out
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serving
breakfast
sat-sun
10am - 2:30pm
by J enny
N guyen
Feng sushi
Masu • 406 S.W. 13th Ave.
M
serving lunch
and dinner daily
IRVINGTON-1
-■
corner table
1700 ne broadway
503.331.1200
modern meals
5:30 to 9 pmTues-Thurs
5:30pm-1 0pm Fri-Sat
Late night lounge
on weekend
NT &
2000 NE 40th
503/460-2682
(2 blcks. North of Sandy)
Private parties <& catering available
BAR
We are back!
Please check out our new menu.
o <=
CX. '
s ®
50 'g
B
o
•Kids eat for
New seasonal menu
Mostly vegetarian
options
3om me aiber+a
por+iand or 41211
pa* 503-3355233
asu, located just above American
Apparel, can be somewhat deceiving
no matter what you think.
The dark, candlelit stairwell opens
up to a majestic burgundy cushion-lined wall
and a stunning backlit sushi bar encasing
dozens of the namesake masu—cedar boxes for
serving sake. High ceilings, a few curtains,
a large mural and a central bar establish sleek
neomodern starkness in interior design, some
thing not foreign to Japanese simplicity. But as
the lights mellow down and the sun sets after
7 p.m., the warehouse windows expose a night
life gleaming helow as the bar inside begins its
own gentle hum.
Every table comes equipped with its own
masu, which gets generously embellished with
edamame—gently boiled soybeans littered with
sea salt. Perhaps the Japanese version of pret
zels, edamame is the perfect accompaniment to
any of the fabulous martinis.
The menu is small and precise, yet boasts
some pretty hefty entrees for a sushi place.
A glance around the room found gorgeous
plate-ups of miso-marinated rack of lamb and
sake-poached filet of halibut, but not a single
sashimi platter. Suspicious, I stuck to sushi,
pure and sinful. I mean simple, of course. -
The Maiso salad, a delicate blend of sea
weed in an effortless sesame and rice wine
vinegar dressing, was artfully plated and textu-
rally delightful. My very American companion
ordered the California Rolls, which in all
respects may just be the definitive way of judg
ing a sushi restaurant in the United States. The
rolls were packed full of imitation crab, cucum
ber and av(x:ado, but rhe rice was dry and dis
appointing considering rice is sushi. Although
it was difficult for me to get over how glutinous
rice can be dry, the young pickled ginger was
authentic, not burning with red No. 40 and
geezer ginger taste like those found at other
sushi spots all over town.
Beefed-up tamaki had their own page in the
menu; specialties from the Butterfly Roll with
teriyaki eel to the Masu Roll with albacore
ranged from $9 to $13. Plates were always stun
ning, with rolls curving, sauces stroked and
shiso leaves just so. The Butterfly Roll was also
dry and lacked the salty (x>mph of teriyaki eel,
which made it barely distinguishable from the
California Roll. Just as I’d thought 1 was ready
to walk out, out came the Monkey Tasa.
A crazy name fitting for the crazy concept: ahi
tuna-stuffed mushrooms, tempura-battered and
deep-fried. Anyone familiar with the omni
scient fifth taste, umami (pronounced “<x>h
mommy,” really), should rejoice. This appetizer
is a must-have.
Perhaps sensing my disappointment with
the sushi, our server brought us another bottle
of sake on the house. And as 1 sat and pon
dered the popularity of Masu over my warm
rice wine, I noticed friendly wait staff,
gorgeous-kxiking ftxxl, tranquil scenery and the
endless flow of attractive people sipping neon
martinis...this isn’t a sushi bar but a “feng
sushi” bar. Masu fills the niche of those seeking
picturesque ftxxJ in a zenful atmosphere. And
that ain’t bad. JM