By Aya Ota
In a corner of the busy Midtown East District, you will find a heavy dignified looking door with a family crest design. As soon as you step into the space behind the door, the crisp air is felt like from another world. It is “MIFUNE New York” opened in the summer of 2017 as the first US restaurant by Tokyo Restaurant Factory Inc., which has established 40 restaurants in Japan, most of them serving high-end Japanese cuisine.
“While introducing the Japan quality, I would like to make a lot of Japan fans all over the world,” so told Mr. Hiroyuki Morishima, General Manager/Overseas Business Division Chief of the restaurant, about their mission. The name of the restaurant was taken from Toshiro Mifune, a prominent Japanese actor, who was known as “Mifune of the World”. The name was chosen as such that deserves to represent Japan, and carry the responsibility to go to the world. The company has a deep connection to the Mifune Production, and Toshiro Mifune himself was once passionately involved in restaurant related businesses. So, the name also holds an intension to inherit Toshiro Mifune’s old dream, and also to reintroduce his greatness.
As the name suggests, the consistent natural style and modern and international sense of Japan co-exist in “MIFUNE New York”.
While holding values of traditional Japanese cuisine, their dishes are combined with French cuisine techniques, which made them so unique that you cannot experience anywhere else. The menu was created by Hiroki Yoshitake, owner/chef of “Sola”, a Michelin starred Paris restaurant. The New York kitchen is led by Yuu Shimano, a strong-skilled executive chef, who has the experience of displaying his skills in a Michelin 3-starred restaurant in Paris. Their dishes, using plentiful local seasonal ingredients, are presented beautifully and delicately on plates made by Japanese craftsmanship, and they are picturesque, colorful and elegant, and so breath-taking that they make you leak a sigh. You see no sign of compromise from any of those dishes which are created one by one so diligently. I would really like you to try their original signature cocktails, too. They were created by a bartender, Shingo Gokan who is a winner of the World’s Cocktail Championship, and entertain you with their names taken from the films in which Toshiro Mifune starred in, and the ingredients using Japanese foods and sake. They also have “sushi AMANE” hidden in the basement, which has only 8 seats, and serves omakase-style sushi. The chef, Uino Shion, is a young elite from “Sushi Saito”, a prominent 3 consecutive Michelin 3-star winning restaurant in Tokyo. “sushi AMANE” has become a legend in no time by winning a Michelin star only 3 months after its opening, which was the fastest in New York.
“MIFUNE New York”——you may say that it is a stage where Japanese proud young talents compete.
“I wanted to make it in New York where people of diverse races and cultural backgrounds live and lead the trends, and only true things can survive,” says Mr. Moriyama as the reason for choosing New York for their first restaurant in the US. At the beginning, doing business in New York was much harder than he expected. However, they have surely been increasing the number of customers including repeaters as they have improved the menu and services flexibly since opening while they carefully observe the customer reactions. Due to its high-end ambience and price setting, people tend to use it for special occasions such as anniversaries, so their current issue is how to have more people come and use it more casually. There is a counter space near the entrance, a dining space with an open feel with a high ceiling, and private room-like divided table section in the basement, which should allow you to enjoy in various situations such as dating, group dining, entertaining guests, etc. They also wish to appeal to a wider range of people by planning a cocktail paring event with Shingo Gokan, expanding seasonal menus etc.
Mr. Morishima continues, “I want MIFUNE New York to be not only a restaurant, but also a place where people who gather there realize their dreams. I will be happy if we can motivate such a thing.” Mr. Morishima used to work in a different industry. He himself is one of those who keep trying to realize his dreams. I was surprised to know that he is already planning to open a yakitori restaurant this spring in the West Village District. I want to keep my eyes open for the Japan quality this company keeps sending out to the world.
日本が誇るジャパン・クオリティを世界に向けて発信
賑やかなミッドタウンイースト地区の一角、家紋をあしらった重厚感ある扉を押して足を踏み入れると、一瞬にして別世界に入り込んだような凜とした空気が流れる。『MIFUNE New York』——高級和食店を中心に日本国内で約40店舗を展開する『東京レストランツファクトリー株式会社』の北米進出第一号店として、2017年夏に開店した店だ。
「世界に向けてジャパン・クオリティを発信し、日本ファンを作りたい」と、同社のミッションを語るのは、同店ジェネラルマネジャー兼海外事業部責任者を務める森嶋博之氏。店名は、“世界のミフネ”と呼ばれた俳優の三船敏郎氏から取ったもの。世界進出にあたり、日本を代表し日本を背負っていくのにふさわしい名前として選んだ。同社は三船プロダクションと深い縁があり、三船敏郎氏もかつて飲食ビジネスに情熱を注いでいたこともあり、「三船敏郎氏の夢を受け継ぎ、偉大さを伝えたい」という意図も込められている。
『MIFUNE New York』には、その店名が語る通り、一本筋の通った日本らしさとモダンな国際感覚が共存している。
料理は、和食の伝統を重んじつつも、フランス料理の技法を取り入れた、他では味わうことのできない独創的な内容。ミシュラン星を獲得したパリのレストラン『Sola』のオーナーシェフとして活躍する吉武広樹氏が創り上げたメニューだ。
ニューヨークの厨房を仕切るのはエグゼクティブ・シェフの島野雄氏。パリのミシュラン三つ星レストランで腕を振るった実績を持つ実力派だ。四季折々の地元食材をふんだんに使い、陶芸作家による美しい和食器に、繊細に盛り付けられた料理の数々……絵画のような色彩感覚と優雅さに、感嘆のため息が漏れる。一品一品、丁寧に作り込まれた皿からは、一切の妥協を感じない。同店オリジナルのシグネチャー・カクテルもぜひ試してほしい。カクテル世界大会優勝者のバーテンダー、後閑信吾氏が考案したもので、三船敏郎氏が出演した映画にちなんだネーミングと、和食材や酒を使った内容で楽しませてくれる。そして、地下には隠れ家のようにひっそりと、8席のみでおまかせ寿司を提供する『sushi AMANE』が存在する。シェフの宇井野詩音氏は、8年連続ミシュラン三つ星を獲得する東京の名店『鮨 さいとう』から抜擢された若き精鋭。『sushi AMANE』はニューヨーク・ミシュラン史上最速、開店後3カ月で星を獲得し、瞬く間に伝説を打ち立てた。
『MIFUNE New York』——ここは、日本が誇る若い才能が競演する舞台のような存在なのかもしれない。
「さまざまな民族・文化的背景のある人々が住み、流行の最先端を行くニューヨーク。本物だけが生き残れるこの街で挑戦したい」と、森嶋氏は、北米進出第一号店としてニューヨークを選んだ理由を話す。ニューヨークでのビジネスは、当初想像していた以上に厳しいものだった。しかし、開店以来、来客の反応を見ながら、メニューやサービスを柔軟に改善し、着実に集客数を伸ばしリピーターも増えているという。同店の雰囲気や価格から、記念日など特別な機会に利用される傾向が高いというが、今後は、もっと気軽に使ってもらうことが課題だ。同店の入口付近にはカウンター、奥には天井が高い開放的なダイニング、地下には個室風に仕切られたテーブル席があり、デートから仲間との食事会、接待まで多くのシチュエーションで楽しめる。今後、後閑晋吾氏とのカクテル・ペアリング・イベントなども企画し、季節のメニューを拡充するなどして、さらに幅広い層を取り込んでいきたいと考えている。
「MIFUNE New Yorkはレストランでありながらも、集まった人々が夢を実現させる場所でありたい。そして、その原動力になれるとうれしい」と森嶋氏は続ける。森嶋氏自身も全くの異業種から転職し、夢に向けて挑戦し続ける一人でもある。そして、もうすでに、この春にはウェストビレッジ地区に焼き鳥店を出店予定だというので驚きだ。同社が世界に発信するジャパン・クオリティ、これからも注目していきたい。
MIFUNE New York
245 E 44th Street
New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212-986-2800（MIFUNE New York）／212−986−5300（sushi AMANE）
https://www.mifune-restaurant.com/
Lunch: Mon – Fri 11:30am – 2:30pm
Dinner: Mon – Sat 6:00pm – 11:30pm
