This is a reimagining of former Southeast Asian restaurant SEA, with a new concept and menu…read morecelebrating flavors across Asia. The interior is moody and modern. The staff was friendly and attentive throughout the night. The menu takes you through Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, Korean, and a little Japanese influences. Most of the dishes leaned Southeast Asian, but I really enjoyed seeing different cuisines and flavors brought together. - The meal starts with complimentary welcome dink called Omija. I have an allergy, so they gave me a fruity sparkling green tea instead. - Shrimp Toast with Caviar: Crispy, buttery, creamy, and loaded with shrimp. The dollop of caviar on top tied everything together. - Yellowtail: A crudo served with a coconut-chive sauce inspired by SE Asian flavors. Light and refreshing with a nice citrusy, salty balance. Nothing was overpowering. - Stuffed Chicken: Super crispy on the outside and stuffed with spicy Chinese sausage. Tons of flavors, although it was a little salty for me. - Salmon: A Thai-inspired dish with salmon in a spicy red curry sauce. The salmon itself leaned salty, but eaten with the pickled vegetables helped balanced it out. It was tasty, but the saltiness builds up as you keep eating. I definitely went through a lot of water. - Short Rib: 4 DIY wraps inspired by Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese flavors. All four were good, but the Vietnamese wrap was my favorite. The short rib was juicy, well-marinated, and packed with flavor. Pineapple: Sweet, tart, and slightly herby. This was a refreshing palate cleanser. Merlion: This was an amazing dessert. It had everything I love: coconut, coffee, and hazelnut. The little statue of Singapore's Merlion is made of coconut cream with coffee pudding inside, and it was just as good as it was cute. The flavors worked well without being too sweet. Overall, it was a great experience. It was just the right amount of food. I really enjoyed seeing how the different Asian influences came through, and looking forward where they take this concept with next season's menu.

Great meal. Definitely similar food vibes as Jungsik but less items on the menu which was nice, the…read moremenu is probably like the size of Jua's. the interior is also clean and modern but a bit more casual than fine dining. Service was attentive and the whole meal took around 2 hours Pretty much all the mains were amazing. My favorites were the salmon (the curry was quite spicy), the stuffed chicken wing was a bit salty but seasoned terrificly, and the yellowtail was refreshing. Short rib wraps were also creative and unique, and short rib taste was pretty much just marinated galbi you get at kbbq. I wish the soybean noodle was served cold though since that's how the dish is usually made. For desserts, the sorbet was standard but the merlion was amazing. the coconut mousse paired with the notes of coffee and refreshing coconut gelato was an amazing, refreshing and not too sweet combo of flavors. A must try!

Went for the shellfish menu and had an amazing time. All of the courses were superb and the servers…read moreand Nakajima-san were the best vibes you could ever ask for. Will definitely be coming back to try their regular menu sometime.

A hidden (very hidden) gem across from Joe's Shanghai. The host came out with the phone from the…read morerestaurant as I called for directions. Will definitely come back. Stopped in on a Wednesday night for dinner and we got sat in the smaller room on an island. They were out of several items on the food menu, but we loved what we ordered. Food 5/5 1. Oden Such a close tie with the pork sausage but Oden takes the top spot for the hearty mix of flavors and the very large assortment pieces of stew. Soft and not chewy. Light bodied. 2. Pork sausage Imagine the best hot dog you have had in New York, but better and plumper 3. Chirashi Uní and squid take the top prize in the bowl. All the chewiness is made up in this bowl. What makes it win: consistency of each type of fish 4. Kaisen curry Perhaps a little too much sauce to rice ratio but definitely a solid curry Mocktails 5/5 1. Green tea concoction with bitter tones 2. Pineapple tart/sweet situation Service 5/5 Our host to bartender/server were all friendly. Our host was the proactive one and we loved her foresight--same one who came out to get us in the alley while still answering my phone call Ambiance 5/5 We were sat in a private room that only has 1 table plus a bar that sits 6 people so it was great for a conversation without having to shout Cleanliness 5/5 Being sat in front of the Japanese whiskey collection cabinet was nice and dust free Price 3/5 An extremely small bowl of Chirashi for $45 was the only thing that was priced too high out of the inordinate. We got more and tastier food out of the Oden soup.

I really enjoyed this place! It is located in the back of a mini mart. Prepare for a very long meal…read more(so long that there is a 10 min intermission) and an educational experience - chef spent a lot of time explaining the food, the history, the culture, etc - which made for a very unique experience. They focus on fermentation and incorporate it into every course. I wasn't a fan of the natural wine but the margarita was fantastic. Highlights were the meat for sure - so tender and so expertly prepared. It was also really interesting to try the different aged soy sauces and the ssamjang.

TLDR: such a unique dining experience in Long Island Queens. Very informative (learned more at…read morethis dinner than any other), and delicious fermented food. If you're into Korean food that is not the typical "fine dining" Korean that's sprouted all over NYC, I'd highly recommend Meju! SETTING: Meju is a beautiful restaurant built out behind a "Banchan" shop (Korean for small side dishes). Soaring ceilings, grey and wood accents, HUGE kitchen counter table with everyone getting a full view into the kitchen. Beautifully designed restaurant that is perfect for date night or a special occasion! You get a 10 min intermission during dinner to go out and get some goods from the shop (we got a lot of stuff and it's lasted us for the past few days!). It was also so good that we're planning to make the trip from BK every few months to stock up on delicious Korean banchan. FOOD: as the Chef described, this truly is Korean home cooking (on crack). I almost got teary eyed as I tried the kimchi jigae and some of the other dishes that fully brought me back to my grandma's cooking and growing up in a Korean household. It's like everything one would eat as a Korean person, but just meticulously prepared/thought through/served by a true expert. The depth of flavor that the chef has achieved across the board in his doenjang, kkochujang, and samjang was unlike anything I've EVER had before. It puts all other jang's to shame. SERVICE: I thought the service was a 10/10. I learned more about Korean food and the process of fermenting Korean food (and the importance of this in Korean culture), than I have anywhere else (even my own family!!). It felt really special to learn more about Korean culture and importance of food here from a chef who has clearly made it his life mission to teach others about this. VERDICT: I so loved my experience at Meju and would recommend to anyone who has an interest in trying something new and learning along the way.

rei was one of my favorite meals in japan. the food was great and the service was amazing. all…read moretheir employees came from japan to fulfill the american dream. everyone was so lovely. the food was AMAZING!!! every course was so well thought out and they were explaining everything to us. they rlly immersed me into their culture. the stand outs were the japanese style pudding with uni and caviar and the grilled miyazaki wagyu!! everything was delicious, there were no bad bites at all.

Mom n pop restaurant in Japan vibe. Even with only one chef (at least that we could see that was…read moreserving the 6 of us in the front part of the restaurant), they have a variety of foods available to choose from. The staff trained in Japan for 20 years and opened this restaurant recently. So worth a visit. We got sashimi, braised wagyu, and tai that just came in that day. The tai got us saying 白ごはん欲しいね. Perfect with the sauce. Simple flavors, calming atmosphere, made by genuine people.

If you're reading this, you probably appreciate fine dining with an appetite to find the next best…read morething. To my fellow Michelin stalkers, Hwaro saw a window of opportunity to expose Korean cuisine far beyond any BBQ joint (while hidden inside their own sister-restaurant Gui Steakhouse). My party of 8 was greeted by an all-star staff that made us feel at home for the next 3 hours. First course was a pillowy dumpling floating in a soybean hot tub. An aroma that takes me back to my childhood; but a spoonful that flirts with textures so exotic it would make my grandma jealous. From that point on, each bite hinted a sense of familiarity that kept my taste buds on their toes. My favorite dish was the risotto. I don't want to spoil it for anybody so let's just say you'll never look at rice the same. Not only do you sit along the perimeter of the world's tiniest kitchen, but you get a front row seat to Chef Shim's culinary brilliance. One that resonates with a unique balance of flavors. A tasting menu was so fire I could burn bridges with all my favorite restaurants. P.S. the only thing more uplifting than the plating was the playlist. From Biggie in the kitchen to Mobb Deep in the bathroom!!

Food 4.25/5 Service 4.5/5…read moreAmbiance 4/5 So excited to try Hwaro for my birthday! My hubby brought me here for such a special treat. Watching the kitchen team in action and seeing Chef Sungchul Shim made the whole night. Note: they only do 1 seating a day at 7PM, so expect an intimate 2.5hr dining experience! Amuse (4.5/5): 3 small bites where each got progressively better. The first was Wagyu and caviar, the second was a flavor-packed bonbon tied together by a crispy bottom cracker, and the third had a lovely hint of truffle with Wagyu. Shima Aji (4.5/5): Fish dry-aged for 2 weeks, tasted super refreshing Abalone (6/5): WOW! They told us this would be our fave, and boy were they right!! Absolutely delicious abalone bite with shrimp toast, topped with custard and caviar. It felt like a dance of flavors in every bite. Loved every bit of this! Shrimp and Grits (4.25/5): Spot prawn with blue corn polenta and summer squash. Felt a little on the heavier side, but still great. The shrimp was cooked to absolute perfection! Foie Gras Gâteau (4/5): I wasn't crazy about the blueberry addition, though I understand it was meant to cut through the rich foie gras. The toast pairing was fantastic and went really well with it. Mackerel (4/5): Personal preference here as I'm not usually a huge fan of mackerel, but I really enjoyed the charcoal-grilled scallop component. Pot-au-Feu (3.75/5): Reminded me of Korean gukbap (rice in hot soup), but it wasn't super memorable as the flavor profile felt a bit flat. Duck (4/5): An interesting concept tasting duck prepared 3 ways, but it didn't necessarily stand out. Peach Tears (4.5/5): The peach sorbet was super refreshing and a delightful palette cleanser. Sesame Financier (4.5/5): Loved this a lot, especially that it wasn't overly sweet!

Joji's takeout box honestly exceeded my expectations. I was a little skeptical about doing high-end…read moresushi as takeout, but everything was incredibly fresh, beautifully packed, and surprisingly held up perfectly. It's definitely a splurge, but compared to sitting through a full omakase, this actually felt like a fun way to experience Joji in a more casual format. Perfect for a night in.

Omakase extends to take out - we did fixed boxes - I had the salmon chirashi box. The to-go…read morecontainer is quite hefty and solid, too bad it wasn't reuseable. Packed with spaces for the soy, wasabi, chopstick and napkin all packed nicely within. Sashimi and ikura (salmon roe) itself was cool and refreshing, decorated with a touch of green edamame beans, it was pretty. The rice below, though was cold and difficult to eat. Best to experience this in-person, instead of to go.

We came here to celebrate Father's day and we were really looking forward to their Wagyu tasting…read moremenu. The room itself was pretty dark and not really much space to navigate around, both in the interior and the balcony. The staffs were very friendly and we enjoyed conversing with them! The menu began pretty strong with our favorite being the Tartare which was crunchy, creamy, and flavorful; definitely the highlight of the entire menu! The hotpot was quite bland with the sesame oil broth that was reflective of Japanese shabu shabu, but without the dipping sauce to elevate the dish. The mousse was interesting and light which contrasted nicely with the pickled onions. The carpaccio was good too where the fried capers brought out the umami of the wagyu, though the wagyu slices were quite thin. However after these, the menu just continued downhill. The burger was just okay, where it was quite bland and on the rarer side of things which was just mushy. The braised wagyu jus was creamy but bland. The Ssam was pretty decent, but mostly because of the Japanese wagyu being good quality and not because of how it was prepared. The braise was the worse of all, which is like eating a mush of overcooked braised beef; not tender, not rich, just mush. The velvet rinse was like eating red wined flavored icy where you can't even taste any wagyu tallow that it was supposed to be infused with. The nigiri was good, but it was just your typical wagyu sushi piece that most places serve in omakases, except it's australian wagyu and not the high quality Japanese wagyu. The Wagyu Au Vert was interesting, but it wasn't cooked thoroughly enough where the spinach in the middle was still cold. Lastly, the dessert was delicious especially if you're a chocolate fan, but you probably won't be able to tell that it was made with Wagyu Tallow. Overall, although the menu started off really strong and got us so excited, it only create room for disappointment due to how bad quality the rest of the selections were curated and executed. For the price, your money is probably better spent eating at other wagyu restaurants. I would not recommend coming here, but to each their own. Thank you for reading and best of luck! (:

0 out of 5 stars. Wagyu Room Omakase was not simply dinner; it was a meticulously executed culinary…read moreexperience that justified every dollar of the $756.39 total. Our subtotal was $565.00 for two Wagyu Omakase dinners ($300), two Drunken Wagyu add-ons ($64), two Asahis ($18), the Vinekeeper Cabernet ($27), the Serial Cabernet ($22), and the Caviar Bump Kit ($116), plus $50.14 tax and a $141.25 tip. It was worth it. Each course was thoughtful, polished, and beautifully composed. The Tartare of Japanese wagyu, chive, egg yolk, and crisp shell was rich, delicate, and perfectly textured. The Hot Pot, with Japanese wagyu, mushroom, and glass noodle, was warm, savory, and deeply comforting. The Mousse of wagyu tallow cheese mousse, pickled pearl onion, and tricolor peppercorn tuile was one of the most inventive bites of the night: airy, tangy, peppery, and luxurious at once. The Carpaccio, with fried caper aioli, radish, and parsley, was clean, bright, and balanced. The Burger + Ring was an indulgent standout, layering Japanese wagyu, tomato aioli, gruyère, caramelized pearl onion, brioche, Australian wagyu, and braised wagyu jus into a bite that was rich without being heavy. The Ssam, with parrilla leaf and ssamjang, brought freshness and fermented depth. The Braise, with puffed rice, pickled carrots, green onion, and liquid gold jus, was tender and beautifully structured. Velvet Rinse, a wagyu tallow and red wine granita, reset the palate brilliantly. The Nigiri, with Australian wagyu, wasabi, and orange zest, was elegant and precise. Wagyu Au Vert, with nori chimichurri, spinach, garlic, and mushrooms, was deeply savory and memorable. Dessert, Brownie Points, with wagyu tallow chocolate ice cream, brownie, and caramel, was outrageously good. The best bite of the night, without question, was the Drunken Wagyu. It was extraordinary. A shot of Dassai 23 sake paired with torched Tartaromi "Drunken" Japanese A5 Wagyu from Yamaguchi Prefecture, raised at Iwakuni Farm and nourished with sake lees from Dassai Brewery. That diet matters. The sake rinds contribute to the remarkable marbling, tenderness, and refined fat profile of the beef. The torching brought out its aroma, and the Dassai chaser amplified the sweetness and umami in a way that was unforgettable. By pure coincidence, I wrote the first review ever for Dassai Brewery in New York, so that detail made the experience even better. Chef Ming was exceptional. Although the restaurant states it cannot accommodate a gluten allergy, he personally modified the gluten-containing courses for my wife and made them gluten free. He also prepared her a separate dessert: a Japanese whisky ice cream that was absolutely outrageous. That level of care and attention is rare. Service was generous from start to finish, including four complimentary sake shots and two complimentary Suntory World Whisky shots. Wagyu Room delivered luxury, precision, hospitality, and genuine artistry. This was one of the best dining experiences I have had anywhere.

After trying Secchu Yokota on my last trip, I wanted to see how Tempura Matsui compared. It did not…read moredisappoint. Every course was beautifully executed. The batter was incredibly light, allowing each ingredient to shine. My favorites were the uni corn mousse with caviar, snow crab, Abalone,Hokkaido scallop, anago, and the surprisingly amazing sweet potato at the end. The meal was well paced, the service was warm and attentive, and the sake pairing complemented the food nicely. I also really enjoyed the Tenbara rice course. If you're looking for a refined tempura omakase in New York, Tempura Matsui is absolutely worth the visit. I'd happily come back again.

We went to Tempura Matsui for our anniversary lunch and it was truly a memorable experience. You…read morewouldn't think that fried seafood would be award-worthy, but oh my, how we were blown away. Each bite was so soft and delicate, so perfectly cooked, and so unique in taste and flavor. I couldn't possibly point to a single piece; everything from the shrimp to the scallops to the squid to the mushroom was perfection. And the level of freshness was unbelievable. We left so happy and stuffed - yes stuffed! The ambiance is gorgeous. You are in an intimate space, with a clear view of the tempura chefs gingerly and masterfully frying each piece, while the staff is serving you as soon as each one is ready. It's a serene space, and of course it's all Japanese decor and dishes. The service was on point. Attentive, friendly, and prompt. Reservations must be made in advance. Enjoy this unreal, very special dinner for a special occasion in your life!