Masu Sushi & Robata

Rating:

The Twins should be so lucky to have an opening lineup as starry as the one at Masu Sushi & Robata.

Let's start with the money. The cash behind this game-changing Japanese restaurant is Nay Hla, owner of Eagan-based Sushi Avenue, which supplies sushi to supermarkets, colleges and corporate campuses. That kind of volume translates into ultra-pristine fish and competitive prices, the two friends of sushi lovers everywhere.

For his first foray into restaurants, Hla did his homework. He wisely lured longtime Origami chef Katsuyuki (A-san) Yamamoto to oversee sushi operations. The effort has paid off, because Yamamoto and his crew are turning out some of the most artful nigiri, sashimi and makizushi in the Twin Cities. Even the most ordinary of selections is touched with go-the-extra-mile flourishes. It's so pretty that Masu probably boasts more Flickr images per capita than any other local restaurant.

But what really sets Masu apart from its formulaic brethren is Hla's other hire, consulting chef Tim McKee. Is there anything this guy can't do? In the past decade, McKee has ventured beyond the Mediterranean platform of his high-end La Belle Vie and applied his considerable creative force to an increasingly eclectic mix of cuisines. In many ways, Masu is the farthest from McKee's comfort zone, although if he's feeling any anxiety about his inaugural venture into Asian flavors and traditions, it's not apparent.

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