Domo Arigato Morimoto

This is a food blog, so lets talk food again. Not just food though, but really really good food. The kind of stuff that makes you close yours eyes and have that private moment with yourself. You know the moment that you prefer to have in a dark room with some Barry White playing in the background.

What kind of foodstuffs come to mind?

1. Pork or the many variants there of?
2. Some drenched in several layers of chocolate?
3. Or maybe the best wine and dish combination?

For me in order for it to be perfect it has to engage all the senses. It has to look, smell, and taste incredible. Recently I had those stars align for me perfectly. During my recent trip to Philadelphia for LiveSTRONG we had a team dinner at Morimoto's. Yes the Iron Chef himself and my all-time favorite Iron Chef.  This was unbelievable to say the least.  Especially for this hillbilly from Kentucky who grew up on Hamburger Helper, this was the zenith of what I always hoped a fine dining service could be.

When we arrived we were greeted by a very unassuming sign, which is seen above, to be honest if we didn't have the navigation on I am sure we would've passed it several times.  That is where the cloak of disguise ends because the inside of this restaurant is beautiful and very engaging.  We were quickly escorted to out table which was in the center of what I am going to call a culinary stage.  The table was like ice and was lit in a greenish color but as you sat you realize the colors change to red,blue, and yellow.  This is so subtle, but it is very warm and inviting.  Also the walls seem to flow from front to back with a inlay of fabric that casted shadows with light that was projected from the floor like waves in the ocean.  Although my favorite feature of the architecture was the ceiling which was made of bamboo and flowed like a sushi roll.

I opted for the m o r i m o t o  o m a k a s e “chef’s choice” a multi-course tasting menu designed to allow you to experience the essence of morimoto’s cuisine. This is the only way to go if you plan to go to Morimoto's because it adds an extra element of excitement to your experience.  To be honest I did have a huge fail to this trip though, first I forgot my camera and also I didn't write down all the courses I had.  I know super fail.  What I have learned is that the Omakase is constantly being changed so what I had may not be what you would be served.  

This is the sushi course we had and it was very fresh and good. 

How can I possibly say any more than I already have? Our meal at Morimoto was, for me, the single most magnificent meal I have ever eaten. The delicacy, the luxury, the sexuality of the food was unmatched by any of my previous experiences in fine dining. This restaurant has become the gold standard, by which I shall judge all future Japanese restaurants. Admittedly, my budget will require me to settle for lesser-quality food on most evenings out (though lesser-quality can still mean a very, very good meal indeed), but that is just fine. One can’t survive on that quality of food unless one has several million dollars in the bank. If you go, opt for the Omakase menu. Order, sit back, and let the wondrous experience begin.