Did this: Matsutake feast @ Zenshu

By Mari Taketa
Nonstop

Days grow short, winds blow chill, and under special pine trees in climes cooler than ours, matsutake mushrooms begin to appear.

So what, you say? Why all the hype, why the beaucoup bucks? A shroom is a shroom, after all, it’s a fungus.

Not so fast, grasshopper. To the poetic and sentimental Japanese, matsutake is the edible herald of autumn. They’ll shave little bits into soup and breathe in the fragrance, bathe bits in batter and fry them tempura-style, savoring every whiff and every taste, because in Japan, this mushroom sells for up to $90 a pound.

So when Marukai throws a one-time feast in its honor, pairing its own sakes with each of five courses featuring the matsutake, there’s only one thing to say: Hai!