Chef Willam Eick’s elevated, modern Japanese restaurant concept, Matsu, is now offering a 6-course tasting menu available during the summer months.

Matsu, which initially started as a pop-up restaurant featuring a Japanese tasting menu for one table per night, expanded to its permanent standalone location in September 2021.

Immersed in the intimate, 48-seat space, guests can indulge in Matsu’s menu, which artfully combines the rich traditions and refined techniques of Japanese cuisine, including the art of simmering and steaming, with the terroir of Southern California.

For $95 per person, the abbreviated addition allows guests to enjoy the same level of service and omakase experience as the traditional 10-course menu within a shorter time frame.

The tasting menu can be optionally paired with sakes and wines from Wine Director Chaos Rexilius. Chef William utilizes the seasonal bounty from the area’s local farms, as well as products directly imported from Japan.

Highlights from the Matsu tasting menu

Each dish showcases the bounty of what swims, grows, or has been raised in the region.

Sunflower, a study on the entire sunflower plant, cooked four different ways and with three different preparations of sumi ika (cuttlefish) / Reisling | Schafer Frohlich | Kabinett | Felseneck | 2020

Koji Duck Breast from Maple Leaf Farms finished with a carrot dashi poured tableside / Blanc de Malbec | Tres Raices | Guanajuato, Mexico | 2022

Wagyu supplement →  fork-tender A5 Wagyu beef from Oita Prefecture, served with onions, wasabi and sukiyaki / Cabernet Sauvignon | Caymus | Napa Valley | 2020

Caramelized white chocolate from Valrhona with Hokkaido milk powder, blonde miso ice cream and seasonal fruit – currently utilizing strawberries / Uka Sparkling | Niki Shuzo | Gifu | Koda Farms | Nigori | Junmai Daiginjo

Don’t miss the experience

At Matsu, the dining experience is ever-evolving, ensuring that no two visits are identical. The menu undergoes small changes on a weekly basis, while larger plates are refreshed on a monthly basis.

Reservations for the new 6-course, Matsu tasting menu can be made here.

Matsu is located at 626 S Tremont St, Oceanside, CA 92054.

See you there, San Diego!