SUSHI & SAKE - THE OFFICE OF MR. MOTO

THE OFFICE OF MR. MOTO

As someone who works in social media, I spend much time looking at content online. I’m mindlessly scrolling most of the time until I get tired of it. There are the occasional likes, comments, and saves, but nothing stops me in my tracks. Until one night, a video of this hidden sushi restaurant in Saint Marks popped up on my feed. I was intrigued by the need for a code to get in, not seeing the menu until the end of the meal, the aged but lively Japanese sushi chef serving hungry patrons, and the overall speakeasy design of the restaurant. I researched and discovered the place was called The Office of Mr. Moto. So I added it to my list and tried to make a reservation, but unfortunately, I could not get one after several attempts. That was six months ago.

Fast-forward to last month. I finally got a reservation and visited what has now become my favorite sushi restaurant in New York City.

Snowman - Sake

Iwashi - Japanese Sardine

The Office of Mr. Moto feels like a secret club. Reservations open once a month, so if you don’t grab a seat when slots open, you’ll be stuck waiting until the next month. On the outside of the restaurant, there’s no branding on the doors, just a tiny label that says “office” and a call box on the side. To enter the restaurant, you must enter a code sent to you before your reservation. Upon entering, the hostess explains the story behind Mr. Moto and the Japanese artifacts featured throughout the restaurant. I sat at the counter with a full view of the action during my meal. I admired the sleek design of the “office” and the skills of executive chef Toshio Matsuoka.

After being seated, the staff began to bring out the start of the classic sake pairing I selected to go along with the 21-course omakase. Mr. Moto doesn't provide a menu, so imagine sitting at a counter anxiously anticipating what dish will come first. I started thinking about how long it took to get a reservation and how excited I was for this moment. I studied the counter; there was a box of fish to my left (presumably the fish selection of the evening), and our first course was sitting behind the chef. The waiter poured the first glass of sake and brought the first course, Steamed Abalone with Liver Sauce. The first course felt like a teaser for what was to come. I'm not the biggest fan of abalone, so this starting point didn't completely blow me away; however, the sauce on the dish was delicious. I was on board. The second course was Sakizuke, a seasonal starter of three dishes (Firefly Squid, Patagonian Toothfish, and Agedashi-Tofu). Of the three, my highlight was the Agedashi-Tofu, deep-fired tofu in dashi broth. The fry on the tofu was enjoyably crisp, even with just the right amount of sauce at the bottom of the bowl to season the perfect bite.

The starter still left me feeling like we needed to scratch the surface. Don't get me wrong, everything was perfect so far, but I had yet to feel the spark. That is until they brought out the third course, Chawanmushi. Chawanmushi is a savory egg custard topped with uni, fish roe, and mushroom. The custard was like a pillow in a cup, soft yet fluffy. I've never finished anything so fast. While enjoying appetizers, the hostess introduced chef Toshio Matsuoka, who showed the entire restaurant the selection of fish for the evening. Matsuoka speaks little English, primarily Japanese, and it's clear he's why everyone is here. His energy lights up the room as we journey through edomae sushi. At that moment, I knew that The Office of Mr. Moto would be an incredible experience.

Edomae means "in front of Edo."

Tokyo was known as Edo until the second half of the 19th century. During that time, sushi using fresh seafood from Tokyo Bay (in front of old Edo) became known as edomae sushi.

This type of sushi is usually paired with rice called "shari," which is mixed with vinegar, sugar, and salt.

The journey with Chef Matsuoka started with Madai (Kombu Cured Sea Bream). I've never had anything like it. The little dab of wasabi under the fish and its fattiness sent my tastebuds rolling. I'd compare the experience to the scene from Ratatouille. From there, it was as if we were watching an orchestra. Each person in the office works together to create a beautiful symphony of sushi. The chef is slicing and prepping fish while his sous chef torches different cuts, which are then passed back to him to combine with rice and then plate for those at the counter. Servers move around the restaurant, keeping everything running smoothly; guests are never left unattended. It's a back-and-forth dance where Matsuoka keeps us on our toes with each piece, and his team helps make this happen. Each piece was a different experience. The uni was from Hokkaido, which produces Japan's best sea urchins. There was Kamasu (Barracuda), which Matsuoka's sous chef slightly charred to enhance the flavor—Iwashi (Japanese Sardine) garnished with scallion after being brushed with sauce. The Akaebi (Red Rice Prawn) was fresh, and the Kohada (House Cured Gizzard Shard) was scored and draped perfectly over seasoned shari. A key difference between Mr. Moto and other sushi restaurants I've been to was the encouragement of eating sushi with your hands versus chopsticks—a very traditional approach but appropriate given the occasion.

Another surprise was Chef Matsuoka's choice of Anago (Sea Eel) versus Unagi (Freshwater Eel), which was a clear sign that Mr. Moto wasn't here to cater to the average sushi eater but instead, those who are genuinely searching for a traditional edomae experience. As the sushi continued to flow, so did the sake. Matsuoka laughingly shared a few drinks with everyone in the restaurant, toasting the evening. Alongside the uni, the real gems of the evening were the three cuts of Tuna shown to us at the start of the meal. Chef Matsuoka served Zuke-Maguro (Soy Sauce Marinated Bluefin Tuna), Chutoro (Medium Bluefin Fatty Tuna), and ended the meal with Toro (Torched Fatty Tuna with Caviar). Using the leftover toro, he made a handroll that made me want to eat everything again. The meal ended with soup and a dessert assortment of green tea, strawberries, and crème brûlée. If Chef Matsuoka were an orchestra conductor, he would have masterfully given us an incredible concert.

Once the meal ends, you're gifted the dinner menu and a cipher unlocking your next reservation. You're then led downstairs to the parlor in the basement, where there's additional seating and after-dinner drinks. It's a small, intimate environment where you can unpack the experience you just had upstairs. Japanese artifacts adorn the basement walls, and the layout feels like a speakeasy. The sake selection is expansive, and they even have one of my favorite brands, Demon Slayer. Overall, it feels like an exclusive club for the connoisseurs of traditional sushi.

My evening at the office was hands down one of the best sushi experiences I've had in New York City so far, and I will definitely be back. I'm diving deeper into more Omakase spots in NYC. Now that I'm on this sushi journey, I want to see who can top this experience; they have big shoes to fill.