Matsuhisa Aspen

Matsuhisa Aspen Restaurant Review:

Jeffrey Klein and Japanese art consultant Nobuko Sinja Kang, in collaboration with noted chef Nobu Matsuhisa, created this expensive yet enduring modern hot spot where sushi is an art form. Reservations at Matsuhisa are difficult to come by during the high seasons of summer and winter, when the bi-coastals, who like Nobu in New York and Matsuhisa in Los Angeles, swoop in to cause a deafening din. During less maxed-out times, promotional specials make for a more affordable experience. For instance, the lounge offers a full sushi bar on a first-come, first-served basis. We order omakase --- the chef's choice menu of what's freshest and most interesting that day. Favorites from the kitchen include black cod marinated in sweet miso and market-priced baby abalone in garlic sauce. Matsuhisa’s world-spanning wine list is pricey, but the selections, which run the gamut from Billecart-Salmon to Opus One, are impressive, though the exclusive house saké may be an even better choice. Note: The entrance to the restaurant is tricky to find: it's located downstairs in the blue Victorian, but you enter on the Monarch Street side.