Megu Midtown: Innovative Japanese Cuisine

February 5, 2010 3:50 pm

Megu Midtown: Innovative Japanese Cuisine

It's NYC Restaurant Week and I am on a quest to find the best sushi in the Big Apple. It's going to take a while before I hit every NYC hot spot, but man, did I find a good one. Nestled next to the Trump World Tower in Midtown East sits Megu, an elegant restaurant dishing up modern Japanese cuisine. The menu was impressive but definitely on the pricey side. Tip, save this spot for when you have a little extra to spend or a client is taking you out to lunch. I brought my shrimp-loving friend and went to town. The two of us each started with a bowl of Spicy Bouillabaisse Miso Soup that was delicately fiery and loaded with fresh seafood. The bowl was much larger than your average miso starter and way more satisfying. If it wasn't outrageously inappropriate, we would have licked our bowls clean to salvage every last drop. Our palates were officially warmed up as we embarked on our first appetizer—the Megu Oriental Salad, a wild sea bream sashimi with homemade spicy dressing and julienned vegetables. The waiter drizzled sesame oil over the dish for a light sear, but rather, created a greasy piece of fish.

Fortunately, things picked up and our meal did not stop there. The second appetizer was a home run. Our waiter came over with a remarkable dish: Tuna and Avocado Megu Style. This appetizer consisted of garlic-soy marinated cubes of sashimi tuna layered in between avocado and garnished with perfectly chopped pieces of mango and Parmesan cheese. Using a fork, our server combined all the ingredients into a guacamole-like dish that was creamy, fresh and delicious.

For my main course, I ordered the lobster roll. Tip, if you're watching your carbs, wrap your roll in cucumber rather than starchy rice. Although the dish was surprisingly small for a main course, the presentation was stunning. The rolls came out in a glass bowl filled with crushed ice illuminated by a blue light. The lobster tasted succulent, fresh and paired nicely with the cool cucumber casing.

Because we were stuffed to capacity and I felt as though the button was going to fly off my pants, we opted for some hot green tea rather than dessert . Trick, if you're dieting or watching your weight, sip green tea daily as it increases metabolism and promotes fat burning. Overall, Megu Midtown was a wonderful dining experience. The wait staff was extremely attentive, if a bit slow. The fish was fresh, the soup was excellent and the ambiance inviting. If you're looking for a good business lunch or after work dinner, and seafood sounds appealing, Megu won't disappoint.

Megu Midtown
845 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
212.644.0777
megurestaurants.com