Finicky food is the trend, a micro touch to add an herb, or another delicate flavor. The touch of the chef becomes obvious and the photos speak for themselves. When a chef sees, and or thinks of a new idea, it can become one of his signature dishes, part of his public repertoire, a win-win or something that fades away.

One of the signature dishes (pictured below) was his cauliflower course and it’s right on. Sliced raw and very thinly, it’s buried below calamari scored and quickly blanched. I thought it was much less interesting than the onion and chorizo sliced between the onions petals. This dish is very simple yet delicious.

The sea urchin was combined with smoked fish, and I thought this dish lacked the sensitivity. The smokiness dominated the dish and the sea urchin was almost vacant.

The monk fish is rainbow fresh, it doesn’t get better and the mushrooms in season gave it perfect context.

The hare was served with quince and chocolate and it was a “little too sparse” but more could have been too much. The portions were perfect and the dinner was smooth and seamless. In this case, this chef keeps gets it, he keeps it simple and to the point. The cuisine at Passage 53 is simply put superb.

The light in the restaurant is perfect and the white background matches chef Shinichi Sato, clean and elegant. The service is excellent and friendly and this small restaurant has only a handful of tables, a two star Michelin and it’s definitely worth the wait.