Matsunori Omakase: Lower East Side
If heaven is a place on earth it’s Mastunori on Allen Street. The second I walked into this Omakase hotspot and learned that they only seat 12 people at a time in this quaint, intimate restaurant I knew it was going to be stellar. After I tasted the Blue Fin Tuna appetizer laced with soy sauce, truffle, and scallion, all of my feelings were affirmed. I might have to go out on a limb and tell you guys that the blue fin tuna app was quite honestly the best bite I’ve ever had. If you’re looking for a delicious, moderately priced, exquisite dinner experience, please book a reservation at Mastsunori. Our meal consisted of 1 appetizer out of 3 choices, 12 nigiri, and 1 handroll, all rounded out with a small dessert. The highlights of the meal were the torched king salmon nigiri, the toro nigiri, the spanish mackerel nigiri, and the delicate touch of a strawberry mochi at the end of the experience tied a beautiful bow on this gift of a meal. The only lowpoint of the meal was the uni, which I recognize is a delicacy and a luxury to most, but unfortunately to me it’s just fishy and undesirable.
Bluefin tuna with truffle and scallion
Spanish mackerel nigiri with light soy
Between the high quality of fish, the creative flares like torching some of the nigiri and adding lime zest to the scallops, and the pace of the meal that had been so properly and perfectly planned, I would truly give Matsunori a 5/5 rating. It’s BYOB so if you plan to dine there be sure to grab a bottle of sake on your way, and if you’re a picky sushi eater this is the place to step out of the box and try new things. As a previous raw salmon hater, Matsunori has officially turned me. Huge thanks to my sister for making the reservation, I’ll be owing her for a while for this one. For anyone who read my Kissaki review, you might be wondering how these two shape up against one another. We ate at Kissaki during restaurant week so we didn’t have the classic Omakase experience of serving the nigiri one at a time and that was really special at Matsunori. Both restaurants have extremely high quality of fish, but the intimate setting of Matsunori and the tuna appetizer really put it over the top for me.
