The beauty of Omakase, I have to admit, is in handing over power to someone else. In any other walk of life–politics, government, literature, art–the idea of yielding to autocracy would be impossible to even consider. But when it comes to nigiri, and the expert sushi chefs who let their creativity loose behind a sushi bar, I happily yield.
The word “Omakase” literally translates to “I leave it up to you.” Chefs love it because they have the freedom to work their magic with the freshest ingredients. Those who enjoy the privilege of delighting in each bite know there is something supremely relaxing about savoring 10 to 17 courses of divinely delicious food and not having to make any decisions about it. Omakase is a splurge, no doubt, but paying for superior quality, an intimate experience (usually 10 to 20 guests, clustered around an L-shaped bar), and an evening that weaves in a bit of theater is always worth it.
The Omakase trend has been exploding from London to Dallas, and pretty much everywhere in between. But it’s no longer just about sushi. Gifted chefs are taking poetic license with the term, and you can now find “dessert Omakase,” “pizza Omakase,” “speakeasy Omakase” and more. What they all have in common is the creativity and care that goes into it, along with the utter deliciousness of the result. Leaving it up to a gifted chef is not only liberating, it supports a labor of love.
Sushi | Bar
Dallas
Behind a nondescript black door marked “SB” on a back alley in downtown Dallas that is hard for Uber drivers to find, 12 sushi-aficionados begin their Sushi | Bar Omakase with a special welcome drink before heading down to one of two subterranean sushi bars. Three chefs stand ready to begin the evening with a sustainably sourced bluefin tuna hand roll wrapped in shiso, or savory Hokkaido scallop garnished with a pile of velvety white truffle. A cucumber salad palate refresher threads through each of 17 courses. The extensive drink list features wine and sake flights and special a la carte items such as the silky Heavensake sake.
The blissful bites continue: nigiri crafted from shumagi, fatty toro, madai from Japan, with a slight intermission between each course for it to be savored and explained. Otoro with foie gras, wagyu with torched butter and miso foam, Spanish mackerel, akami, each stunningly delicious taste building upon the last until, sadly, it’s time for dessert.
Reservations open at the beginning of each month, and Sushi | Bar has already expanded into four cities (Dallas, Austin, Miami, Chicago), with no one outpost easier to get into than the last. As an added twist, guests can prolong the evening at Ginger’s, a speakeasy and cocktail lounge that is connected by a hallway–a bar behind the bar, if you will–with a delicious cocktail menu created by award-winning mixologist Sean Kenyon, and live music several nights each week.
Momoya Soho
New York City
The bright and airy Momoya Soho, a new two-story iteration of New York’s much-loved smaller Momoya restaurant, is known for its Japanese cuisine, especially the fresh and delicious nigiri. But Momoya Soho Executive Pastry Chef Norie Uematsu, a graduate of the prestigious TSUJI Culinary Institute Tokyo and veteran of Maison Kayser and Cha-An Teahouse, had a delicious new idea–to launch a five-course dessert Omakase, with amuse bouche. The setup is similar to the Omakase bar, with dessert served at the bar. Chef Uematsu says that she always wanted an opportunity to serve coursed desserts, to challenge herself and offer something extra to guests. The sommelier at Momoya Soho suggested pairing the dessert Omakase with wines and sake, and the seasonal menu–including wagashi (Japanese confectionary) changes every month or two.
Pizza Bianca at Baby Crosta
Niseko Village, Hokkaido
The last place you’d expect to find the unconventional Pizza Omakase is Japan, but what a wonderful surprise it is. Niseko Village, a ski town in Hokkaido known as “the Aspen of the East,” is home to Baby Crosta, a new addition to the award-winning global pizza brand Crosta Pizzeria, serving Roman-style pizza by the slice. Tucked away upstairs, at a small eight-seat Chef’s Table helmed by Chef Yuichi Ita, Pizza Omakase fuses quality local ingredients–with traditional Japanese toppings that include winter yellowtail, salmon roe, and wagyu tartare–and transforms the experience into something unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before.