Courtesy: Hilton West Palm Beach
Sure, there are omakase dinners. Sure, there are beer pairings. But rarely – if ever – do we see the two collide quite like this around these parts. MICHELIN-selected sushi fave Moody Tongue at Hilton West Palm Beach is rolling out a new 13-course fall omakase with a curated beer pairing.
For $185 (plus $75 for the beer pairing), guests may indulge in a culinary-meets-brewery experience. The restaurant – helmed by Executive Chef Hiromi Iwakiri and co-founder/brewmaster Jared Rouben – offers seatings Thursday through Saturday nights at 6, 7:30, and 8:30 p.m., with an abbreviated eight-course version ($95 plus $45 for the brewskis) available at 5 p.m.
Moody Tongue, which has earned stars in the Chicago MICHELIN Guide four years running, brings its elevated yet approachable “culinary brewing” philosophy to Palm Beach County. The vibe? Think minimalist sushi counter infused with a Midwest craft beer heart clean lines.
“The change to the fall season always gives us a fun excuse to find inspiration in late summer produce to evolve both our beer and omakase menus,” Rouben tells Browardist. “We’re introducing new pairings like our Hokkaido Scallop Hand Roll, made with chives, bacon fat potato skin crumble, and wasabi, paired with our Allstar Peach Wild Ale.”
That ale - a lambic-style beer with hints of Chardonnay – is brewed with Allstar peaches from Mick Klug Farm in St. Joseph, Michigan. “We’re always thinking about how our ingredients connect,” adds Rouben. “A great beer should make you feel something the same way a great bite does.”
Other standouts include Hamachi topped with miso mole sauce, sesame seeds and micro cilantro, served alongside the Cherry Oud Bruin brewed with Balaton cherries from the same Michigan farm. The menu also includes luxuries like king crab gunkan with trout roe and otoro with cherry niçoise and shiso.
Dessert brings a tiramisu with mascarpone, matcha and cocoa paired with a 2022 Bourbon Barrel Aged Gingerbread Imperial Stout. It’s an indulgent finale Rouben calls “notes of gingerbread cookies dipped in bourbon chocolate espresso.”
For locals willing to make the drive north, consider this your Worth Traveling For moment (just save room for dessert).
Moody Tongue Sushi is located at Hilton West Palm Beach, 600 Okeechobee Blvd. Reservations via OpenTable. More at moodytongue.com.
