The Omakase Menu at Morimoto NYC

I should've posted this back on Wednesday evening but unfortunately, my inebriated state prevented me from blogging about this endeavor.

I had the pleasure of having dinner with an old friend of mine on Wednesday evening. The decision to dine was short decided but was long overdo. After about 6 emails, we opted to go to Morimoto.

Unlike my previous experiences, instead of debating whether to splurge on the Omakase menu, Rayna and I simply opted to avoid all debates and hesitations and thus, ordered the 8 course Omakase. Please note, the Omakase we opted for was the $120 table served Omakase. There is a second Omakase dining experience that's served @ the Omakase sushi bar. From what I discovered from speaking to Master Masaharu Morimoto, the base price of that Omakase is $250 but a patron can name the price they want to pay and food will be served based on their price tag. Please note, there was about 2% of consideration is opting for the more expensive Omakase but my better judgment suggested that I stick with the basic Omakase instead.

Here's the list of items served on the Omakase...

Chu Toro Tartar: The tasting menu started off with a Toro Tartar. The presentation of the Tuna was in a finally mashed, almost in the form of crushed bananas served to an infant. The tuna was then spread out on a wood tray that measured 3" x 2" x .25", The Chu Toro was accompanied by a variety of dips (ie: Caviar, Scallions, etc...). The Chu Toro is meant to be eaten with each of the garnishes that presents the Toro in a different aspect with each of the various garnishes. Overall, I found the Chu Toro to be delectable. Although the texture presentation took away from the ability to chew and savor the texture of the actual Chu Toro, the taste in it's own right was classic and clean. Unlike that of basic Maguro, the Chu Toro provided a bit of fatty substance which truly emphasizes the true nature of Chu Toro.

Stripped Bass w/ Scallion Garnish topped with Hot Oil, Ponzu and Soy Sauce. The second dish of the Omakase presented a base of 5 pieces of Stripped Bass sashimi which was then layered with micro greens, topped off with Hot Oil, Ponzu, and Soy Sauce. The dish reminds me of the basic Tilapia dish at my house where the same application would apply only the Tilapia would be steamed (thus cooking thoroughly) prior to the application of the Scallions, Soy Sauce, and Hot Oil. What Morimoto manages to portray with this dish is that the subtle texture of the Stripped Bass is greatly enhanced by the Oil and the Soy Sauce. The extra micro green garnishes that are present on the dish gives an earthly and clean appeal, which greatly paves way to the nature texture of the Stripped Bass.

Yellowtail Cerviche: Comparable to the previous Stripped Bass dish, the Yellowtail Cerviche tasting is by far the best item of the entire Omakase menu. The dish, although simple but invigorating, is presented with a base of 4 slices of Yellowtail Sashimi, then covered with a buttery miso tasting sauce. With each of the four bites, the palates begin to enhance through the smooth and buttery taste that's greatly harnessed by the fatty nature of the Yellowtail and the buttery base of the miso sauce.

Sea Oyster over Sea Salt: The dish is as mentioned. A single piece of Oyster lays on a bed of Sea Salt. The Oyster is medium sized (about .5 ounces, or a single bite). The presentation of the dish as a base of Sea Salt which is then layed over by the Oyster (with shell intact, but open). The taste of the Oyster is from the oyster sauce and diced scallions that top off this dish. The single bite of the Oyster gives its consumer a fresh oyster taste that is greatly enhanced by both the sauce and the scallions.

Macaroon w/ Green Tea Dip: A single peace of Macaroon lays in the middle of two contraptions used to make the Green Tea. The application of this dish starts with its diner picking up the tea pot, pouring hot water into a small cup containing powder that forms the base of the green tea. The tea is then prepared and is then wisked onto the Macaroon. The dish is nothing to really comment about, the Macaroon did not present any spectacular flavors that needs to be emphasized, not does the Green Tea additive give this dish any appeal. If anything, I would've been better off with a Spicy Tuna Roll...

Sushi: 6 pieces of sushi forms the base of this portion of the Omakase. The 6 pieces consisted of Tuna, Salmon, Yellowtail, Stripped Bass, Eel, and Chu Toro. I'll leave any description of this dish except that each individual piece was fresh and clean. Once again, nothing extremely fancy.

Half Lobster Accompanied by Sear Wagyu Beef & Sweet Potatoes: As described a Lobster is split in half down the middle and served with all exteriors in place. The lobster was seared with a basic butter sauce and a spicy seasoning. The texture of the Lobster was perfect, giving the Lobster a tender and moist base while allowing the succulent meat of the lobster to stand out. The second half of this entree was the Seared Wagyu Beef over Japanese Sweet Potatoes. I'd have to say, Wagyu is best served raw. The equally distributed marbling that's present in Wagyu allows for consumers to obtain an equal balance of fat and protein with each bite. Wagyu on this particular occasion was considered "lightly seared". Why then did I find my piece of Wagyu to be overcooked and over sauced with the soy base? If there was an option to have Wagyu dropped on my lap without it being cooked, I would've gladly asked for it. Let me not even start with the Eggplant, although it was better than the Wagyu.

Red Bean Cake w/ Hazelnut Ice Cream (Dessert): The description says it all. The only comment I need make regarding this dessert is that the Red Bean Cake presented a fluffy texture that's common with perfectly baked cakes. The red bean in the cake was still ripe and maintained it's structure through cooking.

And of course... My thoughts...

I'd have to say, I was not overly impressed with this particular Omakase menu. The food left me underwhelmed, as the portions were dismal. Of the 8 dishes served, I would have to say that only 2 of them truly stood out (the Chu Toro Tartar and the Yellowtail Cerviche). The remaining 6 dishes failed to live up to the reputation of a Morimoto Omakase. Truth of the matter is, I think I would've been better off ordering a Chu Toro Roll w/ 2 Pieces of Wagyu Beef and Chu Toro Sushi to start and accepted the Miso Sea Bass as my meal rather than Omakase, at least I would've saved about $60! Overall, if I am to try an Omakase again @ Morimoto,I feel as though I will have to fork over the $250 price tag and sit @ the Omakase Sushi Bar.

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Il Palazzone, 2001

The intricacies of Italian Wine have always been of an interest to my palate. There are times in which I have to contemplate whether Italian or French wine supersede the other in composition, complexity, invigoration, and taste. To date, with the exception of the infamous Bordeaux, Chateau Lafite Rothschild Paullia, 1982, I have found that the versatility of Italian wines (from various blends of Montepulciano to more complex and boldness of Barolo) have surpassed that of it's French counterpart.

Thus, I shall dedicate this post solely to my personal thoughts on my first tasting of the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Il Palazzone, 2001.

My first expectations of the wine were to that of a Sangiovese. As with most wines classified as a Brunello di Montalcino, the most common analogy of wines is to that of Sangiovese. At first taste, any simple wine drinker can identify that there are particular similarities, but there are intricacies to a Brunello di Montalcino that distinguishes itself from that of an everyday Sangiovese. At first sampling, the Brunello presented a more robust and complex structure to that of Sangiovese. This immediately led me to distinguish the Brunello being far superior to that of Sangiovese. The ripe flavors of grape and oak are presented throughout each sip of the wine with each additional sip enhancing the structure of both the bold burgundy body and the hints of oak present through the 30 month aging process. The best way to truly classify this remarkable wine is to identify both it's bold and deep complexity. With this particular Brunello, I was able to experience one of the finer exports of the Italian wine country at only a fraction of the cost to that of more expensive domestic reserve wines (ie: Cabernet Savignon Reserve, Robert Mondavi, 2004)

*Please note, I am in no way tarnishing the image of the 2004 Cabernet Savignon Reserve from Mondavi as this is my favorite domestic reserve wine for 2007. I am simply using this as an example as to the high standards that should be held for the Brunello di Montalcino.

My overall expectations of this wine is that of superiority. This wine should best be tasted over simple conversation to truly understand the body without interference from that of food. If consumed during a meal, I would advise that this be paired with a Ribeye Steak that's been marinated in a Porcini rub. Avoid any type of sauce with food at all costs as the acidity from sauce will tarnish the palate and distort the understanding of the wine.

The Bout With Vertigo

Greetings & Salutations!

I have opted to escape the wonderful world of Live Journal and have ventured onto Blogger. My decision to make the move was based solely on the need to start something new. Although my experiences with LJ have been pleasant, I feel as though it's time to move onto something new.

With that in mind.. Here goes entry 1 of Blogger Post.

Ver·ti·go /ˈvɜrtɪˌgoʊ/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[vur-ti-goh] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun, plural ver·ti·goes, ver·tig·i·nes /vərˈtɪdʒəˌniz/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciati[ver-tij-uh-neez] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation. Pathology.

a dizzying sensation of tilting within stable surroundings or of being in tilting or spinning surroundings.

[Origin: 1520–30; <>vertīgō a turning or whirling round, equiv. to vert(ere) to turn (see verse) + -īgō n. suffix]
(Courtesy of dictionary.com)

Picture this scenario, you wake up on morning only to discover that your sense of stability and balance has become distorted without justification or reasoning. Your basic reaction is to return to slumber in hopes of awakening without impairment. Upon your second ascent, you've discovered that your anomalistic state is only as deterring as before. The feeling itself is described by many as debilitating, I for one can concur.

That was last Thursday...

Today, I find myself bed ridden with this incomprehensible deferment, denying me to enjoy of the simple aspects of everyday life. Although there is improvement in my condition (imbalances only occur with vertical head movement [ie: walking up flights of stairs]), my stability has yet to regain its form, which has rendered me insignificant for the past few weeks.

Good news is on the horizon... I have been showing significant signs of improvement and should be able to return to form within the next few days. Hopefully this means football during the weekend...

For those whom I have lacked contact with recently, please take this note as a sign that things are well. Despite being plagued with a series of illnesses for the past few weeks, Yours Truly will return to social form within the next few days and am looking forward to future inebriated states with you all.

All else... Until Next Post!