Megu: The Yasoumichi Morita-designed lounge above Chef Koji Imai’s upscale yet friendly, modern Japanese restaurant is all luxurious class, sans snob factor. Breeze past a sheer red curtain into a room of signature red walls and installation displays of priceless kimono fabric rolls, also used on the ceiling. The signature drink, Koji Imai, with the chef’s original Japanese Calpico, peach liqueur, grapefruit, and fresh muddled kiwi, is a taste bud orgasm. A Midtown Belle—with pear cognac and champagne—honors the brand-new Megu location in Trump Tower. The menu offers food not available in the main dining room, like the chicken pizza ($12, serves two), and the unsurpassable sautéed sweet shrimp in Kanzuri cream sauce. A window towards the back looks out over the restaurant, granting a peek at the famous ice Buddha, re-created daily by Okamoto & Son Studios in Astoria. Have one giant ice chunk in your cocktail? It’s a Buddha Chip, sliced from the sculpture. |
