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Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Market EastMon-Wed. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Wed. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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We had the priciest version of their omakase. It was one of anniversaries and was one of my first restaurants in Philly. The tasting course was playful in that they were a good blend of japanese fusion. All the dishes were tasty and fun. And in all honesty, not that pricey compared to other famous chef's omakase (especially in NYC).
The ambiance was a bit too hip...the chair wasn't as comfortable...but i enjoyed the experience and the food as a whole.
Being a fan of Iron Chef (and Morimoto being my favorite one) I had high expectations of this place, and it definitely delivered. I have always been amazed by Morimoto's creative way of preparing food. Also, the decor is absolutely beautiful, modern, clean, and hip. And the food tastes absolutely incredible.
I ordered the ishi yaki buri with king yellowtail (also available with kobe beef) which is prepared at your table in a hot river bowl. The fish sizzles in the bowl with egg, and mixes with the rice. It warms the belly in a comforting way. I stole some of my friends sea bass off his place and it just melted in my mouth. I haven't even tried the sushi yet!
A great place to go when you have a little extra cash to spend.
Excellent place for Japanese food and a fine drink and it brings a smile on my face. I have to say it's a solid 4.5 star restaurant.
Morimoto Soba Ale, brewed in Oregon, has a typical tone of micro-brewed beers, unlike japanese beers, which is more pilsner/light beer.
Lobster salad was similar to ceviche with greens. It was refreshing, although it was not mind-blowing dish 'cause you can probably get it from elsewhere. Recommend as a starter to get your pallets working.
Sushi was quality and fresh. I would like to see how the sushi chef prepare the sushi next time to appreciate the work, if I have a chance to be there again.
My dessert selection was miso honeycake. Usually, I don't think miso can be used to make cake, but it was very interesting that the sweetness of the chocolate based cake topped with creme and honey crisp fused with a bit of saltiness in miso. It was quite a smart smash-up.
I had a wasabi chocolate martini as a dessert drink. Yeah, wasabi with chocolate in a drink. I was skeptical as first, but I have to admit I love it. Wasabi mixed with chocolate created a mind-opening experience. Be mindful to stir the drink to get wasabi diffused in the drink evenly.
I had a chance to taste a handful of dishes from the omakase menu. All of them didn't disappoint me. I will definitely try this next time there.
The restaurant is well-decorated and trendy. It is definitely good for hangout and romantic dinner. Despite the priciness of each selection, I definitely had a great time there, and would recommend this place to other Japanese food lovers.
Mahaharu Morimoto is an Iron Chef stud, and by stud I mean S T U D. Who hasn't watched Iron Chef Morimoto take on the likes of Mario Batali - the stuff of epicurial legend! (Forget about Flay and Cora - its Morimoto vs. Batali for sure.)
A rainy weekday night, 8:30PM - late by some standards but perfect timing for my mission: to see the chefs perform.
The chef's tasting menu for me. My meal includes a toro pate', half a lobster, Kobe beef, assorted nigiri sushi, raw oysters prepared with various accoutrement's, octopus with soy-citrus reduction, etc. The food is outstanding; this is true...but that's not what's really special about this place.
Meal preparation is an intimate act. Pure human-to-human interaction. Sushi cuisine calls for lots of touching. The sticky rice is mashed and molded and formed with fingers and with hands. Raw fish is selected then sliced with razor-sharp precision. Together they are pressed into palms with thumbs and fingers molded. Hands moving without thought creating special personal things.
Watching chefs, 4 astride work their craft - their art - pure magic.
Outstanding service quality and attention to detail. If I had been seated anywhere but the bar, I'd go with a 4. Because of the incredible show behind the bar - 5 stars.
Note: If you're going to a great restaurant that has full service at the bar - or more specifically sushi and you want to focus on the food, sit at the bar. If you are going more to socialize, find a nice table where you can engage fully in conversation.
My buddy took me here for my birthday. We got the omikase, and while it was good, it wasn't Iron Chef-caliber. If Morimoto was there in front of me, I would've said (in Japanese), "Morimoto, where's the beef?" (jk) I did come another time just to grab an eel roll, but that was because it was a business function.
Honestly, the food's solid here, but I don't think it'll ever live up to the hype driven by the TV show. Unlike the NYC location, the Philly restaurant doesn't even have cool decor - it just looks weird.
I made a stop here on my way to a buddy's wedding with a couple of friends and I have to say that we were absolutely astounded by the place. The first thing we noticed upon entering the establishment was the decor. From the wavy wooden ceiling to the contemporary minimalism design, the place looked like a whole new world.
The menu ranged from traditional Japanese to asian fusion. All the foods that we ordered came out promptly and perfectly made. The other plus side is that most restaurants, the more expensive it gets the smaller the food portion. But not Morimoto's. We all left there full after eating our share of good food. The service was excellent as well.
As for the price... It is a bit high in comparison to your average restaurant. But if you factor in the dining atmosphere, the service provided, and the ability to enjoy the intricate subtle flavors of Japanese cuisine, you get what you pay for.
P.S. You are expected to wear business casual.
Really cool space to sit and have lunch or dinner. The room just has a flow to it that's provocative enough to keep you visually entertained, but not overbearing ... but, I should be talking about the food.
We started with edamame and the tuna pizza crisp. Edamame is pretty standard, but the tuna pizza crisp was something special -- thinly sliced tuna, red onions, pickled jalapeno and some sort of cream sauce, all on crispy flour tortilla. Next, I got the ishi yaki bob with kobe beef. They cook everything at the table in a stone bowl, so it's worth it for the experience alone; the taste, though, is equally impressive. I'm not going to tell you that you couldn't get something like this other places, but the presentation was top notch and, if i could restate, it's kobe beef.
Desert was maybe even the best part -- peanut and crackerjack ice cream in honor of the Phillies' return to the World Series and Morimoto brownies. The ice cream was ridiculous.
This is definitely a place to go, as long as you can stomach the price. It's not overpriced, but it's not cheap either.
Wow not much to complain about here but I wouldn't expect anything less from my favorite Iron Chef. I grew up watching this guy on the original show--before it was dubbed, subtitles only--on PBS. I loved that guy, I wanted to be him, or at least meet him, but I guess eating at his restaurant is the next best thing.
Sad to say, he was not there, but I think my meal there made up for his absence. Grace and I started with the Morimoto tempura (fish, prawns, seasonal veggies, and a bacon-wrapped mozzarella ball deep fried in tempura batter with 3 dippning sauces) and a rice porridge topped with braised pork belly. Beautiful. Then for the main course I had the miso black cod and she had the sea bream served whole and de-boned. Both perfectly cooked and packed with flavor. The sea bream came with this miso beurre blanc that was pretty amazing. And my black cod (aka butterfish) just melted in my mouth.
Favorite dish? the braised pork belly jook. simple, elegant, and delicious. It was a beautiful dish really.
Least Favorite? the Morimoto tempura. Although bacon wrapped anything will fix pretty much any dish, it didn't change the fact that this tempura was a little heavy on the batter and was just kinda doughy and greasy instead of light and crispy as it should be. Come on, even Todai can produce well-fried tempura!
All in all, it was an excellent experience and I will definitely be coming back here as soon as I can get a cheap flight out there. Now if only Morimoto could do something about the color-changing-neon-lights and the phallic-shaped table lamps then this place would be killer.
Also, Iron Chef America is a joke.
I was pulled into a dinner at Morimoto by an obligation that I could not back out of. As I was still in the job market, splurging on the chef's tasting menu wasn't justifiable. So this review is geared towards others in my situation or otherwise on a budget.
I was pleased that it is possible to dine at a reasonable price at Morimoto (I am referring to reasonable given the type of restaurant, of course). Dinner for two consisting of a glass of red wine a piece with an assortment of sushi and dessert with tax and tip for around $100 or slightly above that.
Half the fun can be people watching - for example, the table next to me was occupied by a hollywood actor when I dined there last week. The design of the restaurant is tastefully modern and the seats were much more comfortable than I expected based upon the website's pictures of the interior. I enjoyed the ambiance far more than Distrito. I am more concerned about the quality of food than decor, though, and that weighs heavily in my ratings.
The food was not exceptional. I've had better suishi in the city. Much better, in fact. I got to try a bite of three other entries at my table - the salmon was exceptional, though Marigold Kitchens' salmon is far superior. Dessert was divine, although misleading in its description (brownies with a consistency resembling fudge, for example). Presentation was great and service was top notch.
I've given it two stars because the text rating for that is "Meh. I've experienced better", and I have. That's not to say it was a bad experience as it clearly wasn't, but just that I'll not be seeking it out for return patronage.
We went there for lunch. The service was okay, but the food was very disappointing.
Here's what we had:
- Chicken Katsu: this is the weirdest and worst tasting Katsu I've ever had. The chicken was very dry and tasteless, the Panko crust was completely soggy covered in a white gooey sauce. Not sure how the overcooked semi scrabbled egg is suppose to contribute to the dish; other than making the dish looks even less appealing.
- Nigiri and California roll: the fish was okay, nothing to write home about. The sushi rice was not up to Morimoto's standard.
Understand that we didn't' have a fancy meal there. Shouldn't all the food on the menu be at least decent, regardless of the price? It's sad to say that the miso soup was the best thing we had there. We won't go back again.
This is the only restaurant I've been to where the food was better than sex. I'm not exaggerating here. If you have the time and the funds to try this place out, you absolutely must. I highly recommend the omakase meals. They are beyond exquisite. Also, how often do you really get a chance these days to have a multi-course meal?
The decor is modern and the waitstaff extremely attentive and informative. Morimoto is by far my favorite restaurant on this rock.
OMG! If you have more than a few hundreds burning a hole in your pocket and are looking for a truly exceptional dining experience, then run don't walk to Morimoto's. Its as good as all the hype! To begin with service was impeccable. Head to the bathroom and there's someone there in a flash to fold your napkin- wouldn't want it to to lay crumpled up on the table :) Our server was beyond knowledgeable. She knew just the right moments to approach the table and ask us how the meal was going.
I ordered the Omakase menu (the "cheaper version" at $80). Apparently the more expensive option has higher end items, but I was beyond thrilled with the items served. I was able to provide any dietary limitations I had and they tailored a truly delic menu which really highlighted what the restaurant had to offer. Basically I was stuffing sushi in my face that I would never dream of ordering.
Its an amazing, albeit, pricey meal. Save it for a special occasion- its well worth it (oh and order the Omakase menu!!)
My friends decided to go to Delaware for dinner. Since everyone we encountered asked them "Why?" and laughed, I decided to go to Morimoto for some sushi.
The interior of the restaurant is really cool. I have to agree with H. L.'s assessment, it really does look like sushi bar meets Apple Store. Good thing I love them both. Plus, if you're dining alone, it gives you the opportunity to be amused by the changing colors of the futuristic tables and chairs in the dining room under what looks like clouds on the walls. Love it.
I was trying to decide between a glass of Chardonnay and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. My server won my friendship when he recommended the Sauvignon Blanc, the less expensive of the two. And he was right, it was very good.
I figured I'd be dropping some cash at this place, Iron Chef and all, but when my server walked me through the menu, he pointed out the sushi sampler. The $30 offering was one roll and 9 pieces of sushi. What? I couldn't help myself but to exclaim, "that's a great deal!". Of course, it is chef's choice, but I told my server that I wanted the adventurous selection, and if the chef could include some uni, that would be great too.
My sampler came and I was so excited. My uni was there, along with a spicy tuna roll and several types of sushi that I don't normally order (giant clam!). Bite after bite was fresh, delicious, and melted in my mouth. I was so stuffed, but thrilled that the chef made exactly what I wanted and I got out of there for about $50 including tip. $30 sushi sampler! Woo hoo!
Great atmosphere, delicious food, friendly service. I would come back in a heartbeat...and actually can't wait to. $30 people! Yay!
Muy bueno. Quite possibly the best omakase menu I've had. And quite a steal for $50 (there are three levels -- $50 is the middle). Everything was delicious.
Decor was cool too. Very modern and swanky. Morimoto was there himself and took some pictures with us.
I was in Philly recently and had to stop by when I heard that one of my favorite chefs... Iron Chef Morimoto... had a spot in Philly. Fearing uppity fancy schmancy food, I walked in and I was pleasantly surprised by the welcome that I received. I was promptly seated by the sushi bar and chose to dine on soba edamame scallop and truffle carbonara as a starter. An interesting take on the usual carbonara, it was sinfully creamy and bacony. I also chose the chef's combination of sushi, sushi rolls and sashimi - all delightfully made fresh and tasty to order. Overall I was a very happy diner upon leaving Morimoto's!
Oh hellz to the yeah... I knew I could count on you guys!! Leave it to my trusty fellow Yelpers to have sufficiently documented the Morimoto experience in it's entirety - from gorgeous pictures highlighting the enticingly glamorous and modern décor to your fabulous culinary photo journalism detailing every turn of creativity and tastiness that Morimoto's knife wields, you've done me proud!
Entertaining a group of 10 clients here was an unquestionable soaring success... taking pictures of my meal? Not so much. I was met with puzzled looks and perplexed stares as I clicked away at my first course of oysters three ways, looks like my clientele doesn't reside within the foodie set. So be it... With blackberry camera dutifully tucked away, I allowed one of the best meals I've ever consumed to flow uninterrupted.
It was everything I had anticipated from the Iron Chef and more! Going with the Chef's Choice - aka Omakase - I found myself on a compulsory tour of the inspired Morimoto and his famed flawless Japanese preparation. One glass of the fresh and fruity signature Sparkling Ume was all my palette needed to prime me for dishes of citrus and jalapeno infused hamachi segueing into a buttery soft waygu, flowing into a course of fatty tuna tartare with caviar followed by butter poached lobster nestled up to creamy spider crab and then back again with a sampling of rare, mouth-watering sushi. Mackerel? Never liked the scaly bastard... 'til Morimoto made it for me, his touch turns everything to gold!
Service was positively impeccable... we were well attended to throughout the evening and amply educated on the treats and selections at our disposal. One note that I'll school you on is this: the Omakase comes at two price points; $80 p/p or $120 p/p. This does *not* designate quantity, but rather the complexity and rarity of the ingredients that are brought to you. My table did a split between the two, and to be honest, I didn't find the higher price point to be significantly more impressive, while both were downright phenomenal.
Stick to the less pricey tasting and save your Yen for dessert... The Morimoto chocolate pot de creme with caramelized banana is the paramount ending to a superlative evening. Bon Appetit!
Who knew poofy tofu with carrots would be delish?
Morimoto knew.
And the space... justifies the $$$.
Pad the seats and I'd stay for hours.
After much anticipation I finally made it to Morimoto. I went on a Sunday evening early. We arrived a few minutes before they opened and were surprised at how many people were there on a Sunday evening at this calibre of restaurant. So to the important stuff the food; we tried two apps and a salad-if you could call it that. First app was the whitefish carpaccio I highly recommend this one. We had the king crab legs, although they are fresh they were not very interesting, steamed and topped with spicy mayo. The mushroom and rice salad did not meet our expectation, we were exciting something totally different based on the description. I think this item needs some revision gang. I had sashimi for dinner. they had an excellent selection of fresh fish many of which were new so I wanted to try them all, and I did. They however were severely lacking in the maki department. I was not going with the intention of getting sushi rolls there and gratefully so I would have been disappointed. My cousin had a Morimoto take on a traditional Korean dish. It was prepared table side and it was awesome. The service was good, our server stopped by to ask us if we needed anything a little to often for my liking. In the end the sashimi rocked! I would come back and sit at the sushi bar next time and skip the dining room. Oh, the ambiance totally rocks! I felt sort of like I was sitting underwater at the beach close to shore.
OMG. Morimoto-San you are my hero.
This was a must-do on our list when we planned to come to Philly for a weekend. I love this restaurant! The ambience (the lights change color), the menu, the food, the service. EVERYTHING was impeccably good.
I had the $120 omakase and J had the $50 chef's selection of sushi & sashimi. We were blown away by our meals. Every dish in my 8 dish course was AMAZING! Every taste and bite was sooo good, I wanted to cry out with joy.
The fish was very fresh, and though I'm not the biggest sashimi fan I gobbled up all my fresh fish with great satisfaction. My tip: if you want a sampling of the entire menu, go for the omakase and be hungry :)
I recall coming here about a week or so after it opened, when I still lived in Philly. I delight in my memory of Morimoto being simply the best dining experience I had ever had in my life (and I'm all about fine dining). I relish in the memory because it continues, to this day, to be one of the best dining experiences I have had in my life (for another, see Cafe Gibraltar in Half Moon Bay).
There was a large group of us and we all ordered the $125 omakase. Somewhere among my possessions I still have the napkin with each of the 10 or 11 courses scrawled on it. In addition to the omakase, we ordered the kobe beef tartare and oysters foie gras. And, of course, the drinks.
I remember waking up the next morning and feeling surprised that I was actually hungry--as if I could ever eat again after that experience!
I am thinking that my next trip "home" will have to include a return to Morimoto.
The decor is like Sushi Bar meets the Apple Store. . . translucent, modern, hip.
I had five pieces of sushi and some drinks for fifty dollars. Worth every penny!
The Iron Chef was not around, but an experience none the less.
In the past 6 years, Morimoto has always been a guilty indulgence-type restaurant for me & my friends. We have dined there several times before, to great satisfaction (except we discovered that their omakase menu never changes).
These same friends drove up from Baltimore last night in the rainy, cold weather specifically so we could go eat at Morimoto. I made reservations for three people at the sushi bar at 9:15p. The hostess on the phone told me that there might be a "little" wait, but not more than 15-20min. Fine.
Jump ahead to 8:45p - we arrive early, expecting to go up to the lounge for some drinks while we waited for our reservation. 9:15p comes, and we ask about our seats - we're told that it will be a little longer. Fine.
Jump ahead to 10:00p - we ask a waitress to check on our table, as it's now been 45 min. since our reservation - she never comes back. We then ask a different server the same question - she comes back about 15 min. later to tell us that our seats still aren't available.
At this point, one would think that the server/hostess would have the sense to at least offer us peanuts and the option maybe to sit at an actual table, if the sushi bar is over-crowded. Of the three hostesses hovering around the hostess stand, their combined brain cells could not come up with any alternative options or consolation items. We saw people in the lounge, who were seated well after us, being led to their tables/seats before us.
After paying our $78 check (for 4 drinks) and being told several times that we would have to wait "a little longer," we finally decided to leave. The food is good at Morimoto, but there's no restaurant where the food is worth waiting over one hour, especially when you have a reservation. It was like a Seinfeld episode - what's the point of a reservation?!
Word to the wise - if you want good sushi, there are better places than Morimoto; if you want good martinis/drinks, there are better places than Morimoto; if you want omakase, it's worth trying once at Morimoto, but you are a sucker if you get it again & again - the whole point of omakase is that the menu should be created on the day of w/ the freshest ingredients specific to that day - Morimoto's omakase is a cookie-cutter menu with slight variations (i.e.: maybe they give you hamachi instead of toro).
On our way out, my friend complained one of the vapid, brainless hostesses, who did nothing but say "I'm sorry." Yes, you should be sorry - you just lost 3 customers!
We ordered the $120 Omakase (tasting) menu with the $85 Sake pairing.
Positives:
The food was good nothing overly memorable and not worth anywhere near the money paid.
The Service was excellent.
Very modern decor.
Social Scene: Clearly the place to see and be seen.
Negatives:
The Sake pairing was expensive and very disappointing. Cheap Sake with exorbitant price.
The restaurant is very loud, even difficult to have a conversation across the table.
The sushi course of the tasting menu was by far the worst course of the evening. The fish was clearly old and neither of us felt well after eating it.
Overall a disappointing dinner, for $500 for 2 people I expected significantly more. We won't be back.
First, I would like to say, I'm not a sushi fan, so it was very impressive that I enjoyed the food and loved the ambiance. It's very eclectic and futuristic.
The texture and flavoring were amazing, highly recommend everyone to try their food. If not, you at least have to check out the decoration.
For years I've watched Morimoto kick culinary butt on Iron Chef. So when I learned that his restaurant was based in Philly, I was super excited to make a reservation. So how was dinner you ask? Well, it freakin' kicked culinary butt.
I was a little hesitant about ordering the Omakase (the tasting menu) because I'm not a fan of raw fish, but I really wanted to order the Omakase because I wanted to experience Morimoto's talent and depth. When I asked the waiter if I could do the tasting menu sans sashimi, his answer was a confident, "Don't worry, I'll take care of you." And boy, did he ever. The lesson here: if you're going to be dining at an Iron Chef's restaurant, trust the Iron Chef and his staff completely.
The bf and I went with the $120 menu (there was also an $80 menu) because we wanted "the higher quality ingredients." Yes, the lobster and the kobe beef were worth the extra $40.
1st course
mine: a HUGE chunk of fresh snow crab mixed with crunchy fried scallions and topped with buttery avocado (you know how much work it takes to retrieve that much crab meat from a crab?)
the bf: tuna tartare + caviar (his favorite dish of the night)
2nd course
mine: kumamoto oyster tempura with 3 sauces: japanese salsa, ceviche (it was amazing - green, fresh, lime-intense - my favorite), and thai fish sauce
the bf: raw, kumamoto oysters with the above 3 sauces
3rd course: seared scallops for the both of us (definitely the highlight of the night - I can't stop thinking about this dish!! the scallops were sliced thin and were so delicate and fresh, but it was the sauce that blew us away ... the most perfect sauce that ever was made!!!!)
4th course:
mine: seared sashimi microgreen salad (least favorite dish of the night)
the bf: sashimi microgreen salad
home-made berry/vinegar soda to cleanse our palette ... this is where we learned that dinner was going to be 8 courses! We actually thought it was going to be 5 or 7 ... what a pleasant, belly-bustin' surprise!
5th course: Lobster 'Epice for the both of us - loved it, especially the chive creme fraiche
6th course: melt-in-your-mouth Kobe steak - really, really loved it, especially since I saved some of my lobster to eat with my Kobe ... can we say decadent??
7th course:
mine: the best, darn California rolls that ever existed (chock full of snow crab, avocado, cucumber, and black sesame seeds - Morimoto didn't even have the need to use any mayo)
the bf: nigiri that rivaled the nigiri he had in Japan
8th course: green tea tiramisu - at first, I was a little wary/disappointed because I don't like green tea BUT it didn't taste like green tea at all! It had a white chocolate bottom and a green tea caramel sauce and it was really light and refreshing and COMPLETELY cleansed our mouth - magic!
Drinks: I don't think you can go wrong with any of the cocktails - I ordered the lychee cosmo and it was really good! The bf ordered the Morimoto Rogue beer tasting and loved it.
Overall: We couldn't stop smiling. We smiled while we ate. We smiled while we chewed. We smiled while we swallowed and drank and before, after, and in-between courses. Everything was delicate.
ATMOSPHERE: Um ... this place is really, really cool. I love the hip, artsy, long, narrow, clean white+changing colors design of the restaurant. The ceiling is made of wood and is in the shape of a wave of water. The chairs ... they are the most comfortable restaurant chairs ever. Since you're going to spend at least 2 hours dining, comfy seats are a major plus. And the service is top-notch. *Applause*
ONE OF MY TOP TEN MEALS! EXCELLENT SUSHI! EXCELLENT EVERYTHING!
This is one of the seven wonders of the world for foodies! We went 3+ years ago - the night we got engaged and did a tasting menu. It was awesome. Service was excellent. Food was amazing. I remember having scallop sashimi that was beautiful and amazing.
This is a definite 5-star sushi experience.
If sushi is your thing, you will be blown away. This place takes its sushi seriously. Simply the best sushi I've had anywhere in the U.S.
The service is impeccable as you are treated like royalty.
Of course, do not think of coming here if you are on a budget. This is the kinda place you come to be treated and fed as if it were your last supper, regardless of the dent on your wallet, and a dent it will undoubtedly leave.
Highly recommend their tasting menu. Quite expensive but worth every cent. Can't wait to come here again!
Oh, Morimoto, you are a restaurant after my own heart.
What won it for me... before I even ate the food, was the absolutely wonderful and attentive service. I am a vegetarian and my order reflected it... but I never mentioned it to the server. She noticed, asked if I was vegetarian, I said yes, and she brought me out the vegetarian soy sauce. You are the best.
The food was outstanding. I finished the bowl of edamame all by myself. Simple yet satisfying. My seasonal maki rolls were filled with fresh vegetables and fresher seaweed. And my bamboo steamed vegetables.. who knew bamboo could make asparagus taste so good? My dining mate ordered the teriyaki chicken lunchbox special and fell in love.
Oh... and please save room for dessert. The chocolate pot de creme was outstanding. Melt-in-your-mouth-delicious-give-me-more-to-go-ho me outstanding.
The decor is swanky. I really felt like I was eating somewhere special.. and of course, I was not let down. Now if I can just figure out how to transport Morimoto to Chicago...
Unreal. Definitely different than the NYC location but this time I had the omakase - with the more expensive ingredients, and it was worth every last penny!! To start: lychee cosmopolitan - with a fresh lychee and the flavor was great! #1: Toro tartare w/crispy shallot mixed in, topped with osetra caviar in a dashi broth. Japanese mountain berry on the side to cleanse the palate afterwards. #2: trio of Kumamoto oysters with Japanese salsa, champagne ceviche & jalapeno fish sauce - I was wary of this course though I love oysters, but accompaniments married well with the oysters. #3: whitefish carpaccio: red snapper flash seared in sesame oil with a ginger soy sauce - amazing dish, one of my faves from the night and it was slightly warm b/c of the sear! #4: hamachi sashimi salad w/microgreens and onion dressing - not a fan of the bunny food but those 3 thick luscious slices of hamachi were divine! Intermezzo: Vincanto vinegar soda palate cleanser - Italian sparkling wine w/touch of vinegar - very refreshing and unique. #5: 8 spice lobster w/yuzu creme fraiche - my least favorite dish b/c i'm not a fan of bold spices but the lobster was cooked to perfection and succulent and the creme fraiche was able to tame down the spice for me. #6: Kobe sirloin w/lemon soy reduction & basil oil - very good, though I don't see what all the hype is about Kobe beef, frankly I think it is a bit tough! #7: sushi array: chu-toro, red snapper, tuna, orange clam & skipjack tuna - perfect way to end the savory portion of the meal. #8: bittersweet chocolate torte w/caramel corn mousse and blueberry smear - i love chocolate but the star of this show was the caramel corn mousse! By far the most interesting gastronomical concoction I have ever tasted and of course it was shaped in a perfect cannelle! During the course of dinner we enjoyed a carafe of chef Morimoto's signature sake: Sho Chiku Bai - Junmai Daiginjo - really excellent.
Quite simply a phenomenal meal.
I have a love/hate relationship with these Iron Chefs. Bobby Flay's restaurants were always ok but nothing great, especially when the Mexican street carts in Brooklyn serve tongue tacos sprinkled with fresh queso fresco that would give Bobby's "flavor profiles" a run for their money. While Mario might be !Molto Lidia and her sons restaurants will put a wrecking ball tastewise to Mario's shops. Lidia's version of Osso Bucco is the best I've ever had.
Back to Morimoto. He certainly pays homage to Nobu with many of his dishes. Then again it isn't as if the Japanese havn't been making miso black cod for the better part of 100 years probably. With this said we went on a thursday night to sample his fair and all of the dishes we tried were spot on wonderful we shared the angry chicken, cha soba noodles, porridge, soy beans, bibim bop bowland a couple of other things that I forget. Everything was spot on including the drinks and desert, creme brule and something haute which they need to change up as they hand brushed chocolate on the white plate for the presentation and it really just looked like a tidy whitey skid mark rather than something haute. Irrespective of the skid mark the desert was tasty.
Service was ok, we were dressed very casual which they poo poo'ed, heck if JayZ can roll into Nello in adidas why can't the regular folk right? Spending $300 is still spending $300 as far as I'm concerned. Besides the place was decorated very standard hip like any other typical NYC joint. Needless to say they stuck us in a table near the cash register and service table so we heard ching chings of glass and cards being swiped regularly. This was even though the space was fairly empty.
The second time we went all I can say was it was on a Sunday for Mother's Day and we all got food poisoning. The table was better this time as we weren't dressed so casual but everything was off and at the end we were all food poisoned from some bad fish. I guess this kind of food doesn't get the turnover as much as it does in NY. In comparison I havn't had a bad meal in my life at Nobu's which I've eaten at over ten times. The myriad rest group in general does chic dining very well and I have to give them kudos. Next stop will be Corton!
Absolutely delicious!
The decor is absolutely delightful = an almost modern twist on a very traditional culture and food.
If you go, you must try the tofu appetizer. They make it for you at your table and it tastes like heaven in a bowl.
Highly reccomend for a nice evening out.
It's ok if I wasn't able to give Morimoto a big hug after my dinner but everytime I come to Philly for an event, I need to have dinner at Morimotos. It's a little creepy where it's located, especially at night when it's just you and a co-worker getting dropped off by a cab.
Inside is totally different from the outside, it removes itself from Philly and brings you to an eclectic, euro/vegas feeling. With the lighted bench walls that change color to the long narrow tunnel vision like dining area, it ironically gives a calming setting.
We started off with fresh oysters flown from Japan and the salmon sashimi. The oysters were great to try and the sashimi was so fresh and it did the melt in my mouth reaction.
Drinks were very fun and different! the Blueberry Shiso-Jito and the Lychee Cosmo! I had about 3 or 4 of those.
Our server was polite, friendly and informative with the menu and definitely gave great selections. We had our basic california rolls, but added a special unagi roll, spicy tuna roll, asparagus maki, and the shrimp tempura roll. Great presentation and so delicious, rolls did not fall apart and the rice was so fresh!
Rolls are about 9-12 bones and the sashimi was priced per piece at $4. Yes it is expensive but the quality, service, atmosphere, drinks and food go beyond priceless. If we were able to win a first time sushi eater, I am completely satisfied!
This is a great place for a nice client meeting, birthday or popping the question to your girl since that happened right next to us!
I heart you Morimoto's!
In one word: Amazing.
What a fabulous overall experience from start to finish!! Totally worth the money spent!
I cant talk enough about the service and the food....you got to go and try it!!
And they actually took extra care of me when i said i was a vegetarian. I was given so many options for each course. Superb!
We had the following: (nothing was disappointing)
Drinks:
Morimoto martini..
Japanese pineapple (non alcoholic....was great!)
Mandarin ginger (non alcoholic)
Couple of glasses of wine...
Starters:
Morimoto Sashimi
Yosedofu (made vegetarian...and made at the table...wow!).
Main course:
One was a whole fish (sorry..forgot which one).
I had the Ishi Yaki Bop...was made vegetarian for me, and also made at the table!).
Dessert:
Yuzu Meringue tart
Vegan chocolate ice cream.
I really loved the ishi yaki bop.....its been by far the best dish I have eaten anywhere in a while.
Sushi and overpriced sake were good. The rest of the meal fell short of the expectations I had based on the big name carrying the restaurant and the glitz of the decor.
At Morimoto I feel you pay more for the experience then the food.
Also, I am pretty sure Morimoto is no longer a owner or even chef at this namesake restaurant. This could explain a very lot.
We ate here last year and it was very disappointing. I would never go back. Neither the entrees, nor the sushi were memorable.
Dropped in for dinner on my long awaited Philly trip from SF and what better way to dine in Philly at Morimoto.
We had the rock shrimp tempura "bites", hamachi tataki with ponzu sauce, crunchy california roll, spicy tuna roll, tuna pizza and drank a lychee cosmopolitan. Everything was excellent from the food, service, ambiance. Would definitely love to come back.
Thanks for my cousin and his wife for the suprise dinner and treat!
Omakase was AMAZING. I had the 80 flight and enjoyed every course. I will gladly go back next trip to Philly.
I happened to be in town for a business trip. My husband was able to join, so we decided to make an effort to try out Moriomoto. We're big fans of Japanese cuisine, so we had very high expectations.
The decor was nice - very trendy and modern. We started off with the yellowtail tartare as an appetizer. We were not disappointed. The pairing of the wasabi with each bite of the tartare (per the chef's suggestion) was a wonderful treat! The fish was fresh, served on an ice cold platter.
Next was the kobe beef carpaccio. This was also a hit. The beef was tender and full of flavor, without being overpowering. We also tried the raw oysters, salmon sashimi (our personal favorite, wherever we go), several rolls and the chocolate custard dessert.
All in all, it was a satisfying meal. Our bill came out to be just under $200. Although the portions were not exactly hearty, we left full and pleased. This was a bit of a splurge, but definitely a good experience! Highly recommended.
This was my first time eating at Morimoto in Philly and I think for the price, it was pretty good. The presentation and quality was great, and the service was stellar. I ordered the tuna pizza starter (very flavorful and actually the tuna on top tasted someone like thinly sliced tomatos) which was very good, the $30 sushi/roll combo, and finished off with a miso cake with vanilla ice cream. I thought overall the taste was good but not amazing. The White Peach drink I had, the service and ambiance were amazing - that's why I give it an overall rating of 4 stars.
I came here several days ago at 5pm on the Friday before the 4th of July weekend. Remember to make reservations in advance. The dress code stated upscale casual, but I saw a lot of guys and girls in shorts, flipflops, and tshirts.
We ordered the $80 omakase which included the following (trying my best to remember):
+1. Tuna tartar dish with caviar and a yamamomo (japanese peach) on the side.
+2. Suzuki stripped bass
+3. Stripped... with yuzu vinagrette with micro greens
+4. Rasberry Vinegar soda to wash our palette.
-5. Soba Carbonara with scallops (could have done without this one)
-6. Black cod with miso, olives and peppers.
+7. Sushi assortment
+8. Green tea tira misu.
Overall, the dining experience is what you're paying for. Each and every dish is explained to you, and if you have any questions about the meal, they'd be more than glad to answer them. The waiter even gave me a little menu to take home with me as a souvenir.
Dishes came out about every 5 mins or less, with a total dining time of about an hr. I was afraid it wouldn't fill me up, but it left me quite satisfied.
The omakase is pricey, but definitely worth one try. There's a reason why he's an Iron Chef.
Interiors nice, presentations great.. restroom could have been designed better.
overall, the food was…
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Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Olde City
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Market East
Category: Japanese
Collingswood, NJ
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
Category: Latin American
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