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| - I have a rule of thumb when it comes to passing final judgement on an Indian restaurant: the quality of food should be based on their a la carte dinner entrees rather than their buffet since the drop-off between the two can often be quite steep. I believe there is a Japanese restaurant corollary in that one should judge the quality of food based on their omakase (tasting menu designated by the chef) rather than their a la carte menu items. Of course, there is usually a hike in price in both cases but sometimes you pay for what you get, and what you get here for omakase is definitely money well spent.
One would never guess that tucked away in SW suburbia lies a restaurant opened by Hiro Nakano, the former head chef of Nobu (Hard Rock Casino) and was listed in the 2009 Michelin guide. I met up with some work colleagues and since my boss was treating the group, we decided to indulge in the $55 omakase experience (an $85 option was available, but one should not test the limits of generosity when being treated to a complimentary meal by your superior). Probably the most interesting question I have ever encountered when deciding on the omakase was being prompted by the server as to how many times I have had the omakase specifically at their restaurant. Apparently the chef likes to vary the dishes so as to create a different experience for the diner much like a video game character advancing to higher levels of play! Apparently the variations can go up to "level 5" and possibly beyond so I found this to be a ingenious incentive to return for repeat tasting adventures. A couple members of our party were second-timers so it was cool to get a preview as to what I would be expecting after my first omakase here. I'm sure the chef would be more than willing to mix and match specific items since the theme to this idea is thoughtfulness towards the customer.
Items I could recollect along with occasional sidenotes with regard to the level 2 menu.
1) Hawaiian yellowtail marinated with yuzu soy: unctuous and refreshing with bright notes of citrus from the yuzu, very nice start to the meal (level 2 was japanese red snapper)
2) Sashimi salad- delicate slices of assorted fish mixed with shredded daikon and greens in a subtle onion vinaigrette--very clean flavors
3) Miso Black cod with grilled shishito pepper- perfectly cooked and well seasoned, the fish pretty much melts in your mouth and goes well with a nice salty crunch from the pepper (I think in the $85 omakase, this dish is accompanied with grilled fois gras....talk about umami overload!)
4) Sliced filet mignon served with grilled asparagus- found this one to be slightly underwhelming since while being cooked medium rare, was a bit under-seasoned and would have liked some asian flavors to be incorporated (the second-timers received a similar cut but was topped with a spicy chili sauce so I'm thinking that version was tastier)
5) Miso soup with wakame (firm seaweed) and mini button mushrooms- the cute little mushrooms are not only tasty but also provide an artistic glow to the otherwise cloudy earth-tone broth.
6) Nigiri assortment- fairly standard with a couple tuna sushi rolls, one regular shrimp and mackerel nigiri, and pairs of salmon and tuna nigiri....nothing mind-blowing, but helps to fill you up with the added load of rice.
7) Chocolate souffle with green tea ice cream- nice way to round out the meal. Souffle could have been more fluffy, but definitely a unexpectedly pleasant flavor combination with the green tea ice cream...I got a chance to taste the almond frangipane cake with pineapple sorbet in the second timers dessert course and that was equally exquisite.
I'm thinking I may have omitted one more sashimi course, but as one can see, this is quite a spread for $55 and I definitely did not go home hungry. Folks residing in this part of town should definitely take advantage of having such a fine dining option nearby and for those trekking from across town, definitely a nice introduction to omakase at a reasonable price with opportunities to "level-up" with subsequent visits. Be sure to also take advantage of their excellent sake selection.
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