As soon as you step into Morimoto Las Vegas, you’ll experience a zen-like feel that accelerates into a culinary energy, fed by the cocktails and exemplary Japanese cuisine. The sleek and plush seating in the dining area and at the sushi bar are set against a gorgeous wall of Yasumichi Morita photographs, creating a vintage look. Tucked back behind the main dining area are teppanyaki grills perfect for groups.
Masaharu Morimoto had a history of working in the food industry long before he became an Iron Chef, with stints at Nobu and other hot properties; his hard work on and off screen has resulted in the opening of many global restaurants, including Morimoto Las Vegas.
Start with appetizers, and order enough that the table won’t fight over the last morsels—whitefish carpaccio, with soy, yuzu, ginger and garlic; hamachi tacos finished with a spicy yuzu kosho, guacamole and lime; and tuna pizza with anchovy aioli are must-order items. Hot appetizers include kakuni, a 10-hour pork belly served with rice congee; pan-fried gyoza; and rock shrimp tempura. Laksa noodle soup comes with tonkotsu broth, ground pork, red curry and egg noodles. Tempura calamari salad combines crunchy fried rings with fresh greens.
Entrées range from braised black cod with a ginger-soy reduction to grilled hamachi kama (yellowtail collar) with grated daikon; whole lobster; chasu pork on rice; and angry chicken with roasted peppers. Morimoto Las Vegas also has several steak options, from a 16-ounce wagyu New York strip to Japanese A5 wagyu, all with a sweet onion and garlic jus. Sides include shishito peppers and spicy green beans. Duck fried rice is sure to appeal to almost everyone at the table, with Thai basil and a fried duck egg accenting the dish.
Although the sushi and sashimi menu isn’t crazy large, you will find enough items that making a choice could be difficult. Best to order a variety of maki so that no one goes hungry—try soft-shell crab, spicy tuna and spicy yellowtail rolls, or maybe an avocado roll or an ume shiso roll. Once you add in a few choices off the sushi and sashimi menu, like Japanese red snapper, fatty tuna, smoked salmon, tamago, Japanese wagyu, ikura pickled eggplant or uni, you should be fully satisfied. Of course, one of the best ways to enjoy sushi is to let the chef do the choosing; the chef’s combination here comes in two sizes—just order the large, you know you can handle it.
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