Food and Drink: Morimoto

MORIMOTO / 723 CHESTNUT STREET / PHILADELPHIA PA
215 413 9070
http://www.morimotorestaurant.com/

Morimoto. One glance inside and you instantly have arrived at one of the coolest spots in town. I don't think any other restaurant screams chic, avant-garde moreso than this restaurant. This is a Starr restaurant and one of the priciest in town. Dinner for two, $280 or so at 2 drinks a person. This is a perfect date, anniversary, or special occasion spot and you certainly feel when you walk in you are royalty.

The walls are back-lit and the lighting is soft and diffuse. Made it easy to capture some really beautiful photos of the restaurant. The booths are lit with color changing lights making coordinated booths in every color of the rainbow with color changes every 20 minutes or so.

We started dinner with some edamamae, fresh soybeans with sea salt. It was overcooked entirely and needed to be sent back.

Redemption came in the form of Kumamoto oysters. Oyster Guide calls the Kumamoto the ‘Chardonnay of oysters’ and are among the most popular oyster due to their luscious fruity flavor and light brininess 3 pairs of seasonings on the 6 oyster tray were designed for sharing. From outside to inside: Sushi Ceviche, Japanese Salsa, and Thai fish.

Wagyu dumplings. Kanzuri-miso broth. Kanzuri, a chili paste made with yuzu is a popular Japanese seasoning. Wagyu beef is Japanese for cow and refers to several breeds of cattle known for intense marbling. Kobe, Mishima, Matsusaka, Ōmi, and Sanda are several types of Wagyu beef.

This was salmon carpaccio. Thinly sliced with yuzu soy, hot oil and mitsuba leaf. Carpaccio is thinly sliced raw meat seasoned in this case most interestingly with mitsuba leaf. Like parsley, the flavor is clean and refreshing with a slightly bitter taste which some describe as celery-like.

These scallops were one of the specials for the night and completely worth having. Beautifully seasoned and flavorful, these pan-seared scallops were excellent.

DUCK DUCK DUCK MADRAS ROASTED DUCK BREAST, CONFIT FRIED RICE, DUCK EGG, MANDARIN OOLONG REDUCTION. Oolong is a traditional Chinese tea produced through a unique process including withering the plant under the strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting.

CHILEAN SEA BASS KOJI MARINATED AND GRILLED, SEASONAL VEGETABLES, SHANTON NAGE. A traditional nage is a broth flavoured with white wine, vegetables, and herbs, in which seafood is poached. The liquid is then reduced and thickened with cream and/or butter.