What is Omakase? A Unique Japanese Dining Experience

Are you part of the sushi lovers who cannot seem to make up their minds when it comes to choosing what piece of sushi you're looking for? Well "omakase meals" may be the one for you.

What is omakase?

"Omakase" in Japan translates to the customer leaving the decision of what to order to the shop. Ordering omakasesushi is quite straightforward - where seasonal ingredients may somewhat be arbitrarily placed on a plate. At an omakase meal dining experience, you can expect to receive anything from 10 to 20 dishes.

(See more: Types of Sushi Guide)

This is an intimate dining experience where the chef makes decisions about what to cook mid-course. The truth of omakase lies in the word itself directly translated, it means "I leave it up to you" where, unlike less personal restaurants, customers can sit at the sushi bar and interact directly with the sushi chef.

What makes omakase special?

Japanese restaurants put extreme care into making the dishes not only tasty but ensure that high-quality fish is used in preparing omakase. This is also the main reason why omakase may be pricier, especially for Japanese restaurants but it is definitely worth the splurge to try this at high-end sushi restaurants.

These are the reasons that make the omakase experience so special:

It's convenient if you are indecisive.

• You do not have to continue struggling to choose and decide from a menu because omakase is perfect for indecisive people who can't decide on what they want. You may be overwhelmed by the number of pieces of sushi and that's alright.
• If you are coming as a group, this style of dining will be enough to impress your friends who are sushi connoisseurs

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You don't need to memorize the different types of sushi.

• Save space especially if you are not someone who actually knows every single type of sushi. Anyone who needs specialized knowledge when ordering, such as sushi in an upmarket sushi restaurant or a fine wine in a French restaurant, will be nervous.

• Customers' impressions of one another at sushi restaurants can be on the line especially when it comes to how well you know your fresh fish. Or how about what's the current seasonal fish or the ideal order of fish to order up?

• To avoid making a such mistake, you can simply leave it all to the expertise of the staff.

Just leave it to the professional's opinions!

• The chefs making your food are professionals and know how to read customers to make sure you have the best omakase dining experience. They also know their products and how to make use of a variety of ingredients.
• At the same time, you have the option of choosing an "osusume," which is another name for a recommendation, or you can let them make the final decision. The head chef in charge of your meal is sure to come up with the ideal pairings for you.
• Take it from the Japanese themselves! They know this will be an amazing meal and are happy to trust the pros.

Better omakase experiences with direct the head chef

• As mentioned, Omakase allows you to communicate directly with the person who will be cooking for you. You may find yourself experiencing your chef asking you a series of questions to get a feel for your taste and also having your expressions observed.

• This makes the whole experience even more special because you can watch culinary professional perform their skills. To them, this is a form of art and you may also ask them questions like what made them choose a particular dish for you.

A unique experience.

• This would not just lead you to have an amazing dinner but would also make you realize something new about yourself!
• For those who have never eaten Japanese food before, you can explore this option to create a truly unique and memorable experience. You may find yourself falling in love with different types of dishes that you did not like.

Kaiseki vs Omakase

Kaiseki and omakase may seem similar in that a chef directly cooks for you but they still do differ in many ways.

Kaiseki is a little different from omakase whereby kaiseki is a well-practiced and perfected set of many light dishes and there are usually between 9 – 11 dishes per Kaiseki meal. The dish has been honed by the skill of a high-class chef.

On the other hand, omakase is a little more spontaneous as you will be directly interacting with the chef making a whole set of dinner on the spot. The chef's recommendations will be based on what ingredients like fish are in season and which dish they think you may like depending on your personal tastes.

How much does Omakase cost?

Omakase may be more expensive than other Japanese dinners and establishments. However, that is only because the whole experience is a far more personalized experience with high-quality ingredients that are specifically chosen for you.

You will probably have the chef's undivided attention. In one sitting, omakase sushi restaurants may choose to serve only a maximum of 6 – 10 guests to ensure closeness between the guest and the chef. Personal interaction is one reason why omakase can be a costly choice but do know that the cost of an omakase meal can vary.

Having a price range in mind? Well, you may have to do a little google search but most good-quality omakase sets will cost between $125 – $250 and the menu often comes with slightly cheaper lunch menus.

If you are on a budget, do not fret because there are some more affordable omakase options! Other options to explore like, Sushi Tokyo Ten in Shibuya offering omakase dinner for a base price of only ¥7,700. Lunches are also offered here for a price of just ¥3,850.

How to Prepare for Omakase (Tips and advice)

If you want to get the most out of your first omakase experience, sometimes it helps to do a bit of research about it or try to ask your experienced friends about it. Here are a few things you can prepare beforehand:

Have a minimal understanding at least with some different fish that you might encounter or simply know what you do and do not like.

• Examples of fish that you may encounter are:
  • Fatty fish like toro, hamachi, salmon
  • Whitefish like hirame tend to be mild
  • Fish eggs like ikura

Make sure to be very hungry!

• Remember that an omakase meal will consist of about 10-20 dishes and this may seem like a small number but you will realize later on that you would be very full after.
• 20 dishes is a large meal and you should feel very full even walking in really hungry. Make the most out of online reviews such as Yelp and others online reviews to know how much food to expect and how well a restaurant performs.

Say “itadakimasu” (ee-tah-dah-kee-mah-su) and “gochisosama deshita” (go-chee-sou-sa-ma-deh-shee-tah)

• It's customary to greet the chef before the meal by saying “itadakimasu” and thanking them after a great meal by saying “gochisosama deshita”.
• You may even hear other waiters in the restaurant using these terms.

One big bite!

• If you eat the sushi in two bites, the special sushi rice that the chef made especially for you may fall apart in your hands.
• Instead, the final tip for beginners trying out the omakase diners would be to try eating nigiri in one bite with your hands or chopsticks. You would definitely taste the perfect ratio of fish to rice with soy sauce and wasabi.