Morimoto restaurant reopens on Las Vegas Strip

For almost a decade, Morimoto in the MGM Grand has set a standard in Las Vegas for stylish food and drink that layers Japanese tradition, Western influences and more than a little showmanship. As the restaurant from globally acclaimed chef Masaharu Morimoto enters its 10th year, it has reopened after being shut for two months for a design and menu refresh.

The restaurant has always bridged the Japanese and American palates, the refinement of Japanese cooking with a measure of Vegas brio, and now that bridge has a new feel and flavor.

“The next era of Morimoto at MGM Grand harmonizes the soul of Las Vegas and Tokyo’s electric designs, buzzing streets and our shared love for the art of food,” the chef said in a Monday announcement. “I love Las Vegas as a palette to express my creativity without limits …”

Design details

Black, charcoal, white and neutrals anchored the old design at the restaurant. The new design hums with color.

Guests arrive through a glowing portal composed of Japanese script, an entrance inspired by the Shinjuku business and entertainment district of Tokyo. A collage of black-and-white images once rose behind the sushi bar; now, images of Tokyo neon pop in magenta, vermilion and vibrant violet.

Red glass panels, curved-back chairs upholstered in red and, above the back bar, a giant red square with columns of characters all distinguish the bar and lounge. The main dining room includes charred wood, a nod to yakisugi craftsmanship, and pleated conical red lanterns casting a glow from above.

On the menu

The refreshed menu blends new dishes with Morimoto standards.

Sushi and sashimi (and riffs thereon) have long been a strength of the restaurant. Look for a Land & Ocean Roll, a communion of wagyu beef, crab, sweet shrimp and bursts of tobiko presented in smoke. Or signature rolls with ingredients arranged in stained glass-inspired patterns.

Grazeables run to hamachi tacos with kicky yuzu kosho condiment, tuna pizza jabbed by anchovy aïoli and jalapeños, and rich toro graced with briny beads of caviar. Bao stuffed with lobster tail and pork sticky ribs swaddled in sweet chili and hoisin also touch down.

The teppanyaki bar features live preparations of vegetables, seafood and meat made to order on the grill, with add-ons like yakisoba or foie gras. Among the entrées, whole lobster épice with chef’s spice blend, another Morimoto classic, joins a 12-ounce domestic New York strip steak.

The dessert bento box contains a clutch of bijoux sweets: hazelnut tiramisù, strawberry cheesecake, coconut panna cotta, pistachio profiterole, yuzu meringue tart.

From the shaker

The new cocktail program calls on the chef’s favorite spirits, syrups and juices.

An Emerald Dragon shakes together peach soju, Midori, yuzu juice, lime juice and yuzu white peach soda. A Morimoto Kofu Old Fashioned convenes Iwai Japanese whisky and Japanese brown sugar.

Haku vodka is stirred with ceremonial matcha, lemon juice and mint for That’s the Tea. A Hibis-Kiss mingles Flecha Azul reposado tequila, hibiscus, yuzu juice and orange liqueur.

Baseball, then sushi

Morimoto, perhaps best known in the U.S. as a star of “Iron Chef” and “Iron Chef America” on Food Network, started out to be a professional baseball catcher, but the kitchen gods had other ideas. After a career-ending shoulder injury, he began studying the art of sushi in his hometown of Hiroshima, Japan. He opened his first restaurant at 24.

Five years later, in 1985, he moved to the States, working in New York City, including at Nobu, and later joining the cast of the American spinoff of the original Japanese version of “Iron Chef” (where he was the final Iron Chef). In 2001, Morimoto opened his first eponymous spot in Philadelphia. This opening was followed by the debut of Morimoto and other restaurants across the U.S. and around the world, showcasing his trademark braiding of Japanese and Western ingredients.

Morimoto is a James Beard Award winner, a cookbook author and a cooking show producer. He has also launched a host of product collaborations, ranging from beer, sake, fine wine and spirits to coffee, tea, soups, instant ramen, and kits for home-baked mochi doughnuts.

Morimoto is open 5 to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 5 to 10 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays. Visit mgmgrand.com.

Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.