Of all the dishes that have come and gone from our menu over the past two decades, our miso-glazed Chilean sea bass has remained an unwavering guest favorite. The reason is simple: the technique is uncompromising. Three full days of marination, hand-brushed glaze, and a final caramelization over high heat. There are no shortcuts, and there never will be.
Why Miso?
Miso paste — fermented soybeans, rice koji, and salt — is one of Japan's most ancient ingredients, dating back over a thousand years. Beyond its umami depth, miso has a quiet superpower: its enzymes break down proteins slowly and gently, tenderizing fish from the inside while infusing it with sweetness. We use a custom blend of white (shiro) miso for its mellow sweetness and a touch of red (aka) for backbone, balanced with sake, mirin, and a small amount of sugar.
The Three-Day Marination
Most kitchens marinate fish for hours. We marinate ours for three full days. On day one, the fillets are patted dry and salted lightly to draw out surface moisture — a technique called shio-jime that concentrates flavor and firms the texture. On day two, they're rinsed, dried again, and laid into a bath of our miso glaze. By day three, the miso has worked its way deep into the flesh, transforming it into something silky and complex.
Why Chilean Sea Bass
Chilean sea bass — properly known as Patagonian toothfish — has an exceptionally high fat content and dense, buttery flesh. Those qualities are what allow it to stand up to three days of curing without falling apart, and what give it that signature melt-in-your-mouth quality when seared. We source ours from sustainable, MSC-certified fisheries.
The Final Sear
The cured fillet is seared on a high-heat grill until the miso caramelizes into a lacquered crust — deep amber, almost black at the edges, sweet and savory all at once. Inside, the fish remains tender and translucent. It's served simply, with a small mound of pickled ginger and a sprig of shiso, because at this point the fish needs nothing else.
You'll find our miso-glazed Chilean sea bass on the grilled section of our menu. It's also a featured course in our multi-course tasting menu. If it's your first time, we recommend pairing it with a glass of junmai daiginjo — the sake's clean rice notes are the perfect counterpoint to the glaze's sweetness.