l-r: morimoto sign out front; largest noren curtain
the ice display outside the sushi bar; our group shot with morimoto
Every member of our group had been to the Morimoto in Philadelphia. Everyone had high expectations- yes, some higher than others, but we all expected nothing but the best. To be wowed; to be awed into a stupor of submission to the fact that yes, indeed, Morimoto NYC was better than Morimoto Philly.
Not one of us left disappointed.
We started off the meal by sharing four appetizers among six girls, at the waiter’s suggestion that three were not enough. My biggest complaint about the night- and it’s not even a genuine complaint- was that the appetizers were pricy and not that big; however, once the entrees arrived, all was forgiven because these were oversized.
crispy rock shrimp tempura with morimoto buffalo sauce and wasabi aoli
Personally, though it was tasty, I did not like the buffalo sauce because it was too spicy for me. However, the wasabi aoli was a perfect complement (was not spicy at all) to the shrimp’s dense, lobster-like flavor and texture. The shrimp were tossed with the sauce, with a smattering drizzled on top, and in a third section of the dish were celery & cucumber sticks and a ranch/bleu cheese sauce. I would definitely order this again if I were with someone who agreed to eat all the buffalo ones and leave me the wasabi ones 
yellowtail pastrami
I’m not sure if they gave us six pieces knowing we had six people or if this is just the dish size, but with one piece each, this was the perfect size. The yellowtail was very fresh and seasoned on its edges, giving it the “pastrami” look and the same bite. This was good, but I wouldn’t order it again.
morimoto sashimi
Again, this came in six pieces, which was a nice touch. This actually was six different types of sashimi, layered on top of each other, served with five different sauces (seen in the top left of the picture) in pipettes. You’re meant to squeeze a little or a lot onto your piece or dip into it. I actually enjoyed the fish so much, I did not use any sauce. I would definitely order this again and request another yamomo berry while we’re at it (seen in the top right dish, this berry is meant to cleanse the palate).
toro tartare
Honestly, this is the appetizer that I was upset over the size. It isn’t meant to be shared among six people, I suppose, but this is a signature dish that I know some people dream about, and you can’t go to Morimoto and not have toro tartare. It’s like, not possible.
The presentation, as you can see, was fantastic. The tartare and its accompaniments came spread thinly onto these wooden boards; you take one of the wooden paddles and scrape along it, taking whichever condiments you’d like (starting from the left of the picture, on the striped board: rice crackers in tiny little balls; avocado puree; chives; caviar; wasabi; sour cream; and seaweed sauce). I was surprised that there was an equal amount of wasabi since I wouldn’t take as much wasabi as any of the other condiments; mixing these together with the tartare was a truly sublime experience. I wouldn’t go back to Morimoto without ordering this appetizer. With someone who either doesn’t eat this stuff at all or with someone who would order their own. 
yellowtail cooked on river stone
friend says: thumbs up!!! very filling.
duck, duck, duck
friends say: yummy, huge portion, couldn’t finish it. sauces were very tasty.
chef’s combination of sushi and maki
friend says: not just raw fish; delicious and great selection. the way it should be done!
click here for a more in-depth review by her
wagyu beef hot pot nikujaga
friend says: yummy and as good as expected.
seared king salmon
The salmon was tender, cooked medium-rare with just the teeniest bit raw part in the very center. It lay atop a bed of mixed vegetables, your standard fare: broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, baby carrots, potatoes and some small things that looked like pearl onions but didn’t taste like them. The surprise here was a small, light green vegetable that looked like a baby artichoke but soft all around, and tasted like cauliflower with the same smooth texture with a blander, softer taste. According to one dining companion, it was a vegetable hybrid found only in Taiwan called Buddha’s something. Interesting.
The round item on the bottom left was described to me a salmon tempura by the waiter, but when I cut into it, I found a sort of salmon paste on the inside, almost as though he had taken cooked salmon and mixed it smoothly with cream or mayo of some sort. It was really good; not hot but not cold, and had a nice texture and feel in my mouth.
This all came with a cream sauce on the side for dipping, which complemented everything perfectly (I was dipping everything into this sauce, the veggies, the salmon cake, the salmon itself, even- so good).
I would definitely order this again, although not the very next time I go back. This will have to wait until my tenth visit. Yes, I would go back another nine times.
For dessert, we opted to share three desserts amongst the six of us, as stuffed as we were. Personally, I’ve been looking (casually) for Earl Grey creme brulee, after hearing of it about a year ago; that it is served at one of the high end restaurants in NYC, but I cannot verify which restaurant this is. I am not a huge fan of creme brulee, but Craig is, and I am a huge fan of Earl Grey (it is my favorite tea, ever). So I had to laugh when the first item on the menu was….
creme brulee with earl grey ice cream
No, it isn’t exactly what I was looking for, but it was coincidental that they paired the two.
As you can see, they did not serve the creme brulee in the traditional brulee dish. In fact, I’m semi-certain that the brulee was not done in traditional butane-torch style; it appears as though it was done separately and then laid on top of a custard/flan. This is sheer genius. The creme brulee was very tasty… but the real star of that dish was the Earl Grey ice cream. It was just a touch sweet, with the almost smokiness of Earl Grey shining throughout, deeply flavoring the cold cream with just a touch of the bitterness that is tea (without sugar). Yummm!!!!
tofu cheesecake
I was a bit hesitant when they suggested ordering this, although the waiter recommended it. I don’t like cheesecake, and I don’t like ginger, which was mentioned on the menu. When the dish came, however, the candied ginger shavings were on the side, perfect for one to blend yourself! There were two other small piles of add-ins, but I didn’t try those because this tofu cheesecake was so light, airy, and cheeselike but not it was great. The chocolate shavings on top and the soft vanilla cookie? crust on the bottom were fantastic. There was a dipping sauce which I tried but I was so enthralled and stuffed, I didn’t pay too much attention to it. I’m so sorry.
soy creme vacherin with raspberry foam
Personally, I wasn’t too keen on this dessert, though the foam was cool- it looked dense, like a sorbet, but was actually literally a foam. I probably didn’t have as much affection as I could for it since I am allergic to raspberries and tend to avoid them even when I’m on allergy medication, since the tartness does not appeal to me. My companions, however, did enjoy this dessert.
Yvo says: Get your butt to the phone and get yourself a reservation. You can only get them one month in advance and they’re booked up through the month, but it is so worth it. This meal with four appetizers, six entrees, and three desserts left us thoroughly stuffed and came out to $65/person. Not expensive at all. I highly recommend this enthusiastically to anyone who enjoys Japanese cuisine with a twist. Yes, this location offers slightly more Westernized dishes, but is fantastic nonetheless. You will not be disappointed from the hype.
morimoto, noticing my friend and I attempting to take pictures of him while he prepared omakase for the special omakase seating area, strikes a FOB pose.
the optical illusion bathroom stall’s backwall. the flowers rotate slowly.
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