Have you ever looked through a menu and thought: Not quite. That sounds good, but without those two ingredients. Or maybe with a little more of this.
What if you could tell the chef what you’re in the mood for— and let yourself be surprised?
Amy Long knows just how you feel.
At Matsumotto Sushi and Grill, her Westminster restaurant, the answer is simple: Trust your sushi chef.
Since opening, the two-year-old Westminster gathering place has developed a devoted following, with some customers regularly traveling considerable distances to dine there. Great food and a welcoming atmosphere are certainly part of the appeal, but Amy believes something else is at work. Much of Matsumotto’s success comes down to consistency— in the food, quality, and service. It’s a standard Amy and her family have emphasized from the beginning, and one she believes distinguishes the restaurant as much as anything on the menu. Whether diners are new to sushi or have been enjoying it for years, Amy and her team want them to feel comfortable asking questions, expressing preferences, and leaving the rest to the chef.
She also wants them to feel at home.
Amy was especially honored when longtime customers Ashley and Jensen Kaye of Northglenn chose Matsumotto for their pre-wedding dinner. They had discovered the restaurant “completely by chance,” they said, and it quickly became one of their favorites. “It meant so much to us that we chose Matsumotto for dinner with our entire family the night before our wedding. They graciously accommodated our large group and made the evening feel incredibly warm, intimate, and memorable.” They added, “You can find great sushi in a lot of places, but it’s much harder to find exceptional food alongside this kind of genuine warmth and hospitality, where the people remember you, welcome you back, and make you feel like you truly matter.” Family is at the heart of Matsumotto.
Amy owns the restaurant with her brother Vinh and father Senh.
Vinh manages the sushi bar and selects the sake and wine. Senh runs the kitchen. And although Amy’s mother, Moi, is retired, she still comes in once a week to check on things and prepare traditional meals for the staff. Then there is the food.
Fresh fish is a given at a high-quality sushi restaurant. What sets Matsumotto apart is Vinh’s worldwide network of purveyors, with selections flown in daily from Japan, Alaska, New Zealand, Scotland, California, and Hawaii.
Once that beautiful fish arrives, the magic begins.
Sushi Chef Florence Tam draws on her 13 years of experience to create the day’s specials and prepare dishes to order, taking into account customer preferences. This is where Matsumotto truly shines.
The Japanese concept of omakase translates as “I’ll leave it up to you.” While Matsumotto does not follow the traditional format, Amy encourages customers to embrace that same spirit: “trust your sushi chef.” And sometimes that surprises people.
On a recent evening, a regular customer sat at the sushi bar, looked over the menu, and seemed ready to try something different. “In this business you have to know how to read people,” says Amy. So, she walked over and started chatting with the woman, who explained that she was craving certain flavors but didn’t see precisely what she wanted on the menu. Could she order something else? "Of course,” Amy told her. “Just tell Chef Florence what flavors you’re looking for and anything you don’t like. Then let her make you something special.” The customer was startled but willing. Florence prepared four unique sashimi dishes. The woman loved them all. On the way out, she stopped to thank Amy. She explained that in most restaurants, if you ask for something even a little different, they act as if you’re being difficult or demanding. From now on, she said, she’ll simply describe the flavors she has in mind and let Chef Florence surprise her. She told Amy that she can’t wait to return for another meal tailored just for her.
That level of trust is exactly what Matsumotto aims to build with every customer. That transformation— a customer coming in ready for something different and leaving delighted by the experience— is one of the great pleasures of owning a restaurant, according to Amy.
Jason and Karin Wojahn describe Matsumotto in much the same way. “Matsumotto is one of those rare places where you can simply trust the chef and enjoy the experience,” they said. “The fish is consistently exceptional, but what keeps us coming back is how personal it feels. Amy and the team treat you like family, and you always leave feeling like you had something special.”
Meghan Stephenson agrees. “The sushi is consistently excellent every time we visit, which is why I have so much trust in the chef,” she remarked. You can tell there is real care, skill, and pride behind every dish. I trust that the ingredients will be fresh and that whatever I order will be thoughtfully prepared and delicious.” And sushi is only part of the story.
Amy cannot recall a time when her father wasn’t in the kitchen. “When we were kids, we’d say we wanted something KFC, maybe, and he’d say, ‘I can make it better at home.’ And he always did.” Senh continues to create distinctive dishes with that same devotion. For diners who aren’t in the mood for sushi, they can enjoy several teriyaki, katsu, and tempura options, as well as a range of other cooked choices.
Attention to detail extends to the basics, too. The sushi rice takes three hours to prepare and is made fresh each morning. For Vinh and Florence, yesterday’s rice simply doesn’t belong alongside today’s fish.
Wendy Highfield, who now lives in Hygiene, commented, “I regularly bring clients to my favorite sushi place for the delicious food and the genuine connection to customers and community. It’s really a place to call home.” She added, “It’s worth the trip. After all, it’s only about 40 minutes away.”
And perhaps that is Matsumotto’s real recipe: consistency in the food, quality, and service; genuine connection; an open mind; and enough earned trust for customers to let the chef decide what comes next.
“Amy and the team treat you like family, and you always leave feeling like you had something special.” - Jason Wojahn