Matsugen Open

My newest New York City restaurant, Matsugen, is open. I am thrilled to bring truly authentic, refined Japanese dishes to this great city in a warm, chic setting.

We have some of the best sushi and sashimi in the city, but Matsugen is ultimately a soba house. And what soba. These fresh noodles are the best I've ever had. Starting with whole buckwheat grains, we slowly grind them into fine, medium, and coarse flours each morning. Throughout the day, we prepare the doughs and cook the just-cut noodles to order. Here's Marja, my wife, enjoying a bowl of hot soba.

Of course, I love our other Japanese specialties too, like homemade tofu and shabu shabu. Here I am enjoying some tempura at the end of a long night.

All of these dishes come from the Matsushita brothers, who run restaurants in Japan and Hawaii. Masa, Taka, and Yoshi, who grew up in the restaurant business, are true artists in the kitchen. It’s been a pleasure partnering with them.

I’ve overseen the whole opening, from the décor to the kitchen’s pacing, but have left the cooking to Masa and Yoshi (Taka works the front of the house). This hasn’t been easy for me—cooking is my passion—but I wanted pure, clean Japanese flavors, without my French and fusion tendencies. (I’ve already learned so much from them and look forward to incorporating their ingredients and techniques into my own cooking.) The dishes of the Matsushita brothers are simply amazing; here are a few of my favorites.

Tokyo Clam Chowder with Soy Milk: This has neither the creamy richness of New England chowder nor the tomato-tartness of Manhattan’s. Rather, the homemade soy milk soup is nutty and mellow, perfect with the briny fat clams.

Yuba Sashimi: Another eye-opening incarnation of soy beans. Slices of homemade tofu are as smooth and unctuous as a French triple-cream cheese. Each bite should be taken with some seaweed salad, which has a snappy crunch. Maine Lobster Salad, Carrot Dressing: Of course, the chunks of lobster are a luxurious treat, but the dressing makes the salad. It’s nothing like the orange gloop on standard-issue sushi combo salads; it’s a smooth, tart and sweet puree with a pure carrot flavor.
Kurobuta Pork Loin Shabu Shabu: Simplicity reigns. Paper-thin slices of pork (just past rare please) need little more than a dip in ponzu or sesame sauce. Vegetables, cooked until just tender, take on the rich flavor of the pork in the simmering water.
Last, but certainly not least...Inaka Soba with Goma-Dare Sesame Sauce: The best noodles ever. Though all of the accompaniment options are delicious, I prefer the simple sesame sauce and a sprinkling of scallions, shiso, shallots, and ginger. To make the flour for Inaka soba, we grind the grains with their husks. The husks add an earthy, almost chestnut flavor, and satisfying chewiness to the fresh noodles. Here's the grinding machine the Matsuhita brothers shipped from Japan.

The restaurant’s ambience is as warm and inviting as the food. Matsugen is in the Tribeca space that once housed 66. I’ve kept the fish tank (more fish coming soon) and sectioned dining areas. To the lounge, I’ve added a sleek appetizer bar, sunken sushi bar, and cocktail bar.
I love this restaurant and hope you will too. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!