottle before ingesting any of the food.
Soft Shell Crab Roll ($12)- deepfried soft shell crab, asparagus, tobiko, aacado, scallion, spicy sauce
Rock Shrimp Tempura ($18.50) -spicy kochujan aioli
Yellowtail Pastrami ($21) - togarashi, gin creme fraiche, candided olive
The yellow tail pastrami was an attempt at an adventurous order, as you don't often see the words "yellowtail", and "pastrami" next to each other. I really had no clue what to expect. I personally wasn't overly amorous of this appetizer. It had a fishy aftertaste, which may be just the nature of yellow tail. A neat concept to serve sashimi fish pastrami style, but it didn't work for me.
Hamachi Tartare($25) - osetra caviar, sour cream, wasabi, dashi-soy
My boyfriend, Rob loves hamachi, so there is rarely an occasion where it is not selected if available on the menu. The tartare is served on a flat tray with a dollop of caviar. This ended up tasting as unique as it was to eat.
Hamachi Tartare($25) - osetra caviar, sour cream, wasabi, dashi-soy
To consume, the waiter instructed us to spread the caviar evenly over the tartare, scoop a small spatula full of the fish, and dip it into the accompanying sauces. Almost felt like making a lollipop!
Avocado. Cream Cheese, Nori paste, Green Onions, and Cream Cheese dipping condiments
The sauces ranged from tangy to spicy, from crunchy to sweet. Each was whipped to an airy consistency, and did not overpower the fish. Was quite the interesting way to start off the meal!
Morimoto style Chirashi ($33) - 10-12 different fish and vegetables
The chirashi is underwhelming at first glance, but as you work your way through it you realize it's a solid bowl of rice and fish. It's filled to the brim with perfectly made sushi rice and bite size cubes of fish of great variety.
Duck, Duck, Duck ($32) - foie gras croissant, roast duck, soft duck egg, red miso sauce
I ordered the Duck Duck Duck, as a result of successful menu marketing. I admit if it weren't for the name, it might not have ordered it. The dish came on a gigantic plate that literally took up my entire table space. The duck however was delicious! A runny duck egg, crispy skinned duck leg, and a duck breast sandwich. The style of this dish wasn't too far off from Chinese style roasted duck, but the meat was in fact much more juicy and rich.
Foie Gras Croissant with Roasted Duck - Pretty much like a Peking Duck wrap but with a croissant!
Morimoto Damage
Considering the location, the amount of food, and the wine that we had, this bill was not outrageous at all. Surprising, since I went in with the impression that it would cost me an arm and a leg. Mind you, not everything was spectacular, but decent enough to have me come back to this socialite haven.
