by Rudolf Ocamb on I live in Brooklyn. I've been wanting to dine at Morimoto in the meatpacking district for years. However, when an opportunity to dine at the original in Philly with my family presented itself, I jumped. I read some of the other rateclubsers' reviews, and convinced everyone to get the omakase (the lesser priced version). It was one of the best meals I've ever had. Our first course was a sashimi of bluefin tuna and yellowtail, presented as sculpted roses. The presentation was simple and beautiful--a hint to the theme of our meal. Second course was a tilefish carpaccio with hot oil and dried cherry blossoms. It was light, but had a burst of flavors that reminded me of a steakhouse--a very bizarre and fulfilling dish. Definitely one of the favorites with everyone. Third course was a Thai snapper with vermicelli-esque soba noodles and microgreens. The broth was very simple, and the portion was big (for a tasting menu). A decent finish to the app section of the tasting menu. We were then served an intermezzo: a shot of passionfruit, soda, and angostura bitters. A gorgeously tasty palette cleanser. Fourth course (and one of three mains) was crispy skate with a pork dumpling and pea shoots. Far and away my favorite: the skate was perfectly crispy on the outside and buttery and delicate in the middle. The dumpling was an advertisement for balanced umami; it was porky but not too much. My sister doesn't eat pork, but she did this night. Fifth course was a chicken roulade with sunchoke puree, mushrooms, and chicken jus. Not exactly Japanese, but unexpectedly hearty and delicious. The mushrooms and jus were another highlight to the meal. Sixth course was straight up sushi--some of the best I've ever had. Three sushi 'balls': tilefish with caviar, jackfish with sugared bonito, and salmon with sake. Perfect bites of sushi; the jackfish was the standout. Also included was a 'special roll': while the ingredients seemed basic (egg, cucumber and tuna), the presentation was exceptional: it was a square roll, and it was a work of art. More of the true wasabi made this a really memorable course. Dessert was our seventh course, and a definite high note: as a play on the flower show (the theme of our meal), we were served a flourless chocolate cake with honeycomb ice cream and a rose almond sauce. Often rose ingredients come off as grandma-ish; this sauce was perfectly balanced and a great foil to the dense, rich, brownie-ish chocolate cake. The honeycomb ice cream worked surprisingly well with the cake and the sauce. I have to admit, this dish really got to me (I have a huge sweet tooth, it's worth noting). The meal was not only delicious, but relatively healthy, too--all fish and chicken. I loved the flower theme, and the overall tastes and presentation were perfect. I wish that the dining room had been a little quieter, so that I could better hear my parents speak. It was packed, but it was a Saturday night, after all. I will come back. It was worth every penny.
by MiKA D. on Great place to listen to some house music, ample space for a dance floor with lots of places to sit. They do sell food here and I've tried their pizzas. They do have a photo booth inside this bar and it's free. Although if you come here after 10pm on some nights, they do charge at the door!
