Review: Momoya Offers Modern Japanese Cuisine With Unique Sake Pairings in Soho

Off bustling Prince Street on the corner of Mulberry, you’ll find  Momoya SoHo, an uber-chic Japanese restaurant offering sushi specialties and a vast sake selection. 

Inside, the venue is bright and airy with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the busy street. Light woods with pops of teal fill the space which includes an intimate dining room area, sushi counter, and cocktail bar while old-school R&B and hip hop plays over the speakers.

We checked out this location (one of three in the city with other outposts in Chelsea and the Upper West Side) for an Omakase tasting and pairing alongside Beverage Director Leo Lê who provided careful insight into everything on our plate and in our glass. Lê has worked in the industry for the past 15 years studying sake as a sommelier before his current post at Momoya, where he now creates curated wine lists with sake varieties that are both traditional and contemporary. We knew we were in good hands. 

“When I started in the business 21 years ago, there were only 12 Sakes that were relatively well known in New York,” Lê said.  In the past few decades, we have seen exponential growth and now have over 500.”

Each course was paired with two drink options, which Lê says is the way to go so you can see which option works best with the meal. He also explains the proper way to get the most out of your tasting is with something he describes as the “Oreo” effect. Here, you sample one drink offering then take a bite of food before trying the drink again to see how it changes on the palate. Interestingly enough, while the palate changed significantly with the wine options, it did not with sake. This Japanese rice wine kept its flavors after each bite which Lê explains is why sake is such a good pairing for just about anything.

As for food, thanks to Executive Sushi Chef Subhash Gurung and Executive Kitchen Chef Tetsuya Okuda, we started with Kumamoto Oysters perfectly placed in a ponzu spicy grated daikon paired with both the Gosset “Grand Reserve” Champagne Brut and the Ohmine, “Winter’s Arrival” Unclassified Nama Nigori.

We moved onto a variety of other pairings throughout the evening, including Sesame Tofu Agedashi (Japanese hot tofu made-in-house and the most tender you'll ever taste) with Tedorigawa “Iki Na Onna,” Daiginjo and Tedorigawa “U” Yamahai Junmai along with Nigiri made with Kinmedai, Nodoguro, Kasugodai, Uni, Chutoro complemented by Aruga “Branco Pipa” Yamanashi and Isojiman “Omachi” Tokubetsu Junmai.

Later, we were treated to dessert created by Executive Pastry Chef Allen Cheung which included the gorgeous Jasmine Tea Brûlée and Mille-Feuille Aux Banana paired with Arnaud de Villeneuve Riversales Ambre 1988 and Hanahato 8 Years Aged Kijoshu.

Momoya has a lot to offer. Besides incredible food and ambiance, it is known for its vast drink selection, which we were lucky to sample our way through. It is the first restaurant in the country to serve Aruga wines, a brand of Koshu wines that comes from Japan’s wine country while its other wine offerings are mainly from France. Lê’s mission is to encourage guests to try wines and sakes that are lesser known to help expose modern offerings that you can’t get elsewhere. Since many of these selections are Japanese-made they coincide well with the Japanese food which is offered at Momoya too, making for a unique and pleasurable experience all around. 

Momoya SoHo is located at 47 Prince St, New York, NY 10012. For menus, hours of operation, and contact, please visit https://momoyanyc.com/soho.html or call (646) 429-9315.

(Photo Credit: Carissa Chesanek)

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