I had a night to kill, was in the mood for some sushi, didn’t feel like fish overload @ Kuruma Zushi, and Sushi Yasuda just isn’t for me. For some reason, Masa fit the mood but i didn’t feel like spending a million bucks. Didn’t feel like trying a new place (Ushi Wakamuru comes highly rated) and the Sushi Gari’s weren’t exactly what i was looking for.What does that leave? Decided to give Bar Masa a shot hoping I could get some very good fish from its big brother (Masa) but still stay on some semblance of a budget.The place was dead – 2-3 tables plus me @ the bar.

1. Sashimi – White Salmon, Shimaaji, & Toro
Decent quality fish of miniscule portions. The fish might have even been great quality but before you can taste it, it’s gone. Ephemeral in the worst way. Good.

2. Sushi – Ama Ebi, Kanpachi, Hirame, & Uni
The fish were, good, but not great. The sushi rice was nothing like my trip to Masa last year; I contended his rice was as good as Yasuda then, but this rice was nothing of the sort. Serviceable, but it won’t win any awards. The Uni was awesome – mellow & sweet. Good.

3. Anchovy w/ Pesto
Very good quality anchovies w/ the peso slightly muddling the bright flavors of the fish. The pesto did have a slight spiciness that helped lift it at the end. Good.

4. Carpaccio-style Oyster Mushroom
Very clean w/ some anchovy-tinged olive oil, very nice. Very Good.

5. Kobe Beef Skewers w/ Yuzu Pepper
Spicy, infused w/ intense yuzu taste, cooked medium rare w/ nice charring, but lacking something… Ok.

6. Langostine
Slightly overcooked, not as sweet as the European ones i had last month…. (but, alas, far cheaper than those guys…) Ok.

7. Peking Duck & Foie Gras Cucumber Rolls
Vietnamese-like, the cucumber shell was used as the delivery mechanism, very good dish. Very rich, decadent, a variety of textures & tastes (rich & bright), great. Very Good.

8. Uni & Sweet Corn Risotto w/ Truffles
Decadent, not as much rice as i expected. Unlike other reports I’ve read, mine was loaded w/ uni. Slightly gummy, but oh so satisfying. I’d order this again w/o hesitation. Very Good.

9. Roast Soba Ice Cream
Very creamy, nearly savory, a great end to the meal. Very Good.

Overall, in terms of quality, a good to very good meal. However, considering the expense ($200+), it’s hard to justify the cost. The sashimi/sushi is probably at the Yasuda level; the fish i had at Masa proper last year was definitely a notch higher. The cooking @ Masa proper was also a notch higher as the cooked dishes are what impressed me most at that meal. Live and learn.

Next time, I’ll stop in for the mushrooms and uni risotto and save $150 or so

Amateur Gourmet reviewed Bar Masa but it appears he only ate sushi. Sushi is not what you order here – try to pick something from the cooked menu that looks interesting enough and you might be pleasantly surprised.

- chuck