Celebrating sushi at Makoto Vail

Step into Makoto Vail at The Grand Hyatt Vail, and find yourself in a contemporary celebration of Japanese aesthetics and Vail’s definitive mountainside allure. From an enclosed terrace above Gore Creek to the sushi bar stacked with busy, efficient sushi chefs, there is not a bad seat in the house.

“It was a great opening year,” said Makoto General Manager Rodrigo Santillan, enthusiastically. “We are ready to rumble and are very excited to experience our first snow season. We feel so privileged that we are one of the best locations in all of Vail, in terms of the atmosphere and ambiance.”

Makoto Vail is the newest creation from award-winning chef Makoto Okuwa. Originally known for his work with Chef Masaharu Morimoto on “Iron Chef,” he is a master of Edomae-style sushi, rooted in traditional Japanese cooking but with the sort of flourishes and reinterpretations that a master brings to his art. His restaurants span the globe, but Makoto Vail marks his first foray into Colorado. And while many of his ingredients come from Japan, you might see some playful garnishes like pine needles taken from the trees right outside.

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The beverage program is the result of extensive sourcing, built on hard-to-get bottles.

“We have 75 Japanese whiskies and 60% of those bottles are limited editions.” Makoto General Manager Rodrigo Santillan

“We have 75 Japanese whiskies and 60% of those bottles are limited editions,” Santillan explained. “There are so many options you can have here that you can’t get anywhere else. We’ve been working so hard to get our cocktail program going, using Japanese ingredients.”

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The menu is written with a restrained hand, perhaps to keep from overwhelming diners as they sift through the sheer abundance of options. Starters such as seared shishitos get a hit of spicy umami with Szechuan bonito flakes, while the crispy tuna rice is a textural dream thanks to the interplay between the tuna mousse and the crisp rice.

Salads and other raw options beckon — especially the Hamachi Ponzu with cilantro, Toro Tartare speckled with cherry-blossom salt and the Fire and Oysters. But it is the deep selection of sushi, sashimi, hosomaki and uramaki that will give you pause, as you calculate exactly how many options you should order. To that end, if you’re with a group, go straight to “the snowboard.” A custom sushi board, set with a chef’s selection of nigiri, sashimi and maki.

“It’s set for six people, but we can expand it up to 10,” Santillan said. The mix-and-match display makes for a festive way to share with friends, Makoto chefs intuitively drawing from a wide palette of colors, textures and flavors to make each bite sing.

And while the fish gets all the love in most sushi restaurants, true aficionados will tell you it’s actually all about the rice. Which is why at Makoto, they make it in small batches all throughout dinner service, ensuring the right amount of sticky plumpness in each grain.

“One of the things that sets us apart from other Japanese restaurants is our hot foods,” shared Santillan. “We have five different steaks that are aged with koji butter or seaweed.”

Kombo-Cured Wagyu Filet, Koji Butter Dry-Aged NY Wagyu Strip and a Wagyu 30-Day Dry-Aged Tomahawk are stunning options for anyone wanting to celebrate Japan’s long-standing commitment to the highest quality beef.

Not ready for a whole steak? Try the Wagyu Beef Hot Stone, slices of steak you cook on a piping hot stone on your table. And then let your attention wander to the Miso Wild Alaskan Sable Fish, buttery and sweet with its sexy miso marinade cut by the zing of pickled turnip.

Desserts round out the menu, with such fanciful creations as the Flaming Death Star with black sesame chocolate cream, green tea marshmallow, sake dark chocolate and rum flambé, or perhaps a return to the whisky list to gild the lily.

And this season, Makoto is offering bookable experiences such as sake tasting and sushi rolling classes. Inquire at the restaurant for more information.