If you live in the Triangle, you've no doubt heard of the M Restaurant Group (M Sushi, M Pocha, M Test Kitchen and M Kokko) and if you're a foodie, you're likely a fan of them all. I finally made my way to the final restaurant I had yet to try - M Tempura. The restaurant is unique in that you must select which of the 3 offered tasting menus you want to do, when you make your reservation. You can choose from the Tempura Tasting, the Omakase or the Kaiseki, which is what we opted for. It was absolutely phenomenal and exceeded my already high expectations. Do allow about 2.5 hours for the tasting, but your mind will be blown. Every single thing is done with intention and executed flawlessly. I would have sat there and continued to eat all night long.
Upon first glance, the menu seems a bit intimidating - 10 courses reads heavy - but I was stunned to not be miserably full at the end of the meal. Everything ate very light, and many of the dishes were one or two-biters. Beer, wine and sake are offered and I found a new favorite Rioja. Within 10 minutes of sitting down, we had already received our first 2 courses. I was worried we would feel a little rushed, but had absolutely no idea what awaited us. The pacing was perfect.
The Sakizuke (amuse bouche) started off with a bang - Shrimp Toast. A bitesize burst of flavor to wake up your palate. The slightly sweet shrimp ate beautifully with the buttery toast square, and got just a little kick from an Aji Amarillo sauce.
Sakizuke (Shrimp Toast) |
Another completely different, equally delicious bite was next - the Otsukuri (sashimi/raw dish). The chef's choice that evening was a Salmon Tartare with Preserved Lemon and Seaweed Chips, a fun and tasty new way to enjoy that perfect tartare.
Otsukuri (Salmon Tartare) |
The third course was Ni-mono (steamed dish), which layered a beautifully set Egg Custard with Blue Crab, Ponzu, Walnut Oil and Smoked Trout Roe. The ponzu really brought this dish alive, bringing both salt and acid to the velvety custard and the bites of sweet crab. The trout roe was a beautiful pop of color and salinity.
Ni-mono (Egg Custard) |
It was as if each bite was better than the last. Next, out came a stunning, large, white bowl (the plating all night was just fantastic) with our Atsu-mono (warm dish). A meaty Diver Scallop was sliced into strips and rested in a beautiful pool of golden Curried Cauliflower, and topped with Siberian Caviar. This was my husband's favorite dish of the night, and I don't think I can enjoy scallops any other way again.
Atsu-mono (Scallop) |
We had made it to the halfway point and were about to embark on the Age-mono (tempura/fried dish). I was eager to sample their tempura offerings, since that is such a large part of their restaurant. We started with a humble Prawn, and that tempura batter was the lightest, crispiest, slightly sweet batter I've ever had. (We even got a little lemon wedge squeezer, a bowl of flaky sea salt and a bowl of sauce to accompany each bite! So fun.) Next out of the fryer popped a bite of Lotus Root, Maitake Mushroom, and finally one of my favorite bites of the night - Seabass. I've never enjoyed fried fish quite like this. It was like butter and melted right in your mouth. Unbelievable. It was a pause-worthy food moment for me.
Age-mono (Tempura) |
My jaw nearly hit the floor when I saw what was coming our way. The Sui-mono (soup/broth dish) was not at all a simple soup or broth. It was an entire 4 ounce Lobster Tail alongside a large bowl of melted Dashi Butter for you to poach it in. Throw in a few Escarole leaves for some bitterness and some Chili Oil for heat, and you have a complete dinner all in itself. But no, this was just course #6. It was our other favorite dish of the evening (and presentation, too - see the folded up plate?) and worth the price of admission.
Sui-mono (Lobster Tail) |
Sadly my favorite dish was followed by what I thought was the least successful. The Yaki-mono (grilled dish) was a bit of a harsh shock to my palate following that sweet, buttery richness of the Lobster. Strips of Wagyu Beef were tossed in a house barbecue sauce, and served alongside Pickled Daikon Radish and Greens, for a DIY wrap moment. I applaud the idea, but did not care for the intense char on this beef whatsoever. But I was fine with taking a break for one course.
Yaki-mono (Wagyu) |
We were on our last savory bite of the night - the Shokuji (rice/meal dish). I didn't expect to see Miso Soup come out, as I tend to associate that with the start of a meal, but at M Tempura, it's a way to end it. And alongside, a fried Nori Chip encased Blue Crab, Rice and Salmon Roe. A really yummy bite that seemed like it should have come a bit earlier in the evening.
Shokuji (Nori with Crab and Miso Soup) |
We had made it to the pre-dessert (in my heaven, there is pre-dessert and then dessert). This was a subtle shift from savory into the world of sweet, and a beautiful bite of fried Brie Cheese, covered in Honey, Black Truffle and Nori. It was divine. I want a grilled cheese version of this.
Fried Brie Cheese with Truffle |
The Chef's Choice Dessert for the evening was an Avocado Sherbet, made from a Coconut Milk base, but ate as creamy as ice cream. It was a beautiful light green hue that was covered in a sweet and tart Strawberry-Tomato Jam. A lovely way to end the meal.
Avocado Sherbet with Strawberry-Tomato Jam |
I truly would have sat there all night and was secretly hoping we would get a surprise bite or extra course. We snagged a seat at the bar, which made it really fun to have a front row seat. I was stunned at how well the open kitchen operated and communicated, and I cannot recommend this experience enough.