Redeemed Masu

A few months back I did a review of Masu as it was opening its doors.  While I tried to make it a positive review, several of my readers (I know, I was also surprised to learn I had several readers), read between the lines and came back to me with comments such us: "so... you didn't like the place, right?"  Indeed I was not impressed, but I wanted to like them badly being so close to home.

Last Monday, a few friends and I went for a new visit to Masu on our way to Jazz Central (which btw, just posted a few pictures on their website taken by yours truly).

I started with a Miso soup.  I was feeling a tad tired from a full day at work and thought its warmth would be comforting.  It was.  The soup came promptly and had good appearance and taste.  The soup was good, but miso soup is not particularly difficult.  As long as it is not salty and dis not come from an envelope with freeze dried tofu, it will probably be OK.  The true test would come with the entree.

 Mau specializes in Sushi and Robata.  Robata are small dishes (almost tapas style) that are skewered and grilled in a hibachi sort of contraption.  I didn't know it then, but in our trip to Japan, Sharon and I visited a Robata restaurant in Kyoto where we had a great meal and tried the grilled rice balls (Masu's version pictured at right), that were served as a side dish. 

For the entree I chose one of their Teishoku (set meals).  This is sort of like a bento box without the box.   At $20 a pop, it seems like a good deal.  Mine included Pork Katsu, Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura, 3 Sashimi, Zucchini Robata and Yaki Onigiri.  I found the pork to be a tad on the dry side (perhaps overcooked), but the sashimi was fresh, the tempura well down and not greasy in the least.  My Zucchini Robata was rather simple.  Terry and Maureen's, who ordered the one with asparagus looked much better.  They ordered the salmon Teishoku, of which I had a taste and was pleasantly surprised by its freshness and perfect temperature.  The center was juicy and cooked to perfection.  

All and all Masu is not my favorite place to have Japanese, but it is definitely a good spot to try something beyond sushi and noodles in the Twin Cities.  I's give them three and a half stars out of five.  Had I eaten the salmon and asparagus, they might have taken four.