Morimoto: Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s newest Japanese restaurant features a downstairs lounge with industrial décor: “Memoirs of a Geisha” set a thousand years in the future. Walls made of water bottles refract orange and silver light, and a see-through bar is filled with delicate, translucent skeletal leaves. Couches at the lounge tables look uninviting, as they’re made of rock-hard concrete—or so you think, until sinking in to discover it’s deceitfully comfortable foam. Drink highlights include carrot shochu, the Sunflower (Stoli Vanil, pineapple, triple sec, and gold passionfruit liqueur), and Hydrangea (citron vodka, lychee, lemon juice, and grapefruit), while diners feast on dishes like Toro Tartar, Duck Duck Duck, and black cod. Only the Zen koan of Morimoto remains to be solved: How can an ultra-modern, minimalist, concrete-laden space be so warm and inviting? |
