PHOTOS BY LINDSEY MURAOKA / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Chef Nick Pugay, left, and Sushi Chef Jon Tamashiro.
BY LINDSEY MURAOKA / Special to the Star-Advertiser
M Nightclub recently went through some culinary changes and now has a new chef and updated menu. Chef Nick Pugay, formerly of Pearl Ultralounge, is now in the kitchen at the Waterfront Plaza nightspot.
When people think of places to go for happy hour, they don’t usually think of going to a nightclub, but from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, the M is transformed into a lounge. It’s a casual place to relax after long day at work.
One of their new seafood items is the Magurozuke ($12 for 5 pieces) with thick and succulent pieces of ahi.
This is their Hamachi truffle salad ($12). The hamachi and the light truffle oil pairs nicely together with the baby shiso leaves. Sometimes truffle oil can overpower a dish but I was still able to taste the fresh pieces of fish.
My favorite non seafood dish was the juicy herb chicken ($12) stuffed with creamy Boursin cheese, mashed potatoes and tender oyster mushrooms. The next time I go back I’m ordering this dish all for myself!
The pork belly buns are a must order ($8 for 3 pieces). They are tender, easy to eat, and go great with drinks. They are also stuffed with tons of cilantro which I love.
Of course all bars have to have their version of sliders. This is M’s version made with Wagyu beef ($8 for 3 sliders).
This colorful roll is the love child of a spicy tuna and a shrimp dynamite roll ($12) I’m not a fan of cream cheese with sushi but I enjoyed the seared and lightly torched shrimp on the top.
The beautiful sashimi platter ($32 for the small size) is a delicious as it looks. Surprisingly my favorite was the pieces of ika and I usually don’t like ika. But it was very fresh, tasted like it just came straight from the ocean, and was topped with the most delicious uni salt. The umami flavor of the uni salt just lingers blissfully in your mouth. I would put that salt on top everything!
For more information, check out M Nightclub’s website.
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Lindsey Muraoka blogs about food and drink for the Pulse. Contact her on Twitter or via email at foodlalablog@gmail.com.