Masa's

Reserve

Masa's Review

Although the toque has been passed to several chefs since the death of founding chef Masataka Kobayashi, this 25-year-old restaurant, with its chocolate-brown walls, white fabric ceiling, and red-silk-shaded lanterns, is still one of the country's most celebrated food temples. Chef Gregory Short, who worked alongside Thomas Keller at the famed French Laundry for seven years, is at the helm these days, and his tasting menus of three, four, and seven courses, including a vegetarian option, are pleasing both diners and critics. The fare is dubbed New French, and all the dishes are laced with fancy ingredients, leaving diners struggling to choose between foie gras, langoustines, and squab. In fall, when northern Italy's exquisite white truffles are in season, Short typically puts together a tasting menu that tucks them into every course, including dessert, which in a past season featured a white-truffle ice-cream float. Wine drinkers are bound to find something that suits them, with an award-winning list that includes many small-production wines from around the globe. Be prepared for a decidedly stuffy, though not suffocating, atmosphere (a jacket is preferred for gentlemen).