"Mr. Moto—the fictional Japanese gourmand behind The Office of Mr. Moto in the East Village— has a more casual “home” in Williamsburg. The Residence replicates some of the same gimmicks that made the Office so popular: it looks like a mid-19th century home with oxford shoes, bow ties, a violin, maps, and an umbrella with a golden handle. photo credit: Kathryn M. Sheldon photo credit: Kathryn M. Sheldon photo credit: The Residence Of Mr. Moto But behind all this window dressing is some pretty high-quality fish, particularly in the form of sashimi or tartare atop their kaisendon, which is the main focus here. (We like ours with a big extra scoop of ikura and uni.) The most fun part is pressing a butler bell for the ochazuke: the rich sea bream broth that’s poured over your rice once you’ve finished the sashimi. The Residence is also less of a commitment than the $215 omakase at The Office. So it’s easier to enjoy with a few friends, whether you like some theatrics with your otherwise casual dinner, or would rather ignore the fake backstory and all the artifacts and just focus on the food. Either way, start with a round of uni shooters and some scallops grilled with bacon that have a devils-on-horseback vibe. Food Rundown photo credit: Britt Lam Uni Shooter Featuring the reproductive organs of three different animals, this uni shooter is worth getting instead of a cocktail. It’s briny and a great intro to the amount of uni and ikura you’re going to be eating later in your meal. photo credit: Will Hartman Ankimo Ponzu We weren’t huge fans of this dish. While the ankimo is well prepared and had a nice texture, it needed more of that ponzu sauce—the whole thing just felt a bit underseasoned. Chawanmushi We found our chawanmushi a bit wetter than we like, as if some of the moisture had separated from the egg. Still, the flavor is good: savory, with sweet egg. Seared Scallops A good starter option, these little bites of scallop are seared up with bacon and nori and taste like something from a mid-century hors d'oeuvres menu. photo credit: The Residence Of Mr. Moto Kaisendon There are three options and we like the signature best, with tuna tartare, scallops, surf clams, and squid. Eat as much of the tuna as you can before getting your ochazuke pour—the hot broth cooks the raw fish, which ruins the texture. That broth by the way is straw-worthy. Rich, salty, bright, and comforting, we’d sip it any day." - Will Hartman
