725 Southwest 10th Avenue
Portland, OR 97205
Multnomah County
Phone: (503) 478-9600
Fax: unknownWebsite: no website on fileEmail: no email on fileHours: unknown
by Shane L. on Honestly, I was underwhelmed by Morimoto. Perhaps I had too high of expectations due to his mainstream acclaim, but I can honestly say that I've experienced vastly better Japanese Cuisine where I'm from (Seattle). I imagine this may be due to the huge Oriental population in the Pacific Northwest. As a disclaimer, the "Omakase" wasn't really a true Omakase judging from other reviews and photos. Omakase is meant to be an intimate meal with the chef, meaning they create a UNIQUE and innovative dining experience using the freshest ingredients they have. It seems to me that Morimoto recycles too many of their dishes and strays away from the actual experience of Omakase - if you ever get a chance to go to a more intimate Omakase meal I'd suggest taking it, and you will undoubtedly see the difference. 1st course: Yellowtail served with dashi, caviar, and fresh wasabi. The texture was off on this dish, and I honestly don't remember it that well. 2nd course: Fluke sashimi served with chili oil - slabs of "raw" fish Masterfully bathed in a citric sauce and definitely the high point of the meal. Even the people in my party who were afraid to eat raw fish fell in love with this dish and wanted more! Unfortunately, the rest of the meal went downhill after this dish. 3rd course: Rock Shrimp Tempura The batter and flavor of the dish were right on, but the balls were so greasy that it made it hard to eat. Probably my 2nd favorite dish of the night if I had to choose, but wasn't anything to write home about. 4th course: Halibut of some sort (forget the actual description) The halibut I was served wasn't that good of a cut and lacked flavor. It was lackluster and forgettable. 5th course: Sushi Sampler This is the part of the meal that was a disaster. The sushi was just not up to par. First of all, the rice was too hard and too tightly packed. Although this seems like a small detail, it greatly impacts the overall quality of each bite and is a critical mistake at a restaurant of this caliber. Now the cuts of the fis themselves were also sub-par. Out of the 5 pieces of sushi we had, I enjoyed two. Two others were okay, but nothing I'd brag about. One piece was rancid, it had tasted as though it were sitting out for quite a long time and was barely edible. At first I thought I was being crazy, but the rest of my party agreed when they got to that particular piece of sushi. 6th course: Chocolate cake, served with ice cream and a chocolate sauce. It was a decent dessert, but didn't really feel that Asian to me and was too simple. The flavor wasn't anything spectacular, and there was simply no innovation to this course. As a final note, I did not like the ambience of this place. It felt more fusiony and modern than Japanese to me. The interior made me feel like I was stuck in one of the back to the future movies.
by Ray Pizana on i have a little secret to share. come a little closer. shh, don't tell anyone, but i've been here on more than one occasion and haven't hated it. seems people like to dwell on the negative, so maybe i should share how to have a good time here. be drunk before you get here. drink more when you get here. dance to the music that plays in your head and not to whatever it is they're trying to "mix" on the cd player or whatever it is that fake dj's use these days. also, try to come when the cover isn't $20. (though i'm not sure when that is 'cos like i said, as a rule, i don't come here unless i'm already tipsy.) things i like about this place: i look around and i remember that there are more than just white people in boston. i like diversity. sure there are a lot of regular dudes here and average chicks and creepy old guys and sexily clad marketing girls (remember those girls that used to give out free packs of marlboro reds? they always wore those skank cowboy hats. ahh, the good ol' days. i don't smoke, but i liked getting free shit.). anyhoos, that just means i'm always the coolest/best dressed/cutest person there (which is pretty much true no matter where i go, though so much more salient here. ahh, but i digress). positivity people, if you get dragged here, buck up, you can have a good time. get lit.
