248 replies to this topic

[bleudauvergne]

I read it and got this incredible sense of deja vu.

It is nice to see the story of how Madame Hesser has developed a relationship with the proprietor and his wife and her descriptions of them coming through. It seems she is a regular there. I got to wondering how many times a week she has a meal in their restaurant.

A few courses later comes tempura. On one visit, it was fried wild watercress, sent by Mr. Takayama's mother in Japan,

Sometimes it is a wisp of halibut, a fish distinguished by its crunch, brushed with nikiri sauce. Or calamari, sprinkled with sea salt, and yuzu. On various visits, I have had shiitake; grilled scallop; sweet shrimp; mackerel; and ume, shredded shiso and sesame seed rolled into a slender and crisp sheet of toasted nori. All of it has been pristine, vibrant and utterly delicious.

The talk of stars at the end got me a little bit confused, though. Has this restaurant been awarded a rating based on this review?

Edited by bleudauvergne, 02 June 2004 - 06:56 AM.

[SobaAddict70]

Any impressions on whether the rating, or lack thereof, will have any impact on future diners who may not have had the experience or wherewithal to have dined at Ginza Sushi-ko (Masa's former establishment in Beverly Hills)?

Soba

Admin edit: All threads relating primarily to discussion of Masa and Bar Masa have been merged.

Edited by SobaAddict70, 02 June 2004 - 08:43 AM.

[bloviatrix]

Although I think it was a cop-out not to give any stars, I actually thought Hesser wrote a fantastic piece. IMO, this was probably the strongest of all her reviews.

[greenfield]

I don't consider it a waste at all. Presumably we look forward to the reviews for their text, not just for the number of stars at the end.

Ditto.

I thought it was a fantastic review. Not only do I have a very good idea of what dining at Masa is like, but also I got a tip on what to avoid. I think it was one of Amanda Hesser's best reviews. I definitely want to go to Masa now, but I don't think it is something I can afford right now.

For an interesting related article, check out Eric Asimov's review of Ginza Sushiko in his regular $250 and over column in the May 17, 2000 edition of The Times, And when $300 would feed a crowd? The column name was a joke, of course; it appeared in the dining section next to an article discussing rising restaurant prices and prompted by Alain Ducasse's new restaurant. I apologize if the link doesn't work; you can find the article on The Times's website by searching for Ginza Sushiko in the archives.

[bpearis]

I have a feeling that AH's dining experience may not be the one most people get. I think those known to Masa are the only people complaining that it is too much food.

[oakapple]

Any impressions on whether the rating, or lack thereof, will have any impact on future diners who may not have had the experience or wherewithal to have dined at Ginza Sushi-ko (Masa's former establishment in Beverly Hills)?

I would guess not. Masa isn't exactly catering to the type of diners who bring up the Times website on a whim, to see what the paper is recommending these days. Although no formal rating was assigned, anyone who reads the final paragraph will see that AH considers it a four-star experience, provided you sit at the sushi bar.

Although slightly off-topic for this thread, it's questionable under what circumstances any NYT review significantly affects a restaurant's bottom line. It has been more than three months since Hesser gave Asiate just one star, but it remains a hot restaurant. I suspect the hip places that "everyone's talking about" aren't much affected by what the Times says - at least not in the short term.

Where I think the Times review does matter a lot, is for those restaurants that aren't on anyone's hot list. I'm sure Wallsé's bookings picked up significantly after Hesser's recent review, even though all she was doing was to re-affirm a two-star rating the paper had previously given.

So, to bring it back on-topic, I doubt that what Hesser said matters much to Masa. And if there were an effect - positive or negative - it would only be temporary, as the paper is all but promising a second review early in Bruni's tenure.

[Pan]

It was indeed odd for Ms. Hesser not to settle on a star rating, but the conclusion was an effective piece of theatrical suspense to prepare the grand entrance of Mr. Bruni. I agree with others that this was a great review, though, and Hesser's best as Interim Critic - and that's more important to me.

[Timo]

the conclusion was an effective piece of theatrical suspense to prepare the grand entrance of Mr. Bruni

still... the piece did leave me with a slightly bitter aftertaste of hessergate...

[SobaAddict70]

Next might come a tiny coupe glass, filled with a dollop of toro, a heap of osetra caviar and a squeeze of sudachi (a variety of lime, tiny as a kumquat). You are given a red lacquer spoon to spread it onto crisp toasts cut into perfect dominoes.

Hum. I must ponder this.


Soba

[AndrewG]

Had dinner at Masa Sat. nite. This is not a full review but some quick comments (with reference to a few previous posts).

Yes, it was that good. Yes, it lives up to the hype. It was far and away the best sushi I have ever head (caveat: I have only had top notch sushi in NY, nowhere else). It blows away Sushi Yasuda or Kuruma Zushi. We were indeed served, as Hesser states, too much food (an immense amount of fantastic toro). I was actually praying towards the end of the meal that the food would stop coming.

Was it worth the money? No. My girlfriend and I had the exact same reaction: if it were $200 less expensive, it would be worth it. But for that amount of money, we’d rather go to Per Se or ADNY and still have enough left over for a couple of lunches at Blue Ribbon Sushi. Having said that, if money were no object I’d never eat sushi again anywhere else in NY.

Does Masa deserve 4 stars? This is a question that has been stuck in my mind since about halfway thru our dinner. I think it does (though this is based only on one meal at the sushi bar). I think Hesser got it exactly right when she said, “No matter how exquisite its food, a three-star restaurant does not have this power to transport you.” My experience at Masa was as “transporting” as any meal I have had in the U.S.

[richl2214]

Nice little synopsis. What was your total bill if you say it was too expensive? Did it include drinks ie sake? Is it a price fixe meal?

Finally, how would you compare the quality of the sushi to Blue Ribbon which I consider well above average quality?

[AndrewG]

What was your total bill if you say it was too expensive? Did it include drinks ie sake? Is it a price fixe meal?

The food charge was $300 per person. There is no menu; they just start placing food in front of you. We had two carafes (for lack of a better term) of sake. I think one was $18 and one was around $50. They include an 18% service charge in the bill. Total bill, including tax and the service charge was about $850 for two people.

Finally, how would you compare the quality of the sushi to Blue Ribbon which I consider well above average quality?

I like Blue Ribbon a lot but I’d go as far as to say the difference between Masa and Blue Ribbon is probably about the same as the difference between Blue Ribbon and one of those all-you-can-eat sushi places for $9.99. I’m not an expert on sushi (or on anything else for that matter) so I can’t really speak specifically to the quality of the fish. What I can say is that I’ve never had toro or mackerel or horse mackerel or blue fin tuna or sea urchin (or frankly, anything else that we ate) anywhere near this level of mouth-watering goodness. I can still taste it!!! But, it is not just the quality of the fish that differentiates the sushi (and its not just sushi: we had among other things, fois gras, soft shell crab, grapefruit granite for dessert…) It’s also the quality of the grated wasabi, the grated yuzu, the rice, etc.

[sashimi]

Andrew -- thanks for the great review!

Would you mind going over what you actually ate? I have friends that have dined at Masa recently and the overwhelming consensus is that they left wanting more. Now, either you have a very tiny tummy, or Masa has started serving more food (thankfully). If you dont mind me saying so, I am betting most of what you ate was sushi?

Anyway, your input would be greatly appreciated. Much thanks!

[oakapple]

It's interesting that Andrew says:

Yes, it lives up to the hype. It was far and away the best sushi I have ever head (caveat: I have only had top notch sushi in NY, nowhere else). It blows away Sushi Yasuda or Kuruma Zushi.

...and yet...

Was it worth the money? No. My girlfriend and I had the exact same reaction: if it were $200 less expensive, it would be worth it. But for that amount of money, we’d rather go to Per Se or ADNY and still have enough left over for a couple of lunches at Blue Ribbon Sushi. Having said that, if money were no object I’d never eat sushi again anywhere else in NY.

I am not criticizing these conflicting emotions, just remarking how unusual they are: "lives up to the hype" and "blows away" the competition; yet, by a considerable margin, not worth the money.

Is Masa still filling up every night? The conventional wisdom is that a restaurant's long-term survival depends on repeat business. How many people love this experience enough to be return customers for an out-the-door cost of $400-$500 a head?

[AndrewG]

I am not criticizing these conflicting emotions, just remarking how unusual they are: "lives up to the hype" and "blows away" the competition; yet, by a considerable margin, not worth the money.

I had a feeling that someone would question this. I really don't view my comments as conflicting emotions at all. The "lives up to the hype" and "blows away" the competion are clearly emotional responses to the food but my "not worth the money" comment is anything but emotional. Everything has its (comparative) value. As good as the experience was, it was not quite worth $850 to me. That doesn't mean its not worth $850 to others nor does it mean that it wouldn't be worth $850 to me if I were wealthier. Moreover, I said that for about $200 less it would have been worth it. On a percentage basis, thats less than 25%, not necessarily what I would call a considerable margin.

Is Masa still filling up every night?

I have no idea but I can tell you that all of the seats at the sushi bar were filled when we arrived (9:00 pm). I couldn't see the tables but I know at least some of the them if not all were occupied.

[AndrewG]

Would you mind going over what you actually ate?

I'll do the best I can from memory (and with my limited knowledge of Japanese ingredients). The order is approximate and its also possible that I'm missing a few things.

We started with a shot of a refreshingly tart liquid that contained a piece some kind of fish I believe. Next was toro tartare and caviar with toast triangles. After that we had soft shell crab and some kind of japanese vegetable tempura. Then a little salad that contained among other things some kind of little japenese flowers. After that I think was fois gras and some kind of fish shabu shabu. Unfortunately, I can't remember what the fish was but it wasn't lobster, which is what others have had with the fois gras. I'm pretty sure that we moved on to sushi next.

Maybe fluke first and three different pieces of mackerel (japanese mackerel, horse mackerel and one other). We also had a piece each of raw toro, uni, clam, scallop with sea salt, crayfish, blue fin tuna, grilled toro and shitake mushroom. After sushi, we had a toro maki roll (that had a lot of toro in it) and one final roll that I believe was japanese sour plum.

The meal ended with grapefruit granite. Aside from the sake that we ordered, we were served a green tea towards the end of the procession of sushi and then a black tea (or at least a darker tea) at the very end.

I have friends that have dined at Masa recently and the overwhelming consensus is that they left wanting more. Now, either you have a very tiny tummy, or Masa has started serving more food (thankfully)

I am thin, but I'm not normally known to have a tiny tummy so I'd be very curious to hear how your friends' meals compared.

Edited by AndrewG, 29 June 2004 - 07:31 AM.

[suzilightning]

while perusing the journal of contemporary culture - eg People magazine - for 16 august there is an article on masa pp 113-115.

[oakapple]

The notoriously cryptic "She Loves NY" site has a report — if that's the word for it — on Masa. It says, "venue to be reinvented, poss. relocated in short order."

This would not be surprising, as recent reports have suggested that Masa seldom fills up. Perhaps either the mall venue or the uncompromising $300 tab is failing to attract enough business. Still, one wonders about the source.

Two other equally cryptic comments (not worth their own post):

café grey – picholine using kitchen until funds turn up for front room
ct seafood – chitown’s bankroll not yet able to support bow

Edited by oakapple, 12 August 2004 - 03:14 PM.

[Todd36]

This week's issue of Time Out New York has a fairly long article on Masa. It seems they sent a reporter to dine there. While he really liked the sushi, it's clear he didn't like much else and did not like the service, the atmosphere or the attitude. He also noted that the place lacked customers. While I haven't eaten at Masa, I have been to the bar portion twice and was not impressed by the food they serve. I've heard more than one rumor that Masa may close soon. Any one else have any views? Anyone else eaten there?

[Michael Ruhlman]

Who wrote it and is an online copy available?

Just from the tone of your comments, it sounds like the usual phony baloney blowhard knowitall manhattan-journalist snark.

Masa is one of the extraordinary restaurants in the United States. But you either see it or your don't, there's no in between. Personally, it's my favorite restaurant experience in New York.

Who's rumoring that it will close. My source tells me it's the most profitable food and bev operation in the Time Warner Center.

[oakapple]

Who's rumoring that it will close. My source tells me it's the most profitable food and bev operation in the Time Warner Center.

A similar rumor that Masa was in trouble appeared in She Loves New York. Incidentally, Jean-Georges Vongerichten has clamed that V Steakhouse is the most profitable food & bev operation in the mall, and frankly that is a lot more believable.

[GordonCooks]

Who's rumoring that it will close. My source tells me it's the most profitable food and bev operation in the Time Warner Center.

A similar rumor that Masa was in trouble appeared in She Loves New York. Incidentally, Jean-Georges Vongerichten has clamed that V Steakhouse is the most profitable food & bev operation in the mall, and frankly that is a lot more believable.

With the price of prime/Angus beef lately - that may be a stretch.

[Todd36]

Who wrote it and is an online copy available?


Who's rumoring that it will close. My source tells me it's the most profitable food and bev operation in the Time Warner Center.

The reporter describes it as about 50% empty two nights in a row. Tough to keep going with that. I've heard similar comments from someone involved with a competing four star "Masa is not long for the world."

It's not a hack report. The reporter loved the sushi. He just wanted more, and he didn't find the other food inspiring.

[bpearis]

I don't remember their ever being a feature review like this Time Out NY before. The reviewer/reporter went there three times and left sort of flabergasted at the way things worked there. I wouldn't call it a vendetta piece, because they did like the food, but it did seem agenda-oriented in a "how does this exist?" kind of way.

[Luckylies]

ha! I ate there yesterday....yes, right in time for this topic.
it was...fine. I was dissapointed, yet not livid.
the cod stunk. the sauce was too thin and flavorless for the fishy cod. the sush/sahimi was fine if not tiny. really, by any standards, itsy bitsy. the rolls were lame-o too. the tempura lobster roll, while crisp and warm was booooring. lame lobsters, cuke, rice. the toro was heavenly, but a 10 a piece... the spicy tuna was large chunks of okay tuna with not enough spicy anything...bland. my glass of 12 buck sancerre was good. 170 for two for a lucnhy snack. and the room had no outside light (thats what I get for eating mall sushi) ... is jewel bako open for lunch yet?

...nice thing to say. the quality of the lame food, was qute high. I guess. go for the sush/sash..skip the rest...eat later...

[oakapple]

ha! I ate there yesterday....yes, right in time for this topic.

From your description, it sounds like you ate at Bar Masa, not Masa.

[Luckylies]

ops sorry, was in fact bar masa. still lame though

[milla]

Even with the ultra high price points of Masa he would still have to be full most, if not all of the time to be " the most profitable operation in AOL-TW".
I haven't been but friends who have have not once reported a filled to capacity restaurant whether in the bar or Masa.

[Todd36]

ha! I ate there yesterday....yes, right in time for this topic.

From your description, it sounds like you ate at Bar Masa, not Masa.

I've eaten at Bar Masa twice. It's not very good.

[Jinmyo]

The review isn't on the website yet.