Food News

March 4, 2009

New Restaurant: Mumon Japanese Restaurant

Tokyo has unseated Paris as the "world leader in gourmet dining" according to Michelin Guides, the French bible of gastronomy, while Mumon Japanese Restaurant (1300 Franklin Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530 [516] 747-3388 www.mumonrestaurant.com) brings the world's culinary capital to Garden City. Offering traditional Japanese cuisine with a modern twist, the restaurant opened late-January 2009. Mumon literally stands for owner Kevin Kim's "dream" for a higher standard of cuisine as he aims to satisfy customers who "expect more from Japanese food." Kim, president/CEO of Komolo, Inc., is a prominent seafood distributor to Japanese restaurants on the East Coast. He has enlisted Japanese chefs with over 50 years combined experience including: Executive Sushi Chef Tomoyuki Takasu, whose most recent stint was Morimoto in Philadelphia; Lead Sushi Chef Toshio Hosaka, a 25-year veteran of Genji Restaurant in Philadelphia; Executive Chef Isao Hosokawa, former head chef of Genji Corporation in Manhattan with 25 years experience in Tokyo restaurants; and Culinary Operation Advisor Atsushi Yokota, formerly of Komegashi in New York City.

Offering traditional Japanese cuisine with a modern twist, the restaurant opened late-January 2009. Mumon literally stands for owner Kevin Kim's "dream" for a higher standard of cuisine as he aims to satisfy customers who "expect more from Japanese food." Kim, president/CEO of Komolo Seafood, is a prominent seafood distributer to Japanese restaurants on the East Coast. He has enlisted Japanese chefs with over 50 years combined experience including Executive Chef Atsushi Yokota, formerly of Komegashi in Manhattan, and Executive Sushi Chef Tomoyuki Takasu, whose most recent stint was Morimoto in Philadelphia.

The chic Japanese-inspired space designed by Creme Design of Brooklyn, New York, features vivid red and blue colors from floor to ceiling. Modern wood paneling complements the glossy stone floor and blue ceiling with hanging wood chandeliers. Red lacquer cubes house Asian pottery and vases throughout the restaurant. The main room, which seats up to 120 guests, is furnished with polished tables, long brown leather banquettes and wood benches separated by Japanese-style partitions, and bright red and floral upholstery. The bar and lounge area, which may accommodate up to 40 guests, features bar stools with wicker seats and a white bar top adorned with Japanese maple leaves.

Mumon Japanese Restaurant offers hot and cold appetizers ranging in price from $7 to $25 and entrees from $16 to $33. Starters include: Chicken wings Mumon style, marinated in a special house sauce; Fresh oysters on the half shell with kumamoto or kushi oysters and ponzu sauce; Fatty tuna tartar, lightly seasoned minced raw fatty tuna served with sesame toasted crackers; Pork gyoza, handmade Berkshire pork fried dumplings with soy vinegar dipping sauce. Diners may create their own entree by selecting a main course, sauce and garnishes. Selections include: Salmon, tuna, red snapper, free-range chicken, pork, duck, rib eye steak, filet mignon, eggplant steak or tofu steak; choice of curry, ginger miso, teriyaki, sea salt and lemon, shiso leaf oil, sun dried tomato miso, Fuji apple ponzu or yuzu kosho sauces; and choice of garnishes including Chinese broccoli, asparagus, baby carrots, bok choy, Napa cabbage, onigiri (rice ball) and fried potatoes.

Fresh sushi and sashimi is prepared daily by Mumon's skillfully trained chefs. Prices range from $2 to $15 for rolls, $2 to $10 for sushi and nigiri sashimi, and $20 to $70 for combination platters. Rolls include: "Garden City" with soy sheet, asparagus, avocado, cucumber and carrot; "Mumon," a lobster tempura; Rainbow with tuna, yellow tail, salmon, avocado, and cucumber; Negitoro, a fatty tuna and scallion; and spicy veggie tempura with asparagus and Japanese sweet yam. Sushi selections include: Blue fin toro (tuna), Kinmedai (golden big eye snapper), and Tako (octopus). Aficionados may also feast on Mumon's exotic combination platter, the chef's assortment of exotic fresh sushi and sashimi.

The cocktail list features creative selections including: "Mumon Martini," Svedka Clementine vodka infused with fresh pineapple; "Haiku Jasmine Green Tea Saketini," Gekkeikan Haiku Sake and jasmine green tea; "Lemon Grass Infusion," sake, lemon grass and cucumber; "Pearfectly Sinful," Ciroc Vodka, lemon juice, pear nectar, Grand Marnier and orange bitters; and "White Tiger," Don Julio Blanco Tequila, Soho Lychee Liqueur, and fresh lime juice.

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