Medo — Restaurant in Town of Woodstock

A Hidden Gem in Woodstock (The Reopened Medo V2.0 )

After discovering Medo reopened in Woodstock, I can confidently say this is the best Japanese restaurant in the area. What sets this establishment apart is their masterful balance between traditional Japanese cuisine and creative innovation, creating a dining experience that honors authenticity while embracing modern touches.

Exceptional Attention to Detail

The level of craftsmanship at Medo extends far beyond the main dishes. Every element of the dining experience reflects their commitment to excellence. The rice is perfectly seasoned and textured, each grain distinct yet cohesive. The miso soup achieves that delicate balance of umami depth without overwhelming saltiness. Even the restroom maintains the same attention to cleanliness and aesthetic detail that permeates the entire restaurant.

Outstanding Sashimi Quality

The sashimi at Medo is exceptionally fresh and delicious. Head sushi chef and owner Kevin Lin, who trained under Nobu before opening his own restaurant, brings world-class technique to the Hudson Valley. Each cut demonstrates precision and respect for the fish, with flavors that speak to the quality of sourcing and skill in preparation.

Surprising Local Touches

One of the most delightful surprises was the local mushroom tempura - a creative interpretation that showcases regional ingredients through a Japanese lens. The tempura batter achieves that perfect light, crispy texture, while the local mushrooms provide earthy flavors that feel both familiar and exotic. Even more impressive is the accompanying dipping sauce, which elevates the dish with its complex, well-balanced flavor profile that complements rather than masks the mushroom's natural taste.

A True Hidden Gem

Located at in Woodstock, Medo represents exactly the kind of hidden gem that makes discovering new restaurants so rewarding. The combination of Kevin Lin's Nobu-trained expertise, the warm hospitality from proprietors David Fletcher and Renee Ross, and their commitment to both tradition and innovation creates a dining experience that exceeds expectations.

The restaurant's Wednesday through Sunday schedule makes it perfect for a special dinner out, and based on this exceptional meal, I will definitely be coming back again. Medo proves that outstanding Japanese cuisine can thrive in unexpected places, bringing world-class dining to the heart of the...

Great staffing.

Sushi was incredibly fresh.

Their time from order to service is impressive. If you'd like some quick fresh rolls they're an option.

Below are just personal flavor based judgments:

To me there seemed to be no vinegar in their rice and it had a starchy taste.

Unagi was very nicely cooked for it's roll, probably some of the most flavourful and well cooked I've had, but they also drizzle the eel sauce that it's basted in on the roll which makes the flavour overwhelming rather than a nice portion of the bite, despite a bit over half of the roll being the nice fresh avocado. I feel without the drizzle of eel sauce and just a little portion of cucumber aside the avocado it would be one of the best rolls I've had despite the rice.

The shrimp tempura roll had almost as much julienned cucumber as shrimp in it, which overwhelmed all other textures and flavors, even though this roll also has the eel sauce drizzled on top. I also don't think I've seen such a small shrimp in a roll before.

The spicy crunchy scallop roll was mostly spicy mush, no crunch. I don't believed I'd had raw scallop before, the texture was very similar to a nice fatty tuna, but the overwhelming "spicy crunch" bit left little room appreciate it.

Even the normally safe California roll was disappointing in it's execution to me without the vinegar tang involved.

Flavours and textures are all personal opinions, everyone has their own preferences.

Everything was quick, INCREDIBLY fresh, prepared very well in their cuts from fish to veg, and...

Heard about this restaurant from my 13 year old daughter and we wanted to try it out, when we got there from a long drive 10 miles from her home and me, I drove up from Beacon , we arrived to a somewhat busy restaurant, however, there were still plenty of seating available, but we were turned away, siting “ all the seats are booked and everyone who was NOT already there was magically going to show up all at once at 6:00pm, me as a father who was trying to get some food into my daughter quick, because she starved herself all day just for the occasion saw it differently. We were asked to wait somewhere else and if something was made open they would call us…I saw a headcount of ALL white people and being a black brit living in a country COMPLETELY divided along racial lines, I saw it totally different. I’ve NEVER experienced so much racial division or racial stereotypes until I came here to attend college in the early 80’s. As for our plans for a chill night out, enjoying a good Japanese restaurant, we had to settle for a long drive to Rhynebeck and experience Japanese cuisine not fit for a petrol station…. Poor quality, small portions and a hefty bill 💵, however, this restaurant in Woodstock will NEVER GET ME TO RETURN. Now they’ve responded with damage control after we were turned away and left feeling insulted. Apologies...