I made a reservation for lunch through Omakase and visited the restaurant. Based on the online reviews, I had the impression that opinions were quite divided, so I was looking forward to experiencing what it would be like as I stepped through the noren (curtain).On the day of my visit, there was a long line at the taxi stand at Hakata Station, which took much longer than expected to navigate. If you're traveling in the Hakata area, be cautious of this. I was quite embarrassed to arrive late, but the head chef and staff were incredibly kind and considerate, showing no signs of displeasure. Although I started my meal under unfortunate circumstances, the warm and gentle atmosphere of the restaurant made me feel at ease as I took my seat.The dishes served were primarily composed of fresh local ingredients. The nigiri served later had a milder acidity in the rice, and some of the toppings were cut quite generously. This dynamic style clearly reflects the lineage of the head chef's training. Overall, the quality of the food, from the appetizers to the nigiri, was consistently delicious.However, there was no conversation with the head chef throughout the meal. It has been quite a while since I finished a meal at a sushi counter of this caliber without exchanging a single word with the chef. Of course, this could depend on the timing of the seating and the rapport between the chef and the customer. Still, I sensed that this might be a point of contention in the online reviews.That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the underlying kindness of the hospitality and the chef's skill in utilizing the rich ingredients from Kyushu.Here is the menu I enjoyed today:- Octopus and Okra- Mahata with Tomato Jelly- Edamame Chawanmushi- Fried Black Abalone- Fine Mozuku Seaweed- Whale Bacon- Grilled Katsuo with Cucumber- Kohada (Gizzard Shad)- Sea Bream- Striped Horse Mackerel- Chutoro (Medium Fatty Tuna)- Otoro (Fatty Tuna)- Marinated Tuna- Spring Sea Bream- Muroaji (Mackerel)- Honkatsuo (Bonito)- Kuruma Ebi (Tiger Prawn)- Red Sea Urchin- Miso Soup- Shako (Mantis Shrimp)- Tamago (Egg)
We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience.
