Name: Tempura Matsui
Address: 222 E. 39th St., New York, 10016, USA, New York, USA, 10016, US
Telephone: +12129868885
Price range: $$$$

The Experience

From Michelin Guide

Tempura Matsui skillfully demonstrates why tempura is a celebrated Japanese cuisine type in its own right. The prized seats are at the counter, especially if you want to see the master at work.The chef uses a mix of sesame and cottonseed oils and the batter is used sparingly. You’ll start with a seasonal soup including seared scallop with wheat cake, before having some beautifully arranged sashimi. Then, the main event begins in the traditional way with crispy shrimp legs. Dishes turned out of this kitchen usually vary according to the seasons, but could include the likes of wonderfully tender squid, succulent Hokkaido scallop, tender cauliflower, as well as snow crab wrapped in shiso leaf. Be sure to end with tencha, with its mellow and deeply flavorful broth.

Unique Things

From Visitor Experiences

1. Exclusive Omakase Tempura Experience Featuring Rare Ingredients
Tempura Matsui offers a unique tempura omakase menu where diners can try unconventional items such as fish head, fish bones, and urchin, which are rarely found in typical tempura restaurants.

2. Authentic Tokyo-Style Tempura with Ultra-Thin Batter
The restaurant is helmed by Master tempura chef Masao Matsui, who spent over 40 years in Japan perfecting his craft. His signature is an exceptionally thin tempura batter that just lightly coats the seafood or vegetables, allowing the natural flavors to shine through.

3. Intimate Setting Designed to Emulate a Japanese Cottage with Chef’s Counter
The dining space is designed to resemble a Japanese cottage, creating an intimate atmosphere with only 19 seats, including a counter where guests can watch the chefs prepare and fry each tempura piece live, enhancing the dining experience.

Ingredient Stars

From Visitor Experiences

Shrimp: Often served as one of the first tempura items, showcasing the chef's skill in maintaining a light batter without overpowering the fresh ingredients.
Sea Bass and Shiso Leaf-Wrapped Uni: Featured in a sublime tempura course, highlighting the combination of delicate flavors and textures.
Daikon Radish: Used to enhance the dipping sauce made from mirin, soy sauce, and dashi, adding flavor and helping the sauce adhere to the tempura.

Menu & Pricing

Current Offerings & Prices

Set Menus

Matsui Lunch Course
$160 per person
Available Fridays and Saturdays at 12 noon only.
Courses:

Sakizuke: Amuse-bouche
Otsukuri: Today’s sashimi
Tempura: Chef’s selection of seasonal seafood and vegetables
Shokuji: Your choice of Tendon (tempura rice bowl) or Tencha (tempura ochazuke)
Topping: Ikura salmon roe (+$20)
Menu items are subject to change according to seasonality and availability.

Omakase Dinner Course
$295 per person.
Available Tuesday through Saturday with two seatings between 5:30 PM and 8:00 PM.
Description:
Multi-course menu featuring sashimi and a chef’s selection of tempura (seasonal seafood and vegetables), prepared in front of guests at the counter.
No substitutions or vegetarian options available; batter contains dashi (fish stock) and eggs.
Ingredients and courses may change with the seasons.

A La Carte Options

NOT_FOUND

Special Seasonal Menus

NOT_FOUND

Beverages

Yuzu Lemonade Mocktail
$10.
Yuzu juice, lemon juice, syrup, and sparkling water.

Note: There is no evidence of a la carte options or special seasonal menus with published prices. The restaurant primarily offers set lunch and dinner courses at fixed prices. All prices are in USD ($).

Tempura Matsui