Matsugen

241 Church st.

New York NY 10013

212.925.0202

I blazed at home, since I knew I was heading deep into the financial district, but only puffed a little because I wanted to be sharp for my first Matsugen experience.

Matsugen's emphasis on Soba dishes was intriguing . The waitress explained that the cuisine is designed to nourish you cleanly, with only the most exclusive and high quality ingredients (hence me chopping off my arm and leaving it with the bill).

However, I felt like shit after the meal.

This is why:

Scallops with Petrossian Caviar and Sea Urchin- Very good, well balanced small portions of perfectly cooked scallops. The flavor of the caviar was heavenly but the Urchin was too mushy and absent in flavor.

Edamame- Under steamed but seasoned heavily and well with coarse sea salt.

Shrimp cake with Shitake mushroom- Boring. I couldn't taste the shrimp which was minced into a compact ball along with eggs I think? Topped with slightly chilled tasty Shitake.

Seaweed Salad- Light and simple, again portioned specifically like the other dishes. By this point I was really feeling the "Balance" of the cuisine, which was consistent but unsatisfying.

Plum and Shiso Leaf roll- this came out in two rolls, the plum, then the shiso, very simple, the rice cooked well (thank god!) and the rolls were tight. They tasted great together, and fermented plum is so very good for you. Also, surprisingly cheap compared to the rest of the menu.

Natto cold Soba with all the condiments- I was most excited to try this dish. The portion was small, the noodles were way undercooked and the taste and texture were bland. What a disappointment! At home in bed I could still feel it like a brick.

Well, at least I had the beautiful fish behind me! I kept peering through the tanks and into the enormous, immaculate kitchen, which resembled a Hollywood set, (think No Reservations). It appeared to run like a clock, but why so many B.O.H. staff for such simple food? One to take the rice out of the bag, one to prep the rice for cleaning, one to clean the rice, one to clean the rice again...

The atmosphere was hyper-minimal and making me very uncomfortable, which pushes one to question why Jean-Georges himself was at a table eating with his brood. To create more of a family friendly atmosphere perhaps?

Customers were dressed to the nines and not even noticing what they were putting in their mouths. The waitress seemed trapped in starched clothing and behaved like a Stockholm syndrome victim. She accidentally tipped my water into my lap, which marked the beginning of her own personal Apocalypse. I assured her there was no problem and left a good tip, hoping it would help her to feel like more of a human being.

Apon leaving Matsugen, (after calling my mother and asking for her Soba recipe), I wanted to tear my clothes off and go swimming in a stream.

I give Matsugen: out of

Blazeability: