Besides being known as our fifth taste (after sweet, salty, etc.), umami also means “yummy” in Japanese. And yummy the food definitely was when we dropped by this swanky establishment (part of the mammoth Social House) for dinner. We were greeted by a loud irasshaimase by a Japanese chef busily slicing salmon for a row of Japanese men at the counter heartily wolfing down slices of fish with their sake. The opulent dining with plush booths was unlike any Japanese restaurant we’ve ever been to. We started with a serving of Japanese omelet roll with truffle oil ($8) that was so oishii—the sweet egg rolls complemented the earthy, savory and robust flavors of the truffle oil perfectly. We then each ordered a prix fixe six-course omakase ($58) just to get a taste of what head chef Mizushima had to offer. The appetizer of assorted braised vegetables Japanese style, spicy dynamite oyster (boomz!) and sushi roll did not disappoint—the highlight being the baked oyster that was finished with a spicy mayo sauce. The sashimi platter that came next was ocean-fresh and we gobbled that up quickly. Next up was the chawanmushi. Done à la minute, it was the best Japanese steamed egg dish we’ve ever had (really). Even one of our dining companions who had lived in Nagoya remarked that it was as good as what she had had there.
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Umami
Besides being known as our fifth taste (after sweet, salty, etc.), umami also means “yummy” in Japanese. And yummy the food definitely was when we dropped by this swanky establishment (part of the mammoth Social House) for dinner. We were greeted by a loud irasshaimase by a Japanese chef busily slicing salmon for a row of Japanese men at the counter heartily wolfing down slices of fish with their sake. The opulent dining with plush booths was unlike any Japanese restaurant we’ve ever been to. We started with a serving of Japanese omelet roll with truffle oil ($8) that was so oishii—the sweet egg rolls complemented the earthy, savory and robust flavors of the truffle oil perfectly. We then each ordered a prix fixe six-course omakase ($58) just to get a taste of what head chef Mizushima had to offer. The appetizer of assorted braised vegetables Japanese style, spicy dynamite oyster (boomz!) and sushi roll did not disappoint—the highlight being the baked oyster that was finished with a spicy mayo sauce. The sashimi platter that came next was ocean-fresh and we gobbled that up quickly. Next up was the chawanmushi. Done à la minute, it was the best Japanese steamed egg dish we’ve ever had (really). Even one of our dining companions who had lived in Nagoya remarked that it was as good as what she had had there. READ MORE