Matsu
Fine dining restaurant · Oceanside
626 S Tremont St, Oceanside, CA 92054
Highlights
Refined Japanese tasting menus & specialty cocktails
Refined Japanese tasting menus & specialty cocktails
"Matsu does a 10-course, three-hour-long Japanese tasting menu in a space so intimate that the food gets the spotlight it deserves—literally. There are only 14 lights in the dining room, which are above the 14 wooden tables, making each course feel like it’s getting up on stage to audition for the role of “Your Favorite Part Of The Meal.” The menu changes with the season, but might include grilled, all-cabbage gyoza with caviar, braised sunflower and cuttlefish, and house tempura-battered ebi. This is the type of place where each tiny course comes with a fresh plate and maybe a custom-made knife, and the service attentively explains dishes without being annoying. They also do an a la carte menu at the bar, where you can chat with the bartender while sipping wines from Valle de Guadalupe." - Team Infatuation
"Matsu does a 10-course, three-hour-long Japanese tasting menu in a space so intimate that the food gets the spotlight it deserves—literally. There are only 14 lights in the dining room, which are above the 14 wooden tables, making each course feel like it’s getting up on stage to audition for the role of “Your Favorite Part Of The Meal.” The menu changes with the season, but some recent standouts were the grilled, all-cabbage gyoza with caviar, braised sunflower and cuttlefish, and house tempura-battered ebi. This is the type of place where each tiny course comes with a fresh plate and maybe a custom-made knife, and the service attentively explains dishes without being annoying. They also do an a la carte menu at the bar, where you can chat with the bartender while sipping wines from Valle de Guadalupe." - ligaya malones, candice woo
"Matsu does a 10-course, three-hour-long Japanese tasting menu in a space so intimate that the food gets the spotlight it deserves—literally. There are only 14 lights in the dining room, which are above the 14 wooden tables, making each course feel like it’s getting up on stage to audition for the role of “Your Favorite Part Of The Meal.” The menu changes with the season, but some recent standouts were the grilled, all-cabbage gyoza with caviar, braised sunflower and cuttlefish, and house tempura-battered ebi. This is the type of place where each tiny course comes with a fresh plate and maybe a custom-made knife, and the service attentively explains dishes without being annoying. They also do an a la carte menu at the bar, where you can chat with the bartender while sipping wines from Valle de Guadalupe." - ligaya malones
"A core institution in the Oceanside fine dining scene, chef William Eick commands a Japanese omakase tasting menu with 10 courses, showcasing seafood, seasonal vegetables, premium meats, and dessert. For a splurge, upgrade to the A5 Wagyu add-on for $55, or opt for the a la carte menu for something more customized. The range of dishes can include tuna, wagyu, and miso in deceptively simple preparations that highlight the main ingredients and strive for a zero-waste ethos. One highlight is the sunflower, ika, rayu — an intricate plate using the entire sunflower plant and cuttlefish, presented like a cuttlefish burrito and dusted with dehydrated sunflower leaf. Also, try the oak-grilled sablefish, prepared with a technique that puffs the fish’s scales out like a pinecone. Look for special events like chef and Japanese sake collaborations. Know before you go: A warm place for a celebration with a special date or close friends when you want to hear each other’s conversations." - Candice Woo
"Chef William Eick commands an omakase tasting menu with options for six or 10 courses, showcasing bright seasonal ingredients. The range of dishes can include tuna, wagyu, and miso in deceptively simple preparations that highlight the main ingredients. Walk-ins can find a seat at the bar for a la carte items like cuttlefish and duck." - Helen I. Hwang
