[Shanghai] Maison Asano 浅野府 (2)

Maison Asano 浅野府 | Dianping
Address: 巨鹿路318号-2(近茂名南路) – 318-2 Julu Lu near Maoming Lu (卢湾区 Luwan District)    
Date visited: June 2015 for dinner
Price: omakase set RMB888/RMB1,380; sukiyaki set RMB488 (+10% service charge)
Will return: Yes

This review was written in collaboration with That’s Shanghai

I don’t get to eat as much sushi as I would like to in Shanghai primarily because the quality just isn’t there. And the few places that are good — they are expensive. Maison Asano is one of those places. They get all their fish flown in from Japan — cost is high, price is high. So just once in awhile, I suck it up, empty my wallet and fill my belly with some really expensive fish.

Maison Asano serves two types of sets: omakase and sukiyaki. RMB888 or RMB1,380 gets you an omakase set, which is a series of assorted sushi, sashimi, and small dishes hot and cold based on the chef’s choice and ingredients available for the day. RMB488 gets you a sukiyaki (Japanese hotpot) set with Wagyu beef and assorted vegetables on the side. I don’t usually like to eat hotpot but anyone can make an exception for ultra-marbled Wagyu beef sukiyaki.

You must make a reservation at least one day ahead of time at Maison Asano. Real talk, while most people aren’t lining up to pay nearly a grand per person for a meal, the reservation rule is mostly to help Chef Liam plan how many people to expect and prepare ingredients accordingly. I usually like to sit at the bar and ignore my dinner companions and watch Chef Liam prepare the food he is going to feed me with. If you like to be more social, there are normal tables and a private room available if you actually want to talk to your friends.

Sukiyaki set (RMB488 per person) with Wagyu beef and vegetables
Recommend: yes
The most melt-in-my-mouth Wagyu beef to touch my tongue. Here is a portion of the Wagyu beef, which is super marbled and thinly sliced to be simmered in a sweet and savory broth made from soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. After it cooks (you can leave it partially pink or cook it all the way), the beef is typically dipped in a raw beaten egg to be eaten.

Omakase set (RMB888 or RMB1,380 per person; RMB888 shown below)
Recommend: yes
Omakase means “I leave to you,” which in this case is Chef Liam so you can tell him any allergies, likes, and dislikes. I usually have just one request that I put in ahead of time — while some people like to have a mix of sushi, sashimi, and other dishes, I ask for mainly raw fish (sashimi and sushi). So what you will see in this post is less cooked dishes and more sashimi and sushi than the usual balance. If you prefer majority cooked dishes over the raw stuff, Kappo Yu (1)(2) or Ochobo is a better fit.

Monkfish liver ankimo mousse, steamed conch, and grilled mullet roe.

Sashimi first:

Nagasaki hirame (olive flounder)

Hokkaido kinmedai (alfonsino/golden eyed snapper)

Hokkaido amaebi (sweet shrimp)

Hokkaido hotate (scallop)

Hokkaido mizu-tako (water octopus)

Hokkaido tsubugai (whelk)

Nagasaki saba (mackerel)

Kyushu otoro (bluefin fatty tuna belly) just melts on the tongue.

French Gillardeau oyster

Moving onto sushi:

Hokkaido shiro ebi (white shrimp)

Hokkaido botan ebi (botan shrimp)

Nagasaki akami (lean bluefin tuna)

Hokkaido aka uni (red sea urchin)

Kyushu otoro (bluefin fatty tuna belly) with marinated melon – my favorite piece of the meal. The marinated melon elevates the fatty tuna flavor to a new dimension.

And just to give you a look into tuna from fatty to lean. The lighter the more fatty, and the darker the more lean.

Kohada (gizzard shad)

Hokkaido anago (saltwater eel)

Wagyu uni don (beef and sea urchin rice bowl) is the most bomb combination. The Wagyu beef is slightly torched and topped with sea urchin — incredible.

Miso shiru (blended red and white miso oriental clam soup)

Handmade sakura (cherry blossom) ice cream

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