Latest news with #Omakase
San Francisco Chronicle
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
This Bay Area suburb's restaurant boom continues with a new omakase spot
A high-end omakase restaurant with courses of premium fish prepared by a pedigreed chef marks the latest notable opening in a sleepy Bay Area suburb. Ren Omakase recently opened at 403 El Camino Real in Menlo Park, which is in the midst of a flurry of restaurant openings. The eight-seat sushi restaurant, which replaced a small neighborhood ice cream shop near the border of Palo Alto, comes from a team of Bay Area sushi veterans. They include Wen Zhao, previously a chef for 10 years at the once Michelin-starred Omakase in San Francisco; Jiabo Li of Iki Omakase in Palo Alto; and Sunny Noah, who worked at Omakase and the Michelin-starred edomae spot Sushi Yoshizumi in San Mateo, and has since opened Iki Omakase, Nagai Edomae Sushi in Redwood City and Tancho in Castro Valley. Ren's $198 menu features 18 to 20 courses of edomae-style dishes, including sushi made with seafood from Tokyo's Toyosu Market and an array of appetizers like slow-poached abalone with an abalone liver sauce. Zhao has had to get creative with preparing the cooked dishes in a tiny kitchen with only an electric cooktop, Noah said. Zhao is constantly adjusting the shari, or seasoned sushi rice, based on temperature and grain absorption rate with a proprietary blend of red and white vinegar. He cuts each piece of fish precisely to its individual fat content and muscle structure. He cures silver-skinned fish such as kohada, aji, and iwashi using timed intervals for rest and oxidation control. He massages tako, or octopus, by hand for at least two hours for maximum tenderness, and finishes the fish with a light hammering from a daikon radish. Zhao's 'culinary philosophy is grounded in classical Japanese methods, but every aspect — fish curing, rice seasoning, otsumami preparation, and knife work — is approached with scientific rigor and deep respect for tradition,' Noah said. They transformed the former ice cream shop into a minimalist sushi bar built from warm hinoki wood. Ren offers two seatings, at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. This will likely be Noah's last omakase restaurant, but he plans to open other kinds of sushi businesses on the Peninsula. He's excited to see new energy in Menlo Park and surrounding Peninsula cities: 'As times change and more and more people and restaurateurs discover this amazing area, they are moving to open more great concepts,' he said. Reach Elena Kadvany: Bluesky: @
Forbes
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
One of Atlanta's Best Zero-Proof cocktail Menus Is At This Michelin-Starred Gem
Zero proof cocktail at O By Brush O by Brush, which recently earned its first Michelin star, is the buzzy new offering from Chef Jason Liang, the culinary talent behind Brush Sushi, Cuddlefish, Lucky Star, and Momonoki in Midtown. At O, Chef Liang creates an omakase dining experience in an intimate setting, serving pristine dry aged sashimi and elegant nigiri presentations. You'll also enjoy the French-influenced pastry stylings from Liang's wife ChingYao Wang. The 20-course Omakase menu is defined by Liang's work with dry aged fish and Binchō-tan, a type of hardwood charcoal that Liang uses to finish some of the menu items. Expect silky dry aged sashimi offerings such as sanbaizu dusted with chives, or inventive riffs on classics such as the chawanmushi with caviar and uni. The dance of preparation, service and taste is impressive, especially when paired with a specialty sake. Yet, one of the most inventive pairing options is the non-alcoholic/zero proof menu. Here, guests are treated to clever use of botanicals and texture to recreate the cocktail in spirit. O's non-alcoholic pairing menu doesn't just substitute cocktails—it reimagines them. The opening sipper, for example, is a vibrant blend of grapefruit, jicama, rose hip, and basil, delivering the crisp effervescence of brut Champagne without a drop of alcohol. It's a perfect foil to Liang's supple, umami-rich sashimi. A standout 'Cognac' pairing follows—crafted from Taiwanese alpine tea, oak, vanilla, and a whisper of tamarind. Earthy and gently tannic, it complements the richness of the Wheel Pie: a decadent bite filled with monkfish liver, black truffle, shiitake, and sugar plum. Over the course of the meal, guests are treated to ten meticulously crafted zero-proof pairings, each echoing the spirit of traditional libations while remaining wholly unique. The entire 20-course experience is perfectly paced—luxurious, not lengthy—and ends with a charming takeaway: a gift bag filled with house made cookies and specialty teas. It's thoughtful, playful, and wholly satisfying. For those craving more of Atlanta's zero-proof creativity: Bottom line: Whether you're sober-curious, abstaining, or simply interested in the heights a beverage can reach without alcohol, O by Brush sets a new gold standard. It's thoughtful, elegant, and above all—deliciously intentional.
CNA
02-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Eat, Drink, Singapore - High Quality Omakase Delicacies at Ganko Sushi
CNA938 Rewind Hailing from Osaka, Ganko Sushi promises the freshest ingredients and the finest delicacies on the plates of Japanese-food-loving Singapore diners. Cheryl Goh speaks with Kurokawa Masaya, Head Chef and Li Xing, Manager at Ganko Sushi about how they ensure their quality seasonal give diners an affordable and authentic Omakase experience.
Condé Nast Traveler
27-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Condé Nast Traveler
A Local's Guide to the Perfect Tokyo Experience
Transcript I'm Melinda Jo, a food writer based in Tokyo for more than 15 years. Over that time, I've helped a lot of people navigate this confusing but beautiful city that we call Tokyo. Today, I'm gonna curate my perfect Tokyo experience, looking at a number of recommendations from the internet, but ultimately I would like to take you to some places off the beaten track. [upbeat music] [bouncy music] When you come to Tokyo, of course you have to eat sushi. Tokyo is the birthplace of Nigiri sushi, which is the kind of sushi that we all know and love. We have so many options here in Tokyo from your cheap eats, standing sushi or the Kaiten sushi, which is the revolving sushi bar to the little neighborhood run mom and pop style sushi restaurants, and of course the high end Omakase style sushi restaurants. When you're looking for sushi in Tokyo, you're gonna see a ton of recommendations, especially concentrated around Oshiage where the old fish market was. So one of the main ones will be Sushizanmai which is of course a very solid chain. My recommendation is Sushi Kadowaki in Ginza. It's a relatively newly open space, and the reason I love it is that it's traditional style, but with innovation, and you have a very, very charming sushi chef that makes you feel very comfortable. [both speaking in Japanese] Of course, this is an Omakase course so it's all chef selection, seasonal, and whatever the chef thinks is best on the day. One of the things that's really special is how he uses fish that is not actually found in a lot of other restaurants. Instead of getting the fish from the market, he has direct relationships with fishermen and with special distributors. Mm! [Takatoshi speaking in Japanese] [Melinda speaking in Japanese] [Takatoshi speaking in Japanese] [all laughing] [Takatoshi speaking in Japanese] [upbeat music] There's only one way to take in the staggering scale of Tokyo, and that's with a view from above. Let's take a look at what the internet says for recommended views. Alright, yeah, Mori Tower in Roppongi of course, a great choice. Oh, the metropolitan building in Shinjuku. That's a great idea, especially if you want to get a view without having to pay an entrance fee. So if I'm going to pick a place with a view, I feel like we should also have some time to enjoy that view with a great drink. And so my pick is the Ritz Carlton Tokyo. For me, the bar at the Ritz Carlton Tokyo achieves the trifecta of great location, wonderful view, and world-class cocktails. Also, it opens at 3:00 PM and I'm a big fan of day drinking, so this is my choice for where to go when you wanna have an afternoon tipple and watch the sunset, I'm gonna meet my friend, producer, Erico Miagawa and we're going to have some drinks mixed by one of my favorite bartenders in Tokyo, Wada-san. So it looks like the menu is based on the seasons. Yes, if we see, oh, this is a beautiful season with Japan, it's easy, but that's pretty much anyone does. So why don't we go further, which is sweet Wind travels around the season of Japan. Okay, so what do you recommend for us today? Why don't we introduce our spring cocktail, which is Usui, Sakura Zen Sen. Oh, this is based on American rye whiskey, and honey comes from Kurume City and lemon comes from Hiroshima and Aromatized with a little bit of matcha. Matcha comes from Kyoto Uji. [Melinda] You said that this has a story? What you see leaking is Tears of Geisha. Oh. Isn't that so cool? That's so cool. Drink. Comes in waves. Right? Yeah. [upbeat music] If you're coming to Tokyo for the first time, of course you wanna have ramen. I was the same way when I first came to Tokyo oh so many years ago, I had ramen all the time. It was such an easy way to go get something that was delicious and filling and great for just one person. There are so many great places to choose from. Let's see what the internet says. We have ramen Ichiran, the Shinyokohama Ramen Museum, also Ramen Street in Tokyo Station. Actually, these are all great choices. Shinyokohama Ramen Museum is so much fun, actually, it's like going to the Disneyland of Ramen. The Ramen Street in Tokyo Station is also a really good way to see what's going on in the ramen scene today, all in one place. What I really recommend is an experience that you can have only in Tokyo, and that's why I wanna take you to Ginza Hachigou. [both speaking in Japanese] [Melinda speaking in Japanese] [Yasushi speaking in Japanese] [both speaking in Japanese] [Melinda speaking in Japanese] [both speaking in Japanese] [Yasushi speaking in Japanese] [Yasushi speaking in Japanese] [Melinda speaking in Japanese] [Yasushi speaking in Japanese] [Melinda speaking in Japanese] The balance is really important, and that's what I'm finding in this bowl of ramen. You have the texture of the noodles, which is both delicate and pliant and with enough chew to make you feel like you're really eating noodles, but you see that they are thin so that they don't feel too overpowering. There's not a trace of heaviness in this for me at all. It's really the natural flavor of the ingredients coming through. [upbeat music] Well, of course, Kyoto is the capital of temples in Japan, but in Tokyo we also have a lot of cool temples to visit. So let's take a look at what the recommended ones are. The very first one that comes up is of course, Senso-ji in Asakusa and it is a beautiful temple. It is iconic, it is huge. And if you need to get your Instagram moment, then of course I think you should go there. But I recommend for a really unique experience right here in the middle of Tokyo, Fukagawa Fudo-do. [peaceful music] [water splashing] One of the things that makes the temple so unique is that every day, five times a day, they perform a Goma ritual, which is a fire ritual. That is a time that people can pray for different wishes and come for spiritual purification. It doesn't matter if you are yourself religious, it's just more you get a sense of how these institutions are still very much a part of people's lives here. [upbeat music] When people come to Tokyo, they always ask me about Kobe beef, but I think there's a little misunderstanding about what exactly Kobe beef is. Kobe beef refers specifically to a brand of beef made from cattle grown in a certain prefecture in Japan, Hyōgo prefecture. It is one kind of beef in the category of Wagyu. Kobe beef is of course delicious. It's strictly regulated, but there are many other brands of Japanese beef or Wagyu that are also wonderful. So where can you taste this succulent beef? Let's see what the internet says. Okay, so it's so popular that tons of things come up, and I'm sure that a lot of them are great. But I would like to take you to what I think is maybe the best Wagyu experience. Wagyumafia. [crowd cheering] There's no way to put into words the intensity of the energy and the pure flavor that they deliver here at Wagyu Mafia. [both speaking in Japanese] [Melinda] I mean, really spectacular. It's not like at a restaurant at all, and it's not like at a house. It really feels like a performance. [both speaking in Japanese] You are such a big personality. When people think about Wagyumafia, they think about the performance and they think about indulgence. Food has to be fun, food has to be enjoyable. Before Wagyumafia, you sit down quiet for two hours, very end of the meal, you get a tiny bit of Kobe beef, but you're not allowed to talk big, you know? With Wagyumafia, I wanted to create excitement 'cause I think the happiness is new part of our money. People shout and I have a 93-year-old lady as a one of my regular customers. She can understand that. She said, oh, I feel young now. This is a food I wanna serve to my family. Right, right. And my friends. And I want to eat. Yes. Yeah, day off, no, I come back to Wagyumafia to eat it. [both speaking in Japanese] [upbeat music] Tokyo's drinking culture and its bar scene is legendary, not only for the precision and craft of bartenders at high-end cocktail bars, but also for the sheer breadth and variety of the drinking establishments that we have here. We have lively Izaki where you can get a cheap and easy drink. We have bars that are standing room only where you can drop in to say hi and have a beer. And then we have experiences that you can only find here in Tokyo. I'm gonna take you to a one of a kind place called Twillo. The best way to describe it is that it's a kind of food truck meets high-end cocktail bar that moves around the city in a different place every night. [both speaking in Japanese] [Melinda speaking in Japanese] [Shotaro speaking in Japanese] [both speaking in Japanese] I'm gonna drink poison. Hm... [Melinda speaking in Japanese] [Shotaro speaking in Japanese] [Melinda speaking in Japanese] [both speaking in Japanese] [Shotaro speaking in Japanese] [Melinda speaking in Japanese] One of the things that makes the city so dynamic is the way that you have old and new right next to each other. You might have a restaurant that is a hundred years old next to a really tiny contemporary restaurant with only eight seats. Or you might find the most unusual shop stuck in a high rise building with no real sign. When you walk around Tokyo, you will always find something new. There's so much to see in this city. You have to just be open with all of your senses and start taking a look. [upbeat music]
What's On
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- What's On
5 of the best restaurants in Dubai this week: May 26 to 29
Here's what's cooking this week… New week, new reasons not to cook and book a table instead. From chef collabs to menus made for golden hour, here's what's catching our eye (and appetite) at 5 of the best restaurants in Dubai right now. HANU For one night only, HANU at St. Regis Gardens is hosting a culinary crossover worth clearing your calendar for. On May 28, Chef Kyung Soo Moon joins forces with Emirati pitmaster Hattem Mattar for a one-off menu layering refined Korean tradition with smoky barbecue. Offer: Expect creative plates like Sujuk Gyoza with kimchi hummus (Dhs68), Cast Iron Scallop with prosciutto and kimchi butter (Dhs95), Smoked Duck Tteokbokki with black sesame (Dhs82), and a Wagyu Bulgogi Bibimbap reimagined with Mattar's signature smoke (Dhs98). Dessert? Kunafa Bingsu (Dhs65) – a sweet nod to both cuisines. When: May 28 Where: HANU, St. Regis Gardens, Palm Jumeirah Contact: (0)4 278 4844. @hanu_dubai Magadan Set against one of Dubai's most iconic sunset backdrops, Golden Hour at Magadan is giving your afternoons a serious glow-up. Offer: Golden Hour menu with sushi, seafood appetisers, and cocktails Timings: Daily from 3pm to 7pm Location: Magadan, The Club, Palm West Beach Contact: (0)50 407 1735. @magadandubai Derwandi Derwandi, known for its lively Lebanese vibe, has launched 'From Sea to Table' at both Dubai and Abu Dhabi locations. This seafood-focused set menu highlights coastal Beirut dishes with a modern twist. The menu features mezze, char-grilled seabass, shrimp fatteh, and Samkeh Harra Beiroutiyeh, all served with Derwandi's signature warm hospitality. Offer: From Sea to Table set menu Timings: Available now, lunch and dinner Location: Derwandi, Jumeirah 2, Dubai Contact: (0)4 385 0800. @derwandi OAnjo Located above the city at Sheraton Mall of the Emirates, OAnjo invites diners to skip the menu and let the chef take the lead. Its Omakase Experience is a rotating tasting menu built around seasonal Japanese favourites and a few surprises. Offer: Omakase tasting menu, priced at Dhs150 for 3 courses, Dhs180 for 5 courses, Dhs210 for 7 courses Timings: Tuesday to Sunday Location: OAnjo, Sheraton Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Contact: (0)4 377 2007. @oanjo Atrangi by Ritu Dalmia Atrangi at Al Qasr has introduced a new menu that leans into the kind of Indian food most people rarely see outside of home kitchens. Designed by chef Ritu Dalmia, it's a deep cut into lesser-known regions, with dishes that span from coastal spice to hearty grains and preserved meats. Offer: New à la carte menu now available Timings: Daily, lunch and dinner Location: Atrangi by Ritu Dalmia, Jumeirah Al Qasr, Dubai Contact: (0)4 366 6750. @atrangidubai > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
