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Omakase at Morimoto Asia

Written By Scott Joseph On October 25, 2016

MMOmakase kobe cu

As the area gets more — and better — sushi restaurants, the omakase experience is becoming more prevalent. Omakase is a Japanese term that translates roughly as “I’ll leave it to you.” When you request omakase, you put your trust in the sushi chef to present you the best and freshest and finest.

This concept isn’t unique to Japanese restaurants. Many cuisines, though mainly upscale restaurants, offer chef’s tasting menus that might include little bites or full entrees, all at the whim of the chef. Regardless of the type of food, diners who choose this option tend to be more adventurous and willing to try something different. But even the most daring diners often say they would order omakase only in a restaurant in which they are a regular and they know the chef (and the chef knows the diner, too).

Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs recently added an omakase option and I was invited recently to give it a try. Here the dinner is offered only at the sushi bar — and only with a minimum 24-hour advance reservation and deposit. The cost is $150 per person, and after my nearly three-hour experience, I can’t imagine any lover of sushi and Japanese food walking away feeling that it wasn’t worth it.

Omakase is the purview of the sushi chef, but chef de cuisine Yuhi Fujinaga was our guide for the evening. He explained the progression of the dinner and the various courses that would be represented. Technically, there are seven courses in Morimoto Asia’s omakase, but some of those courses have multiple components, so it seems like much more. For example, the sushi course had five items, each presented separately, as did the sashimi course. The high-grade Wagyu beef was served two ways. And there was a “pre-dessert” before the final plate.

Below is how the evening flowed. You may also click on the video below to get a look at the meal.

 

MMomakse

The first course was a Mizuhiki Salad, with shaved radishes, katsuo-bushi and a burnt shallot vinaigrette, presented in a clear wrapper tied up with ceremonial strings.

Sushi was next.

MMOmakase snapper

Ishidai, Knife jaw snapper

MMOmakase fatty tuna

Chutoro, medium fatty tuna

 MMOmakase amber jack

Kampachi, amber jack

MMOmakase flounder

Hirame, Flounder

MMOmakase eel

Anago, sea water eel

MMOmakase kushi oyster

Sashimi began with Kusshi Oyster with Sakura mignonette.

MMOmakase hokkaido scallop

Hokkaido Scallop with bottarga and a dressing of olive oil

MMOmakase mackeral

Saba, (Boston mackeral), torched, ginger soy

MMOmakase jack

Shima-Aji, (Striped Jack), verjus vinaigrette, tonburi (vegetable pod caviar)

MMOmakase o toro

O-Toro, smoked over Mason Jar devices, Urfa Biber (Smoked Turkish pepper), Black Hawaiian Lava Sea Salt

MMOmakase triple tail

Agemono is the fried course. It featured Flash Fried Whole Triple tail and King crab ankake on crispy shanghai noodles.

MMOmakase octopus

MMOmakase mushrooms

Yakimono iss the grilled course. Spanish Octopus, piquillo pepper, mushrooms that Fujinaga trimmed from the jars they were growing in (Maitake, Enringi, Nebrodini, gallego oil), all grilled on a hibachi at the end of the bar. The light grilling left the octopus with a wonderful fatty feel in the mouth.

MMOmakase shabu

The braised course, nimono, was the first presentation of the A5 grade Wagyu beef, which looked like a loaf of fat with tiny veins of beef. Fujinaga said that special care had to be taken when slicing it because the very friction of the knife would begin cooking it. The meat was served ChabuShabu style in broth with a large Carabinero, or Spanish red shrimp).

MMOmakase grilled kobe

More of the Wagyu followed, this time as loin strips lightly grilled and topped with freshly grated wasabi (the real stuff, not the Play-Doh-like paste served in many sushi bars). No teeth were required.

MMOmakase ramen

After two servings of superior beef, my companions and I were surprised to find another savory course, this one called the Tomewan, or closing bowl. It was a full serving of Super Tonkatsu Ramen with spicy ground pork, chewy woodear mushrooms and a soy egg.

MMOmakase pre dessert

Cucumber-Thai Basil Sorbetti with dehydrated soy and Shiso salt was the so-called pre-dessert.

MMOmakase dessert

And finally, the actual dessert of Kabocha Squash Lumpia with ginger gelato.

An extraordinary experience (though the stools at the sushi bar don’t seem to be graded for longterm seating). The graciousness of the chef and staff, the excellent quality of the food, and the perch overlooking the elegant restaurant make it special.

Morimoto Asia is at Disney Springs. Omakase is available nightly but requires a minimum 24-hour advance reservation and $75 per person deposit. The phone number is 407-939-6686.

MMOmakase interior

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