Matsugen

Matsugen is my all-​star pick for Japanese in Tribeca right now.
Gorgeous vaulted ceiling, simple spacious décor. it’s exceedingly simple but somehow ultra lux all at the same time. Never mind that I saw Alexander Wang (scream inwardly!!! Fashion mogel, can I pick your brain about my outfits for the next year) there on the night I dined.
Food is amazing and very authentic Japanese! Sushi is ultra fresh, mostly flown in daily I heard and high quality. Soba noodles of varying refinements and textures and soups is deeeelicious and the MAIN DRAW. I really enjoyed the soup ones but be daring and try a few to split. The Miso Black Cod is AMAAAAZZINGGGLLYYY good here, def better than Nobu. I really wanted to gobble the whole thing up myself but didn’t want to be rude. Edamame with seewead and something spicry gave it a real kick. So many other little appetizers I tried that can’t remember but the waiter will undoubtedly steer you in the right direction.
Cocktails are delicious. A+ as I feel asian restaurants usually have bad cocktails.
Seperate bar area for when you don’t want to go ultra fancy and sit down for a proper dinner.
A MUST TRY in Tribeca!

Mastugen is closing down — last service this Saturday apparently.
A bit saddened but not very surprising news. It was always empty everytime I passed by… I loved the simple minimalistic décor but minimal patrons = not good. I really did love the space and layout, especially sitting in front of the aquarium. Is it morbid to be eating sashimi in front of live fish in a tank?
The food was meticulously and beautifully prepared — even the do-​it-​yourself Bakudan seaweed wraps of fresh sea urchin, salmon roe, scallops, tuna, quail egg and natto. Explosion of flavor and color! The hot soft tofu was good but EN is better (it’s EN’s speciality after all so it better be!). My faves of the meal were the toro tataki and the plethora of sashimi we got was quite delicate and fresh. The sweet shrimp and uni was quite good here.
The main event is soba and well… I was a bit underwhelmed by the soba sampler. One sauce was fantastic but the other 2 I didn’t care much about. Soba is just one of those dishes that are so basic… to make it so elegant and charged $ 30+ for it seems a bit egregious. I suppose Ippudo is the only one who has succeeded in that regard… I loved the shabu shabu but again quality not really above local cheaper spots like Hakata Tonton
Sorry to see you guys go but excited to see what else shall pop up in the tribeca ‘hood!

Went here last week. And i was looking forward to a JG restaurant.
Service was odd at first. we were asked by 3 different people what kind of water we wanted with 1^st 5 min of being there. eventually our main waiter was very helpful in explaining the menu. my friend and i shared everything. we ordered one of the Prix Fixe menu, kampachi appetizer and assorted sushi with a roll. everything was pretty good but nothing wowed me much. sushi was fresh. the best part was the miso cod, edamame (hard to mess up) and fried soba. the worst part was the appetizer sampler in the prix fixe. i realized I just dont like uni that much. the other downside of the service was that the waiter didn’t specify certain rolls would have an extra charge until we saw the bill. turned out it was $ 4 extra to get spicy tuna vs regular tuna roll. the manager gave us a 2 bucks off when we pointed it out.
i dont regret coming here… so overall it was okay.

Is Jean-​Georges really serving food that is very typical of a peasant diet with a 4000% markup? Yes.
Funny thing is, this does not enrage me in the slightest. In fact, this was probably the best of the Jean-​Georges restaurants that I’ve dined at (and this is coming from a die-​hard fan). Interestingly enough though, the kitchen is actually run by the Matsushita brothers and not JG. It’s good to see that he left the art of soba to the experts.
The restaurant itself is beautiful and very minimalistic. The tables are configured as to maximize privacy and allow for parties to converse freely; there are many partitions located at various parts of the restaurant. I was mesmerized by the beautiful fish tank, located near the sushi bar. Fewer distractions means that diners can pay more attention to the important things — like the food!
Matsugen offers prix fixe lunch and dinner menus, which are quite possibly the best deals in town. For $ 38, you can get a five course menu of many items that are featured on the regular menu. Two of our dining companions opted for the prix fixe, but Jen F. and I decided to order a la carte.
Libations available include cocktails, sake, and wine. Some of the folks in our party were not sake enthusiasts, so we ordered a bottle of Albarino. The crispness and citrusy, green apple flavor perfectly complimented the copious amounts of seafood and soba consumed throughout the evening.
As an appetizer, we shared the tofu skins. These are delicious! The tofu is so silky. If you’re the kind of person who thinks tofu is bland, fear not: there is a soy-​based sauce for dipping.
We also ordered some sushi, in order to keep time with our prix fixe friends. Jen ordered a spicy tuna roll, and I ordered two pieces of sashimi: the eel and the toro scallion. I didn’t have very high hopes for sushi or sashimi at a Jean-​Georges establishment, but the fish was very fresh and easily some of the best that I have eaten in a very long time. For the rolls, the rice to fish ratio is perfect.
While our dining companions were enjoying their miso-​glazed cod (which I snagged a nibble of — it is very good, but not on the same level of melt-​in-​your-​mouth goodness as places like Bond St), Jen and I ordered the snow crab and mushroom kamameshi. This dish is very simple — rice is stirred in a iron bowl with large pieces of crab meet and mushroom, with some broth for stickiness. It is such simple fare, but it is so filling and satisfying. In fact, we had so much of it that we shared with the rest of our table.
And then it was time for the soba course. I ordered the matsugen soba, the presentation of which reminded me of a bibimbap bowl. Everything was so neatly arranged, sorted by color with a raw egg in the center of the bowl and okra, scallion, and shiso surrounding it. As I added the soy-​based sauce and stirred, the cold soba ingredients came together to be one of the best that I have had. All of the ingredients, when taken together, are silky and buttery, yet very delicate.
Then it was time to share some dessert!
Wasabi mochi: This was by far my favorite dessert. The wasabi flavor is very subtle and the mochi is so incredibly fresh.
Matsugen parfait: There are so many interesting flavors happening here: green tea ice cream, mochi, and red bean. Not only is there a varying degree of sweetness in each of the components, but the textures also provide a great contrast.
Molten chocolate cake: This is a Jean-​Georges restaurant, so by default this is what I gravitate towards! An interesting twist was that the cake was served with green tea ice cream, which was refreshing when paired with the decadent molten chocolate. As always, the cake itself was cooked to perfection.
Our service for the evening was outstanding and our server was willing to answer all of our questions and provide recommendations.
I am very glad that Jen F., my sister and foodie-​in-​training, was able to enjoy this wonderful dinner with me!

I came here under the guise that this is Jean-​Georges’ and that my friend recommended it. So to be fair, I did not expect it to be legit quality Japanese food.
Had the Price Fixe at 38, restaurant week makes it 36.
While the food tasted great especially the appetizer sampler that included yuba sashimi, crispy shrimp, spinach gomae and uni in a yuzu gelee. While a good trip around the varying tastes, it lacked any kind of taste that jumped out at me, except the crispy shrimp and the yuba.
The sushi itself was pretty lackluster, it was rather stiff and not moist in texture. Just didn’t feel fresh to me. For sushi heaven, I recommend kuruma zushi instead.
But for soba, I believe this is where they shine. The cold spicy sesame soba was pretty good. The texture was firm, the sauce had good layering of flavors. All around, goodness.
Also on final note. The Black Cod Miso was pretty decent. A tad fishy in taste but it got masked later on as i got towards the middle by the tasty sauce. The roasted veggies however was amazing, caramelized and went well with the slightly salty/​sour taste of a miso flavored cod. So i recommend eating them together to enhance the flavors.
Lastly, the dessert.
It was a «Vanilla Caramel Pudding», which is not really a pudding in texture, but rather a custard that was slightly looser in density. It was very much a «Flan» with a slightly more bitter taste.
If you want to bring a date here, then it is recommended. It’s a good spot to talk and share food.

I thought Matsugen was excellent. Maybe it is because I came in with no expectations, but I walked out thoroughly impressed.
My spicy tuna roll was amazing. I am normally not big on sushi, but this roll was delicious. Great texture, diameter, flavor. an all around great sushi roll.
My fried tofu and scallion soba was THE SHIT (good way)! I believe it is flavorful on its own, but for those calling it bland, stir in ½ to 1 teaspoon of the red spice mixture on the center of the table. BADA-​BOOM. Infused with life (that goes for any soba).
For the appetizers, the tofu skins were good. I would recommend those. Only if you really enjoy tofu though.
I tried a few of the desserts, and the best had to be the ice cream with red bean. YUM. It looks like a parfait-​sundae. And had the best array of flavors.
The atmosphere was nice! Dark, trendy, posh, has a cute bar. A little too much of those for my taste (I prefer a casual dining experience), but still enjoyable.
I would come back here in a heartbeat.

Clearly a lovely room. We popped into the lounge for cocktails after work. The place was empty but the one bar tender was overwhelmed with drink preparation and we waited an age for any attention. This approach continued through the evening. People were nice enough, just stretched too thinly to give service that matched the environment.
Drinks were — well they were cocktails — did not rock my world.
Tasting plates we had were fresh, clean flavors and the Soba had flavor — but to be honest I would defer to Ippudo in the East Village when it comes to soba flavor.
Overall — not horrible — but not special either.

This expensive place is a lot of smoke and mirrors. Or rather, low lights and plain walls. But either way, a lot of build up — high ceilings, a grand fish tank, a prominent sushi bar spanning the length of the entry room. Their website says casual dress, but the feeling of the place, along with the prices, service, and décor, should make it business casual or higher.
They did have an interesting fixed dinner that one person in our group enjoyed. Excellent fish on sushi plate, but not a lot of variety on rolls — it’s a bit higher class than just regular rolls (much to my dismay — I just wanted a few rolls!).
The oysters were amazing, the service was great, and we ended up spending four hours there, which means the wine selection was good as well. That being said, my socks are still on my feet, and I wouldn’t go again if I had to pay the bill.

I had a great time at Matsugen. We first started out at the bar and I ordered the Cucumber Martini. OMG, it was amazing and it definitely hit the spot. We were seated for dinner and had the 6 courses. I loved the black cod, fried shrimp, and cold soba noodles were the best. I’ve also ordered another Ginger Martini. It was good but not as good as the Cucumber martini. I would love to go back asap!

On the second week of Restaurant Week, my friend proposed to dine at Jean-​Georges’ newly opened Japanese Restaurant Matsugen. Although I really shouldn’t judge an establishment by its restaurant week menu, I was semi-​disappointed with the entire experience. When one goes to a fancy restaurant, it is usually expected that everything from the food to the service are to grow exponentially. Well, this wasn’t entirely the case at Matsugen — the appetizers were wonderful and great until we were led to our main course: Hot-​soba with chicken… that was when everything went downhill. The dish completely lacked flavor and had way too much noodles. The service at Matsugen however, was great so nothing to complain about there: o)
To start off — my friend and I ordered some champagne for a ‘double celebration’. A very much needed splurge to end our crazy Spring semester.
Before we even ordered, our waiter served complimentary fried soba and edamame — something I would totally take over bread and butter. Our first ‘bento-​like’ appetizer: uni in yuzu jelly appetizer. Oh yum. I have never been a huge fan of uni due to its strong ‘sea taste’, but the jelly really complemented super well with the uni. On the bottom left of the plate: tofu with wasabi was very light and refreshing. Other plates included fried shrimp with a very distinct and creamy sauce; and steamed vegetables with peanut sauce. Not bad at all!
Tuna sushi was the second appetizer — nothing too special about this dish. It was good and served on a stone, An A– for the display! Our third appetizer: black cod with miso. This was the best dish of the night. The fish was steamed thoroughly; and the skin of the fish was basically melted into the fish meat. In addition, the miso sauce wasn’t overpowering… a really good dish! Lastly, our final course: (Kashiwa nanban soba) hot soba with chicken. Before I begin, I must add that Matsugen is renownedly known for its soba. Like I said earlier in my post, the bowl had way too much noodles… and because of it, the flour of the noodle killed the flavor of the broth and chicken. Not to mention, the broth was oily from the chicken. No bueno :(
We ended the night with our dessert — Vanilla Caramel Pudding — a flan-​like pudding with vanilla extract. The caramel part was bitter and tasted kind of strange, but other than that it was acceptable. To comment on the décor of the restaurant: very original and modern. We sat next to a wall aquarium with tons of different fishies swimming in it. Very nice for pictures :)
I would give this restaurant another shot, but would probably avoid their restaurant week menu the next time around. The taste of the food (although nicely plated) was definitely not up to par with its price!
Overall: ³⁄₅

Came over here for a Friday dinner, and left with an awesome taste left in my mouth. Upon arrival, I had a good couple of minutes to kill so I proceeded, of course, to the bar. Their cucumber martini was decent, but not quite my vision of what a martini is. Therefore, I decided to have 2 glasses of wine after.
We started with the toro tataki and the kampachi. Both were amazingly good. Following that, we both ordered the restaurant week menu. That came with a medley of gomae, tuna sushi, uni, and some tofu. After that, was the soba. Now I got the cold soba, which was pretty tasty. I liked the texture and then the broth that proceeded. As far as dessert went, we both got a vanilla panna cotta. I honestly didnt think that the dessert was the highlight of the night, and could do with out it.
All in all, Matsugen is a nice date spot with great décor and atmosphere. Their soba is a must!

My experience with NY soba is limited (I’ve only had it here), so I have no reference points by which to compare Matsugen in the fair city of New York. That being said, Matsugen is pretty darn great.
The food:
uni in yuzu jelly appetizer — Pretty darn good.
Kashiwa nanban soba — Hot soba with chicken. The buckwheat flour-​ness of this entrée was very distinct. The chicken was fresh and tender. I really liked it.
Matsugen soba — They are proud enough of this dish to include the restaurant name in its title, which means it should rule. It has a ton of stuff in it (scallion, bonito, yem, sesame, okra, wasabi, cucumber, myoga, shiso, egg, nori, the kichen sink, the hopes and dreams of fallen soldiers, basically everything). It had discipline. I enjoyed trying it.
wasabi mochi — OK this seriously kicked ass. Remember when you first saw Fight Club as a teenager and you were really impressed and surprised by the ending? That’s how I felt with this dessert. It was a soft, gooey, cold mochi concoction that is very unique. I highly recommend this.
The service:
I swear to God there was a very talented ninja refilling my drink because I did not see it happen a single time.
As a final note, I thought the prices of this restaurant were very reasonable for a nice dinner out in Manhattan. It did not break the bank.

Though everyone seems to either love or hate Jean George, I find his cuisine wonderfully creative. Matsugen is his Japanese venture that is housed in his former 66 spot. The décor is as hip and elegant as it was during 66’s Chinese heyday, and the food is just as decadent.
Though all of this chef’s restaurants offer reasonable $ 38 prix fixe meals nightly until 6:30 pm, Matsugen’s discount continues on until 10:30 pm. Its menu also includes more rounds of tasty treats than the typical 3 courses. An interesting cocktail and wine list is also available. The Grapefruit and Soju mixed beverage is a potent pint glass full of what resembles grapefruit juice with a kick, making it quite easy to gulp.
As you await your meal, the table is greeted with Fried Soba Noodles that basically taste like any other fried treat. The crust is so heavily crisp that any noodle flavor is essentially masked. The edamame, however, is extremely unusual. It is perfectly steamed, so it is neither too mushy nor too hard. A seasoning blend of sea salt and spicy cayenne pepper add a tasty kick.
The menu procession then begins, starting with an appetizer sampler platter. The Yuba Sashimi is two pieces of tofu skin with a salad of tender radish and fragrant lettuce. The tofu skin is a bit bland, but the bold greens pack a lot of flavor. The Uni is perfection; it is served at the peak of freshness and is not overly mushy. The sea urchin is draped over an unnecessary and slightly bizarre Yuzu Gelee. Shredded Spinach is marinaded with a creamy, mustard-​like sauce and tossed with sesame seeds, so that it basically resembles a seaweed salad. A duo of heavily breaded and deep-​fried shrimp are served with a fantastic mayonnaise that is sweet, creamy, and contains the perfect spice balance. A slice of jalapeño takes the heat up a notch.
The next course is a pair of Tuna Zuke Sushi. The fishy tuna is pre-​marinaded in soy sauce, though it still benefits from an additional dip from the diner. The slab of rice is deliciously seasoned and helps to balance the overpowering seafood flavor from the tuna.
The Black Cod with Miso is an absolute star! The fillet is tender and full of flavor. The miso glaze is sweet and savory perfection.
However, the meal does not stop there. You are then granted your choice of soba noodle entrees. The Cold Spicy Sesame Inaka is a large bowl of buckwheat noodles topped with sesame seeds, a flavored oil, and a light creamy dressing. Though only mildly spicy, the dish provides tons of delicious flavor. The other option is a Chicken Nanban — a warm, flavorful poultry broth with large pieces of scallion, tons of soba noodles, and large chunks of tender, white meat chicken that looks as if it is freshly pulled from the bone. Though the broth could use some additional salt, the rest of the elements combine to form a hearty, satisfying soup.
Lastly, the Vanilla Carmel Pudding dessert resembles a vanilla bean crème brûlée with a similar burnt layer that lacks crispness. The custard is light and flavorful, but the berry compote topping is hideously sweet, rendering the treat nearly inedible.
Though your meal may be a mixed bag of highs and lows, the majority of your experience will be positive, including dedicated, efficient service. Plus, with the endless stream of courses, you will be receiving quite a deal when dining at Matsugen.

One word to sum up my Matsugen experience. Luxurious.
Had dinner with a friend here many weeks ago after I had a strong hankering for noodle soup and was tipped off to come to Matsugen after the over-​the-​moon reviews on this place. Surely I had to find out for myself.
I do believe this place is over-​hyped, but this is not to say that the quality of service at Matsugen was not up to par; in actuality, it was extraordinary. We did not make a reservation despite my knowing that ramen scene-​sters who are in-​the-​know like to patronize popular spots like this quite furiously. Even so, we took the risk to come here and luckily, secured a table without breaking a sweat. The maitre d’, a handsome Japanese fellow, greeted us with a warm and bright smile which felt completely unforced and genuine. It was a fairly busy night and he led us to a table by their expansive fish tank. It was a real treat for the eyes. On our short stroll from the entrance to our table, I noticed the dimly lit and moody interior. In some ways, it felt a little lounge-​like but in a good way, I thought. The floor space is pretty wide and there are equal parts table and booth-​like nooks on the sides of the restaurants. Probably not ideal for large parties, but for a quiet intimate dinner for two, or even just a handful of friends, Matsugen is a smart destination. The sushi bar is long and lean and very sleek. The bathrooms which are tucked away in a narrow corridor, houses rows of unisex bathroom that each stand in its own little room, affording ideal personal space. Not that restrooms should matter all that much, but I appreciated this attention to the floor plan.
Interesting thing happened when we ordered. We were at first approached by one waiter, then somehow, another waiter had taken his post and took our order. I had commented that I wasn’t sure if the initial guy was going to get back to us and that I did not want there to be any kind of confusion or even tension or backlash between the two waiters. The second waiter (who, btw, reminded me of the very attractive Japanese/​Taiwanese actor Takeshi Kaneishiro), assured me that at Matusgen, the waiters’ main focus is to serve the guests and ensure that we are taken care of above any other concerns. Turns out, he was just helping him on what was rapidly becoming a busy night. I definitely took note of this sophisticated and customer-​driven response, and truly believed every word of it.
As appetizers, we had their edamame which I thought was over-​spiced. I like the taste of warm edamame with just a pinch of salt which allows for the natural sweetness of the soybeans to really come through. Unfortunately, theirs was heavily peppered and salted and not as tasty as it could have been. On a brighter note, our second appetizer, the Japanese-​style omelette, was a real winner. This was soft and smooth texturally, and with a fluffy consistency it was fun to eat. The taste is a nice balance of savory and sweet. For my main, I went with a hot soba dish, the «Kizami-​Kitsune Fried Tofu». The seiro soba noodles were tender and fresh, with the strands of fried tofu, bathed in a silky broth (albeit a bit too salty), it was a nice dish. warm, soothing, and luxurious (a common and requisite trifecta of sensations for when I sit down to a bowl of hot noodle soup). However, I was not blown away. I was truly expecting something extraordinary here, but much of my (food-​related) Matsugen experience was a bit flat and ordinary. Though I will say, the «Green Tea Ice Cream Brulee» is a small dessert masterpiece!
Matsugen for all its praise and glory, seems like it might be more of an acquired taste. It did not capture my heart at first meet, but I wouldn’t write it off so quickly. Their menu is extensive, and I would say it’s certainly worth a few more tries before a definitive yea or nay. Prices are a bit high, but for the view of the sprawling fish tank and the excellent service, you will definitely get what you pay for in-​kind, if – as in my case — the food does not meet your elevated, preconceived expectations.

Have to first disclose that I respect Jean Georges more as a businessman than as a chef.
Have heard the big rally about Matsugen when it opened as well as passed by it a few times already. And finally, I got a chance to go there foe Restaurant Week.
Price: Expensive — but expected. We all ordered RW dinner menu and 2 drinks, each of us paid $ 75.
Service: We had a reservation at 7.30pm, one of our friends was late and they wouldn’t seat us and when she finally arrived at 8pm, the hostess told us that we had to wait cause she gave away our table. We then asked if we can just sit at the communal table, which was empty, and we got seated right away. I actually prefer the communal seating. What a commotion for nothing. The waiters are slow when we needed service (had to wait 15 minutes for our check), and kept they kept trying to take our plates away while my friend is still finishing up her dish. Needless to say, I am not quite happy about the service.
Drinks: I got plum wine on the rock. Decent. We all got addicted to the cherry and lychee sparking wine. Perfect for a girls night out.
Food:
Opener: Fried soba and edamame. The fried soba is interesting and definitely something i will try myself. The edamame was seasoned with sea salt (fleur de sel) and cracked pepper. Yummo!
Appetizer Sampler:
Fried shrimp: Nicely executed, but nothing special. Not like tempura, more like the katsu style.
Spinach Gomae: Blanched spinach with sesame paste sauce. Interesting, but I wish it is either sweeter or saltier.
Uni with Yuzu Gelee: Favorite dish for the night. The uni was so fresh and goes so well with the Yuzu Gelee. I was so lucky that my friend is not a fan of uni and I had the chance to had double tasting.
Yuba sashimi: Fresh
I picked the spicy cold sesame soba (you can also pick the hot chicken one). I guess this is the first time I can say that I ate my soba al dente. The texture of the soba at Matusgen is definitely worth a try. It’s even better than Sobaya I think. The sauce is a little too much sesame for my taste. It’s interesting though and gave me inspiration to use sesame paste more as sauce in my cooking. My friend who ordered the hot soba, was slurping like crazy, so I guess she liked hers.
Vanilla Caramel Pudding: WOW! soooo good! we ate ours in less than 5 seconds.
I wish the chawan mushi was in the the restaurant week menu. Maybe next time I’ll get the chawan mushi and the uni gelee and the vanilla custard.

Over. Hyped. Forget Jean George, or some master Chefs flown in from Japan who make soba with the tears of virgin maidens and buckwheat grown in the gardens of the imperial palace. My preconception of Matsugen was higher than a 20 ft helium balloon (charged with 20 billion volts, no less), soaring over the Denver skies.
Dinner started with a forgettable dish of fried soba shrapnel and wasabi nuts. A complete throwaway dish in my book. Uni with a (bonito?) gelee was serviceable, though one diner described it as «smoky eggy bacon jello» — not as refined as I would have expected. A dried out piece of unagi sushi and pedestrian beef tataki rounded out the 1^st and 2^nd course.
I did enjoy the foie gras chawan mushi, a decadent, albeit small, portion of expertly seared foie gras which sat atop a delicate custard of steamed egg, fulfilling the East meets West motif of the restaurant. One of the few dishes I enjoyed of the meal.
Up next, a course of beautifully presented sashimi was (and I hate to repeat the same adjective in a review) pedestrian. Certainly pleasing to the eye, but nothing to rave about.
The sashimi wasn’t as offensive as the following course, the shrimp spring roll. It may have been passable in my high school cafeteria on «Chinese food day», but in a Jean George backed establishment, I expected much better. Greasy and insipid, I was shocked at the level of mediocrity that this course presented.
Soba is the hallmark of this restaurant, and the dish I most anticipated. It arrived beautifully al dente, but over sauced, masking any subtle flavors of buckwheat. Soba was a win, but the sauce was a failure in execution.
The remaining courses were a blur — mushroom kamameshi (yawn) was filling, but we didn’t need any filler at this point. The infamous Jean George molten chocolate cake was nonchalantly paired with green tea ice cream — a flavor match made in hell.
In keeping with all JGV establishments, the ambiance is nice and the FOH is well tamed. However, much to my chagrin, the execution of the food was south of my expectations. As the meal progressed, my perspective of the restaurant slowly shriveled and descended — and like the proverbial ‘Balloon Boy’, in the end I felt cheated, hoaxed and disappointed.

I came to Matsugen for Winter 2009 RW.
The RW prix fixe consisted of:
— Usuzukuri (Red Snapper sashimi)
— Chicken Meat Balls
— Black Miso Cod with shaved daikon & soy sauce
— Soba with Kamoseiro Duck Broth
— Dessert (Vanilla Caramel Pudding)
— Wasabi nuts peas
— Grilled edamame
Including dessert, the prixe-​fixe was 7 courses, if you shamefully count wasabi peas and edamame as two courses…
The caramel for the dessert tasted like it had ‘liquore’ in it.
In addition, I ordered Kumamoto oysters with ponzo & yuzu sauces.
The oysters were alright, but they made me want to go to Aquagrill again!
The black miso cod was good, but it’s good at most places.
It was interesting how the duck meat was in the broth for the soba. I’m not a huge soba fan, and didn’t think the soba itself was amazing (though that’s what they’re known for at Matsugen, which has only been around since June). The broth was good.
Overall, I didn’t feel that the meal was filling nor innovative or great tasting. It wasn’t bad though.

I was looking for a simple dinner last night, and I knew that Matsugen was having their $ 35 prix fixe dinner special. For $ 35, I was expecting a pretty small meal with inferior ingredients. Nothing lavish, but a meal that would satiate my craving for Japanese food, but in no way would be extraordinary. So with this those very modest expectations, I was simply enthralled with my dining experience here last night. What a great place!
The pre-​fixe dinner is almost like an entire tasting menu:
First Course: Crab meat salad. The crab was largely scattered throughout the radicchio and treviso, but a very nice plump portion was in the middle. The crab was fresh and very good, and the salad was enjoyable. Good start.
Second Course: Soy milk soup with chicken. I was wary of this selection, because I was not convinced that soy milk could prove to be an effective base for a soup, but it worked. It was warm and inviting. The chicken was very good, but I might have liked it better if duck were used instead.
Third Course: Sashimi. I was presented tuna, snapper, hamachi, and salmon served over ice. This was served with both soy sauce and ponzu sauce. All of these were fresh and of very good quality. Great course.
Fourth Course: Tempura roll with shrimp, salmon, and asparagus served with two dipping sauces. These proved to be very delicious as well.
Fifth Course: Hot soba with mushrooms. Nice broth with very tasty noodles. I was surprised to see full enoki mushrooms in the soup. Just lovely.
Sixth Course: Vanilla caramel pudding. This was just okay. I thought I could have prepared a nicer version at home.
Seventh Course: Technically there isn’t a seventh course, but I was presented with a complimentary second dessert, the grapefruit gelee. This was nice and light and proved to be the perfect palate cleanser. I also thought it was very generous to provide a complimentary (second) dessert on a prix fixe dinner.
Drink: I opted for a small bottle of the house hot sake. This was very nice. Because the courses were so spread out, I ended up finishing this early. But it took quite awhile to receive my second bottle of hot sake, and when it arrived a third bottle of hot sake came with it. On the house of course. Apparently they were having issues with the burner. So THREE bottles of hot sake to accompany this fantastic meal! Just lovely.
Service: Very attentive and professional. I began with water and the level never dropped below the 90% line. These gentlemen were very good.
Décor: This is just a beautiful restaurant. It should be on everyone’s list.
About $ 80 with everything included for 1 person. Highly recommend!

Matsugen has a nice atmosphere, clean, posh, just looks cool. I enjoyed watching the fish in the tanks that lined the wall of the restaurant during my delicious meal.
The food was fresh, very good & the service is on point.
I was visiting NYC and joined a friend who lives in NY and recommended that we go to Matsugen.
We began with 32 pieces of assorted Sashimi. Very good.
We had the Shabu Shabu Two Person Serving: Kagoshima Wagyu Beef Rib Eye. This was my favorite, the rib eye just melted in my mouth like butter.
We also had an assortment of Soba noodles… sooo good!
For dessert we had the grapefruit jelly, a trio of sorbets & fresh fruit.
Our meal was not cheap but everything was excellent.

The Kizami — Kitsune with scallion is perfection in a bowl. Paired with a fresh grapefruit juice shochu cocktail it could be my last meal on earth and I would go happily.
Service at Matsugen, at least in the lounge, needs tightening up. But the truth is, these noodles are so good I am content to be ignored, so long as they show up promptly so that I may eat them. And they did.