Masu
Auckland - New Zealand
The exciting Japanese robata restaurant and bar located at the SkyCity Grand Hotel. Masu is named after the Japanese symbol for prosperity and good fortune. Masu boxes have been in use for 1300 years and traditionally the square container was used to ration rice when it was a form of currency.
For the Japanese people. the Masu was as valuable and important as the rice it contained and this tradition remains an essential part of their lives.
Today, the Masu has become widely used as a vessel for serving sake as web as a symbol of good fortune and abundance. Masu brings atmosphere, passion and a contemporary twist to the traditional robata style of cooking over an open charcoal grill.
Housed in what was previously the open foyer and bar space of the Grand Hotel in Federal St. guests are greeted at the huge glass doors and guided gently to where they will be most comfortable
Their philosophy is simple — use fresh local ingredients, enhance the natural flavors of each dish and let the food speak for itself. This pure approach to cuisine is reflected in clean and natural decor. Add to this a lively, informal atmosphere and you have a beautifully bold and dramatically different style of Japanese dining in the heart of Auckland.
Masu is full of such thoughtful details. Above the entrance they has hung Shinto-inspired wooden ems boards. inscribed with the prayers and wishes of those who worked on the Masu project. In the semi-private dining room, a wall is decorated with vividly colored silk obi belts, spoils from a recent trip to Japan.
Designed Moller Architects, the room manages to be both upscale and earthy. They have employed natural tactile of Suar finishes including earth walls, handmade Japanese washi paper, natural-edged granite and solid slabs of Suar wood. It’s about allowing the natural beauty of the materials to shine in their own right, just as the cuisine gives full expression to each of the ingredients in each of our dishes.