Sunday, July 19, 2009

NAOE in pictures

I've previously written about NAOE, which was one of my most memorable local dining experiences of the year. I've been back a couple times since and while the choices have changed, the quality was at the same level and the experience just as satisfying. Chef Cory has gotten somewhat more efficient, with only about a 20-30 minute wait for the bento box - though sampling all the nigiri he has to offer will still be a 3-4 hour affair. On my last visit earlier this week I brought a camera; this time I'll let the food do the talking. You can read my description of this meal at South Florida Dine Magazine, and you can see all the pictures on this flickr set.

bento
the bento box.

mutton snapper sashimi
mutton snapper sashimi fresh from Haulover Marina, with an okra-miso sauce.

bento
ankimo & persimmon with shiso leaf; steamed eggplant topped with fresh-water eel; fried citrus-marinated scallop mantle.

iwashi & tofu
iwashi (sardine, from Oregon) over organic tofu steamed in sake and sprinkled with sansho pepper.

rice
portobello mushroom rice topped with koji-zuke daikon pickles.

slicing salmon
Chef Kevin Cory slicing Scottish salmon belly for nigiri.

wasabi
grating fresh wasabi for the nigiri.

salmon belly
brushing the salmon with shoyu.

salmon belly
salmon belly nigiri.

iwana
Chef Cory skinning iwashi (sardine from Oregon).

iwashi
iwashi nigiri with freshly grated ginger.

aoyagi
aoyagi (orange clam) nigiri brushed with orange-flavored shoyu.

shira ebi
shira ebi (tiny white shrimp) nigiri.

uni
uni (sea urchin roe) from Oregon - possibly the best I've ever had.

uni
uni nigiri with freshly grated wasabi over shredded nori.

madai
madai nigiri topped with battera kombu and shiso.

iwana
iwana, shipped fresh from Japan.

sake
sake from Chef Cory's family in Japan, and a view of the kitchen.

NAOE
175 Sunny Isles Boulevard
Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160
305.947.6263

Naoe on Urbanspoon

6 comments:

  1. Thanks for the review. I'm going there ASAP. Looks amazing!

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  2. Stunning photos, Frod. Glad you've gotten over your shyness!

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  3. Great pics! What did the above spread run you?

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  4. Total food cost was about $100. The bento is $26, and then nigiri runs between $2-8 per piece (with 2 pieces per round). Not shown in the pictures are a soup which came with the bento (dashi, flavored with red miso, thickened with organic chicken egg yolk, and studded with junsai); unagi, which chef prepares himself and brushes just before broiling with a house-made sauce; and some melon splashed with rice wine vinegar for dessert.

    The bento is a fantastic bargain; some of the nigiri is expensive, but worth it IMO.

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  5. when you say you previously wrote about NAOE, you should probably elaborate that it was the post that launched a thousand reviews.

    Great Pictures, I can't wait to go back

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