Makoto Restaurant Review
Makoto is located on MacArthur Boulevard NW in Washington, D.C.
I keep hearing about Japanese restaurants not being “the real thing,” and I’m psychologically disappointed to be missing out on what might actually be. With a trip to Japan out of the question in the near future, I’m always on the look out for more authenticity.
While in D.C., I noticed that Makoto scored on Washingtonian Magazine’s top 100 list, and after reading reviews promising authenticity, I had to try.
We arrived promptly at 8:57 PM, 3 minutes early for our reservation. I heard if you arrived 15 minutes late, they’ll charge your credit card (given at the time of reservation) $70. Well, you can imagine I was disappointed having to wait some 25 minutes for my seat. Be sure to wear “proper attire” whatever that means, and socks, as you have two options: wear your socks, or wear their slippers; no shoes are allowed.
We chose the “dinner” menu which was $60/person for the basics in what they term 7-10 courses, it depends on the nigh and the mood of the chefs. You can also upgrade certain items (I did two fish upgrades), and you can also upgrade your beef, should you choose it, to Kobe (Waygu). I didn’t do that; it was $20 alone for that upgrade.
The first course was interesting: a real sea shell filled with broth, mussel, and bamboo shoot. The broth was the most satisfying in terms of flavor; the other items were a bit bland. But it got you prepare for sure with tuning your mouth to more subtle flavors. Yeah, and it was flaming too.
The second course was a trio of items, including raw shrimp, calamari (with heads), and a vegetable dish. This was one interesting; I liked the wasabi sauce on the calamari and the sweet shrimp the best.
The best course was next: the sashimi.
This was the best tuna I’d ever eaten: it was creamy, flavorful, and like the best candy (although not sweet). Freshly grated wasabi (not horseradish) was presented, and it is far more mild than what you might be used to.
A bowl of very lightly flavored vegetables with beef. Subtle, for sure, but you appreciate the “raw” or “naked” flavors of these items. Intellectual.
The worst course was the crunchy fried soft-shell crab. This was awful, in my estimation. It was too crunchy, lacked crab flavor save for one bite, and was bitter in taste. The flavored salts on the edge of the plate were novel, but the dish was a failure in my book.
Next was a cooked fish dish: salmon in Yuzu (think lemon) and two seaweeds. I never care for seaweed; the green stuff was fine. The fish was flavorful, but overall, I wanted at this point for flavors to be getting stronger. This lacked punch in the strong flavor department.
Much better was the (small) 3-piece sushi course. Each piece was delicious, especially the last. My dining companion remarked at this point it wasn’t the best best he’d ever had, but all the seafood here was very fresh.
Next we diverged: he had cooked yellow tail tuna, it came charred on one side, rustic style. I had the beef with mushrooms. The flavors and texture of the meat were sublime. True art here.
Next to last was a small bowl of soba noodles. The broth I had was incredible, as I chose mushroom flavor. I could have eaten much more. The small mushrooms were hard to eat with my chopsticks.
The final course was light: fresh, cold ice, sweet, with the subtle flavors of aloe and yuzu. It was fitting to the aesthetic of the meal.
Despite all the variety, you don’t leave stuffed. I should mention the dining room is extremely small and tight (maybe 26 diners total would fit) but service is very attentive.
What I ultimately didn’t like about the experience were service related. The wait for a table. Being rushed-out at the end. I should not get a bill before I finish dessert. Come on. And while parties finishing earlier were offered an opportunity to order more food, we were not. “Time to go,” they must have been thinking. We were the last seating of the night.
Oh well, they won’t see me again. But don’t let that stop you—I think the experience was good enough and adventurous enough to warrant an entertaining, authentic meal with the myriad flavors of Japan.
Filed by MessyChef at March 28th, 2008 under Asian, Restaurant Review