What I learned at Morimoto

[Jenise]

Seaweed jelly is good.

"Candied olives"--sweetish oil-cured black olives--must happen again. In my kitchen. I swear to god I will work this out or die trying.

Not a fan of foams, but "bacon cream foam" and pork potstickers absolutely belong together. And Bob thought so even more strongly than I did, which probably means there's a new device in my future.

Pineapple tempura is an excellent way to get more fruit into your diet.

You can too make pastrami out of hamachi.

Two words: beet powder.

There IS a cuisine that is perfect for prosecco. Never thought so before.

What adventure. Do you jot notes as reminders when you have such an expedition ?

What I learned at Morimoto: make sure that I'm around when Jean is anywhere near Chef Morimoto to avoid her attempting to run off with him I also learned to love scallop sashimi and high quality sake there...

Sounds like you had a great meal, Jenise!
Mark Lipton

[Jenise]

What adventure. Do you jot notes as reminders when you have such an expedition ?

Nope. It was the kind of meal that sears itself onto your memory. Had every intention of taking a few pics, but unfortunately I left the cam in the room!

[Jenise]

I also learned to love scallop sashimi and high quality sake there...

Sounds like you had a great meal, Jenise!
Mark Lipton

We did! And it didn't break the bank (this was not the original Morimoto you and Jean were lucky enough to attend, sounds like, but his Waikiki restaurant). We ordered five appetizers and a single entree to share, and the food cost was only $130. Not cheap but considering where we were, great value.

The food is good at the Morimoto here in Napa but i would consider it to be a high priced restaurant. It's not at the French Laundry price point but higher than most other top notch restaurants in the valley. Business seems good for them but much of their clientele drives in from SF and it's environs. My only bitch is the tremendous length of their menu.

I also learned to love scallop sashimi and high quality sake there...

Sounds like you had a great meal, Jenise!
Mark Lipton

We did! And it didn't break the bank (this was not the original Morimoto you and Jean were lucky enough to attend, sounds like, but his Waikiki restaurant). We ordered five appetizers and a single entree to share, and the food cost was only $130. Not cheap but considering where we were, great value.

Yes, when Stephen Starr recruited Chef Morimoto to Philadelphia, Jean and I made a point of visiting every time we were in town (she's from Philly and several of her siblings still live in the area). I believe that I posted some photos from our first visit long ago here. You're right: the prices are insanely reasonable for what you get, even if you opt for the omakase. Ordering a la carte allows one to dine for a shockingly low price.

Mark Lipton

I hadn't realized that Morimoto was in Phila (I see he also has a resto in Manhattan).

We are closer to Manhattan but if we opt for Chestnut Street we can take out my son and daughter in law.

We just did that last weekend -- going to Lolita on S 13th for Mexican. Great fun.

Lunch looks totally do-able, but only served on week-days.

http://www.morimotorestaurant.com/

[Jenise]

My only bitch is the tremendous length of their menu.

Though he stresses that his menus all differ according to what's seasonally/locally available in each of the diverse locations, length might be common to all. Was the same in Waikiki, though a lot of that was just the sushi end of things.

If you get the Omakase you hardly have to look at the menu, but it's steep. The food omakase plus the drinks omakase would be about $100 per person plus tax and tips.

Lunch is less forbidding but that is a long trip for me, for lunch. Manhattan would work better for that.

Next week is my Spring Break. Hmm, should I go to Fort Lauderdale and walk around topless, or try to sneak in to NYC for a spectacular lunch?

[Jenise]

If you get the Omakase you hardly have to look at the menu, but it's steep. The food omakase plus the drinks omakase would be about $100 per person plus tax and tips.

Lunch is less forbidding but that is a long trip for me, for lunch. Manhattan would work better for that.

Next week is my Spring Break. Hmm, should I go to Fort Lauderdale and walk around topless, or try to sneak in to NYC for a spectacular lunch?

The omakase was $110/per at Waikiki, but it wasn't price that dissuaded us so much as time. That would have taken all evening, and we had to be somewhere else later. Almost went back for lunch the next day, though. I have a total weakness for chicken noodle soups and a big bowl of Morimoto ramen would have, I'm sure, been to die for.