Ever since we watched “Jiro Dreams of Sushi," I’ve been absolutely enthralled with the concept of high-grade sushi. I’ve even tried cajoling hubby into making a trip to Tokyo before it’s too late (e.g., before Jiro himself passes). No dice.
To be fair, it does seem a bit exorbitant to fly across the Pacific for a great meal – not to mention completely unrealistic in our current situation with a newborn. So I figured, really, the next best thing was to go to Masa, purportedly the best sushi in New York City (which, in my view, is saying a lot!).
Years and years ago, I remember going to Bar Masa, Masa’s sister à la carte restaurant just next door – I don’t recall the meal exactly, though I do remember the green tea mille-feuille I had for dessert (sad but true!). Hint: the same mille-feuille gets served at the end of your multi-course dinner at Masa!
To be fair, chef Masayoshi Takayama’s tasting menu is pretty fab (some of the best sushi I’ve ever had!), if not quite recession friendly. We were treated to nearly half a dozen “appetizers” before the crowning jewel was served – aka the actual sushi. (And boy did the sushi flow!!!). I wish I had more photos to share, but I think I was too busy munching away and savoring every grain of rice! (Which actually made the most indelible impression on my palate, I must say). In fact, there was so much sushi that even an insatiable hubby (who normally loathes tasting for the very reason that he doesn't get quite full), remarked how we were served "just the right amount of food."
So there you have it! A memorable meal indeed, certainly worthy of a 5-year anniversary treat. It’ll probably set me back, budget-wise, quite considerably over the next couple of months (though I’d do it again in a heartbeat). It's cheaper than going to Japan...
In the meantime, I suppose I’ll just resort to watching reruns of “Jiro Dreams of Sushi.”
