Amazing, delicious, filling. A sensory culinary experience.
I visited Nasime for an anniversary dinner in the end of April. Their only option for food is a 6-course fixed tasting menu. According to their menu the courses are adjusted daily based on what the chef can...make. I speak from experience that every item we had was delicious and amazing.
Seared Hokkaido Scallop
Delicious way to start the tasting. The scallop was cooked perfectly as expected, but the vinaigrette sauce on the vegetables (I believe it was asparagus amongst others) was extremely tasty.
Seared Japanese Wagyu Short Rib w/ Truffle Shoyu
This was a very modest amount but the flavor was extraordinary. I asked if this was authentic as many places may advertise something that is comparable and our gracious server pointed out their restaurant's certificate of authenticity. I did not mean to offend but I'm glad I asked so there was no need to question.
Even if this had been just an ordinary short rib, the preparation and Truffle Shoyu was absolutely extraordinary. We were soaking up the sauce with our garnishes.
Otsukuri (Sashimi)
A more ordinary sampling of sashimi including tuna, salmon, sea urchin, roe, tamago. Some highlights were the toro and yellowtail. Each item was clearly top quality and served correctly at room temperature.
Eel Okowa Spring Roll
The spring roll was fried but perfectly so. The unagi was on the inside along with other tasty fillings. Easily the heaviest item eaten so far. Our server said this item was her favorite and I can see why, especially if you like fried rolls.
Crab Cake Stuffed Soft Shell Crab Agedashi
This was my favorite course. A hearty crab cake served cut in half, stuffed with soft shell crab. Decadent and delicious. Our stomachs were starting to fill up so this was a nice course to savor and enjoy.
Duck & Snow Pea Leaf Udon
A classic Udon with snow peas, served with duck. Noodles were firm but not tough, each surrendered to bite. The broth was full of spices and flavors.
House Made Yuzu Frozen Yogurt
The cap on the meal was the house frozen yogurt.
We paired our food with the sake tasting. Each course was accompanied by a sake designed to complement but not overwhelm the dish. The lighter dishes had dryer sakes, and the stronger ones would be paired with sweeter sakes for contrast. I loved the pairing and am glad we did not order a bottle instead.
The restaurant seemed very cozy, probably seating less than 20 people total. We had made a reservation and I overheard our server answering the phone to say there was no availabilities that evening so I knew they had a full night. I did not feel rushed at all, after we finished each course we were given the time to relax and digest and then the next course would come out right as we wanted more.
My only critique would be that the decor was sparse. I would have liked to see some art or anything to decorate the walls. Clearly their focus and passion was on the food and presentation which was top-notch.More