Michael for the win!
We visited BarMasa (finally) after many years of staying at Aria and just never giving it a chance, and now that we have tried it - we cannot wait to go back!
The restaurant is huge, and to be honest, the concept is a little confusing. You have to decide which side of the restaurant you want to sit on (BarMasa vs. Tetsu), so if you want sushi, go with BarMasa (but menus for either are available at both restaurants)...and if you do, ask for Michael's section!!!! He is the reason for this review, and the main reason we want to go back to this restaurant. From the moment he greeted us, we liked him, and by the end of the meal, we were following him on Instagram. We let him guide us through the menu, and were not disappointed. He introduced us to some new, exciting flavors & ingredients, as well as some excellent 'secret' sauces that are not on the menu. His service, and his personality really elevated our dining experience and lifted our spirits for the rest of the trip.
I wish I could remember all of the delicious things we tried...but I was truly so caught up in enjoying the experience, I completely lost track of everything we ate! BUT - I do know that we had a raw hamachi dish that was wonderful, and a chicken satay dish from the Tepanyaki side of the menu that my husband said was some of the best chicken he has ever had (with one of those signature/special sauces along with the regular sauce), but other than that, it's all just a happy memory of good food and good conversation, and I know we'll be back!
Cheers! Ask for Michael!!