Masa started working as a food runner at Tableaux in Tokyo in 2001, he dove head-first into the world of fine dining, working closely with restaurateur Hiro Shinkawa. Seven years later, he moved to New York where he met Naren Young who helped him land a bar manager position at Saxon + Parole, where he stayed for another seven years. During his tenure there, the bar team racked up numerous titles including “World’s Best Restaurant Bar” from Tales of the Cocktail in 2013.
Urushido left his longtime post at Saxon + Parole and, with partners James Tune and Greg Boehm, opened his own West Village bar, Katana Kitten, which has quickly garnered industry-wide acclaim. Now nr 10 on 50Best bars.
At Katana each drink should easily convey its “simplicity and deliciousness” just by the description on the menu—which, at Katana Kitten, is pared down to five highballs, five signature cocktails and five boilermakers. In stark contrast to the expected formality of a Japanese-style cocktail bar, the menu, with drinks like the Midori-Iaced Lemon-Lime, showcases a playfulness that carries over to the rest of the bar’s atmosphere.