Morimoto, NYC

I still find it amusing that I only get to visit certain places in NYC when I have guests from out of town. Never got to see the Empire State Bldg., for instance, until my friends Soph and Clem came here for a holiday. Last month, my uncle and his wonderful family flew in from Canada. And thank goodness they're big Food Network fans. They made it a point to make reservations at Morimoto of Iron Chef fame. I would never have gotten to eat there with my student budget, if not for them.

Because they wanted the whole Morimoto experience, we all went for the Chef's 120-dollar tasting menu. The menu consists of eight courses personally designed by Morimoto himself (or so they say). Of course, those eight courses include the green tea and tiny macaroon to clean the palate in the middle of the meal. My aunt and I weren't very impressed with the first few courses--tuna paste with five or so dipping sauces, oyster with foie gras and uni, among those that I could remember. They were pretty, indeed, but nothing really blew our minds.That is, until the surf and turf came.

It was half a lobster seasoned with curry that came with lemon creme fraiche to subdue the strength of the seasoning and kobe beef marinated in teriyaki sauce on a bed of cut Japanese sweet potatoes (AKA, kamote!). That was the kicker. The lobster was fresh and didn't really need too much spicing up at all. The beef was unbelievably tender and sweet.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience, especially since I didn't pay for it! The restaurant, with its clean lines and immaculate appearance, was quite a sight to behold. Even the restrooms were interesting, with their hi-tech flushing, pulsating, warming up the toilet seat system. The wait staff was friendly and accommodating. I mean, it is to be expected given the price you have to pay in that restaurant, but it's still refreshing that their staff did not have any airs that some high brow places would have.