Megu Midtown
MEGU NEW YORK
Cuisine
Modern Japanese Cuisine
Philosophy
Sophisticated elegant dining. A celebration of the world’s best ingredients
MEGU MIDTOWN
Cuisine
Modern Japanese Cuisine
Philosophy
Sophisticated elegant dining. A celebration of the world’s best ingredients
Location
845 UN Plaza, New York City
47th Street at 1st Avenue
Open Date
April, 2006
Designer
Yasumichi Morita, Glamorous
Chef (s)
A team
General Manager
Koichi Yokoyama
Features
Sakura Room – 26 guests (dinner)
Mezzanine – 40 guests (dinner) 50 (cocktails)
Main Dining Room – 125 guests (dinner)
200 guests (appetizers)
Surface area
8,400 sq. feet
Price Range (as of 04/09)
Tasting Menu — $125
A la Carte Appetizer — $6 -$35
A la Carte Entrée — $24 – $180
Sushi & Sashimi $5 – $75
Hours of operations
Dinner:
Sunday — Wednesday: 5:30 -10:30pm
Thursday — Saturday: 5:30 – 11:00pm
Lunch:
Monday — Friday: 11:30am – 2:30pm
Telephone:
212-964-7777
Reservations: 212-964-7777 / Fax: 212-964-7776
Internet Reservations: Open Table; www.opentable.com
Credit cards
All major credit cards accepted
_________________________________________________________________________
Cuisine
Modern Japanese Cuisine
(A Megu Signature Steak To Die For)
Philosophy
Sophisticated organic dining. A celebration of the world’s best ingredients
Location
845 UN Plaza, New York City
47th Street at 1st Avenue
Open Date
April 20th, 2006
President, Food Scope America, Inc
Hiro Nishida
Designer
Yasumichi Morita, Glamorous
Chef (s)
A team
Features
Waiting Bar – 20 guests (cocktails)
Upper Dining Room – 25 guests (dinner)
Lower Dining Room – 90 guests (dinner)
Restaurant Capacity – 200 total (cocktail reception)
Surface area
8,000 square feet
Price Range (Subject To Change)
Midtown Tasting Menu — $70
A la Carte Appetizer — $6 -$28
A la Carte Entrée — $19- $150
Sushi & Sashimi $4 – $20
Desserts: $9-$13
Hours of operations
Monday — Wednesday: 5:30 -10:30pm
Thursday – Saturday: 5:30 – 11:00pm
* Lunch to be announced
Telephone: 212-964-7777
Reservations: 212-964-7777 / Fax: 212-964-7776
Excellent 12 Page International Wine List (Arranged by Character): 10 Wines By The Glass: $8-$24. Bottle Range: $44-$15,00. Outstanding Sake List.
Credit cards
All major credit cards accepted
_______________________________________________________
One Of New York’s Top Luxury Restaurants
By Nancy Walman
The Remarkable Tigers (Above)
A Typical Megu Creation (Above)
Megu, which means “blessing” in Japanese, presents modern Japanese cuisine, sushi, and sumibi aburiyaki—a grilling technique using bincho-tan, a special charcoal found only near Kyoto and prized for its superior purifying properties. Megu is a brand and an image of high quality environment that delivers the quality of exceptional things: outstanding food, a brilliant design and first class service. Megu is not particularly about the food as it is the harmony of all the elements above.
The project pairs the conception of sophisticated organic dining—in which the producer and customer are brought together in celebration—with the best in service and cutting-edge yet serene aesthetics. This profound respect for the ritual of dining is the driving force behind the unwavering pursuit of the finest available ingredients, which is the basis upon which all his properties are built. In Japan, he works directly with an expansive network of over 200 different farmers and fisherman, and has established parallel relationships with local producers in the U.S. Megu Midtown has no star chef. Instead, it has a collection of chefs who work as a team---the ingredients are the stars.
The Rhapsodic Maguro (Above)
While most restaurants expand and open with the same name, they usually share the same menu as the original restaurant. Megu Midtown not only presents a novel menu but a different angle of the Megu concept as well. Although Megu Midtown does not serve the same exact menu as Megu Tribeca, it most certainly serves the Megu quality. There is a fifty to sixty percent tasting menu and forty to fifty percent a la carte menu. The entrees are presented with all fresh ingredients that have been flown in from all over the world including Japan. The customer is able to choose his fresh ingredients, thus being shown the power of the ingredient through the final dish. Sake expert John Gaunter of Kanagawa’s Kamakura has been enlisted to create Megu Midtown’s sake and shochu lists. .
Yasumichi Morita from Japan’s Glamorous Co. has designed a unique and amazing interior for Megu Midtown. Megu Midtown and Megu Tribeca are his only stateside locations. The rich fabrics, the highest grade wood materials, and the artistic integrity were upheld in the cons
truction of Megu Midtown. It is pure luxury to match the standard of Trump World Tower. Unlike Megu Tribeca, Megu Midtown is more intimate and to express the rich design of Megu, they made the design rise vertically. Almost everything about the design in the main dining room points from the ceiling to the floor. The lamp pillars, the family crests that cascade from top to bottom, and the 27-foot long hand drawn picture of tigers. When the guests arrive they walk up the stairs to the mezzanine and then descend to the main dining room when their reservation is ready. In the waiting bar there is illuminated photographic art conveying the “heart of Japan,” on 7-foot Kimono fabric pedestals. The visual delights at Megu Midtown in terms of design are, the lamp pillars, the family crest emblems, the open sushi and Teppan-yaki kitchens, and the 500 pound Crystal Chandelier. Using the high ceilings and the wall-to-wall windows they have created another distinct and wonderful space in which to enjoy such outstanding creations as: Nine Varieties of impeccably fresh and exquisitely cut tuna. The presentation, as all presentation, is breathtaking, garnished with fresh flowers and a joy to the eyes. Several amuses, which change daily, might include parchment crisp soft shell baby crab and a plate of fined cubed toro, layered with chunks of avocado. The best dishes are the purest, least complicated and unadulterated, as evidenced in simply grilled King and Snow crab, sweet as sugar and needing no more than a squirt of lemon to intensify the flavor. Another minor miracle is spicy skillet fried rice with oysters and Kimchee “irigoku.” Absolutely the most delicious fried rice dish we’ve had here or in Japan. Other delights offer grilled imported Japanese asparagus, needing no sauce and hand-made Zaru tofu, imported from Karatsu, Japan daily. The gossamer texture is reminiscent of a delicate country cheese course in France and a perfect precuser to dessert (go for the Japanese selection, rather than the Western).
Who knew MEGU had Desserts?
Well, they do now and they are genuinely proud of them! Here’s a taste to excite your senses!
They have plenty of new menu items as well as a brand new dessert menu, thanks to our new Executive Pastry Chef, Takaho Mori. Here are a few images to get you excited. 
Green Tea Cake, rolled in Seasonal Fruits
Megu Swan de Choux
Megu Moca Ice Cream Roll
The wine and sake lists are a joy and service can only be compared to Jean-Georges, hence, some of the finest on the planet. Taku Terramoto, the Sake Sommelier is an artist and the whole is beautifully run by GM Koichi Yokoyama.
_________________________________________________
Radio Review
Award-winning website, Punchin-dot-com, features the Walman Report and reviews of restaurants, travel, wine and theater. To realize how far NY has grown in the luxury restaurant scene, where any restaurant that was pretentious, expensive and French or Italian was choice du jour, is to look at the upmarket products of other ethnicities. A case in point is Megu Midtown, the second branch of the original downtown Megu NY and for my money, the best Japanese restaurant in America. Despite it’s rapturous atmosphere, silky service and exquisite food and presentations. One can enjoy a Megu experience for as little as $35 until Labor Day, order a la carte or let the chef do an elaborate tasting dinner for $125 (more is you want to paired it with wine or sake).
MEGU SIGNATURE DISHES include Sliced Seared Scallops, Fuji Apple & Yuzu Citrus Sauce, Yellowtail Carpaccio,MEGU Style Sashimi, Pink grapefruits & White Truffle Oil, Crispy Soft-shell Crab, Ponzu Sauce, Kobe Beef Chateaubriand grilled on Stone, Wasabi Soy Reduction and a bevy of the best looking desserts in town Megu Midtown, 845 1st Ave., is an absolute must and rates A major on the Walman Report.
______________________________________________
Multifaceted, the process of creating Megu has involved great care and singularity.
· Megu’s team of chefs searched for more than a year and visited over 50 farmers —from as far away as Oregon, Texas, and California to Japan, Europe and Canada —in the process of finding the finest and rarest seasonal ingredients – including Kobe Beef, Japanese Blue Fin Tuna, Smelts, Tofu and a variety of Japanese condiments.
· The art of Megu’s avant-garde creations are in their unique style of modernization of authentic Japanese cuisine while holding strong to its rich heritage.
· Megu dishes are presented in specially designed handcrafted plates or bowls, each inspired by the item.
· Megu’s 20 chefs were culled from over 200 applicants who ‘auditioned’ in a search process that took more than a year.
· There is no ‘star chef’ at Megu – all of the chefs work on one of three teams: sushi, grill and kitchen.
· Megu carefully selected over 60 sake brands to form our world-renowned sake list.
· Megu New York won the Wine Spectator award two years in a row (2006, 2007) and Megu Midtown won the same award in 2007. Megu’s wine list is very unique for a Japanese restaurant, offering over 600 selections from around the world that are great for pairing with the exquisite cuisine more than any other Japanese restaurant.
· The central architectural columns are constructed from over 5000 rice bowls, sake pitchers and soup bowls.
· A laboriously lacquered wood called, urushi, created in Nara, Japan, line the walls of the VIP room.
· Kobe Beef is cooked ishiyaki style. The meat is seared on a “super hot stone” from the Nakagawa River in Japan.
· The two special brands of Japanese beef that Megu’s Chef team uses are Ozaki and Satsuma
· Bolts of brightly colored antique kimono fabrics of over 450 rolls cover the Kimono Lounge.
· Suspended in the main dining room is a traditional Japanese bronze temple bell called a bonsho bell. It is an exact replica of the largest bells in Japan, which hangs in the Todaiji temple in Nara.
The replica at Megu impressively weighs just over 800 lbs.
· The distinctive uniforms which combine traditional and modern elements, were designed by the Japan-based team of Joutaro Saito and Yumiko Ohzeki and complement Yasumichi Morita’s interior.
· Reflecting the latest in Japanese technology, 120 strategically placed speakers provide a high degree of variable listening among tables.
· Megu New York and Megu Midtown both share a very unique ambiance, but differ in atmosphere: Megu New York is extravagant, sexy, chic, and contains very high energy. Megu Midtown is elegant, intimate, and comfortable.
· Megu uses Bincho-Tan, a charcoal discovered 1300 years ago from the Ubamegashi tree of Southern Japan, which contains purifying minerals and imparts a unique flavor to grilled food.
The painstaking creation of Megu has been documented by a video-crew that has followed the process from its inception, all of which is available on DVD. Footage includes: visitations with organic suppliers, auditions, creation of interior spaces, interviews with designers, and more.
Megu Midtown is without question the finest Japanese restaurant in America. Let us hope that the inevitable success it is certain to receive will not mare its spectacular approach to fine dining. That’s A Major on The Walman Report.
Background
“Blessing” in Japanese, MEGU presents modern Japanese cuisine, sushi, and sumibi aburiyaki—a grilling technique using bincho-tan, a special charcoal found only near Kyoto and prized for its superior purifying properties. MEGU is a brand and an image of high quality environment that delivers the quality of exceptional things: outstanding food, brilliant design and first class service. MEGU is a harmony of all the finest and rarest ingredients found from around the world. Both MEGU’s menu and design concept are a blend of traditional and modern Japanese times. Authentic and avant-garde Japanese ingredients are combined to suit every palate. The overall décor is filled with customary Japanese interior accents, complimented with a contemporary ambiance.
MEGU unveiled its first restaurant in 2004. MEGU’s quick rise to popularity amongst the toughest critics allowed the brand to quickly expand. A second MEGU, MEGU Midtown – then followed in April 20, 2006 at 845 UN Plaza at the lavish Trump World Tower. The brand continues to strongly flourish with MEGU Hong Kong, opening October 2007, the third location to round off their impressive portfolio. MEGU Moscow & MEGU Qatar are currently in the works. Other future target markets include Miami, London and Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Middle East, Mexico, Brazil and India.
MEGU’s concept is well-defined as sophisticated organic dining—in which the producer and customer are brought together in celebration—with the best in service and cutting-edge yet serene aesthetics. The MEGU team has carefully selected the best American Kobe Beef available in the U.S, as well as the best Japanese Satsuma Beef from Kyushu. In addition to the Kobe Beef, Megu specializes in highly refined selections of hand-made Tofu, fresh organic edamame and authentic smelts, flown in from all parts of Japan. Other Japanese condiments such as salt, soy sauce and 6 varieties of miso are also carefully selected, special for MEGU cuisine.
MEGU does not employ the idea of one star chef. Instead, it has a collection of chefs who work as a team—the ingredients are the stars.
Some of MEGU’s signature dishes include: MEGU Original Crispy Asparagus, MEGU Oriental Salad, Crispy “Kanzuri” Shrimp, Salmon Tartare, Kobe Beef Carpaccio with Basil, Foie Gras in Crispy Kobe Beef Croquettes, MEGU Kobe Beef Slices “Ishiyaki” and Tajima Kobe Beef Skewers.
MEGU offers an extensive wine list with over 600 offerings of wine that perfectly compliment the cuisine – a rare and unique offering for a Japanese restaurant. MEGU New York has won the Wine Spectator award two years in a row in 2006 and 2007, and MEGU Midtown recently won the same award in 2007. Megu also offers 60 varieties of sake from Japan, each available by either glass or bottle.
Yasumichi Morita from Japan’s Glamorous Co. has designed a unique and amazing interior for all three locations – MEGU New York, MEGU Midtown and MEGU Hong Kong. In his first United States project, Morita was commissioned to design the two-tiered, 13,000 square-foot MEGU New York space. Blending ultra-modern design with ancient Japanese details, the end result is truly astonishing: white porcelain columns—made of over 5000 interlocking rice bowls and sake vases—greet guests upon entry and line the upper walls overlooking the main dining room. In the upstairs Kimono lounge, stacked bolts of over 450 rolls of antique kimono fabric cover the walls, while white leather banquets with soaring eleven-foot backs provide an intimate setting for pre-dinner cocktails. The Kimono lounge also features floor to ceiling glass walls overlooking the dining room. Below, a giant temple bell, or bonsho, weighing over 800 lbs. is suspended from the ceiling and provides the centerpiece in the soaring main dining area. The centerpiece also features a signature ice Buddha sculpture, elevated over a pool of water that is rebuild every night to ensure the customers of a spiritual and purifying experience.
The rich fabrics, the highest grade wood materials, and the artistic integrity were upheld in the construction of MEGU Midtown. It is pure luxury to match the standard of Trump World Tower. Unlike MEGU New York, MEGU Midtown is more intimate and to express the rich design of Megu, they made the design rise vertically. Almost everything about the design in the main dining room points from the ceiling to the floor. The lamp pillars, the family crests that cascade from top to bottom, and the 27 foot long hand drawn mural of tigers. When the guests arrive they walk up the stairs to the mezzanine and then descend to the main dining room when their reservation is ready. In the waiting bar there is illuminated photographic art conveying the “heart of Japan,” on 7 foot Kimono fabric pedestals. The visual delights at MEGU Midtown in terms of design are, the lamp pillars, the family crest emblems, the open sushi and Teppan-yaki kitchens, and the 500 pound Crystal Chandelier. Using the high ceilings and the wall-to-wall windows they have created another distinct and wonderful space.
We welcome you to experience the many “blessings” of MEGU!
______________________________________________________
After an absence of more than 12 months, Orient-Express’ Road To Mandalay river cruiser will once again take to Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady River on August 26, 2009, plying the scenic waters between Bagan and Mandalay.
