An assembly line of dishes followed, starting with bluefin tuna carpaccio topped with freshly grated wasabi. Then, a piece of sweet botan shrimp arrived, bursting with umami that coated the mouth with a pleasant fishiness. Paired with the crunch of the shallots and heat of the chili oil, it was one of the most creative dishes on the menu.Ī delicately-fried piece of soft-shell crab came next, atop a cauliflower puree with truffles and a side of lightly-pickled cucumbers, it offered a nice crunch without being overindulgent. The fish was still cold but had a rich smoky flavor. It arrived in a glass jar and when opened, it gave the effect of smoke pouring out of a cauldron.
Next came the restaurant’s most Instagramable dish - king salmon belly topped with tobiko, chives, fried shallots, and some chili oil, smoked with pecan wood. “I make people try it like they’re at my house,” he says He says collecting input from diners is an opportunity to further integrate them into the experience. Later, Durand asked for my feedback on the soup, admitting that he wasn’t sure if he was happy with the final product. Next a bouillabaisse with shiitake mushroom, leek, and plump pieces of shrimp and scallop served as a miso soup substitute. It was a refreshing briny punch, perfect for whetting the appetite. On the night of my visit, our 15-course meal kicked off with an oyster topped with salmon roe, ponzu sauce, sesame oil and chives. Everything except the oysters - which are picked up daily from the nearby Greenpoint Fish and Lobster Company - is flown in fresh from Japan, making the dinner a great value.
During my visit I found myself shouting across the bar to the couple I had met earlier and talking with the couple next to me about everything from work to travel to dating.Īt $89 a person - for at least 13 plates and sake - Durand’s omakase is more approachable for those hesitant to spend hundreds of dollars on one meal. The restaurant’s layout - an open concept featuring a kitchen in the back and a giant 13-person U-shaped bar in the front - allows just that. Galvanized by the private dinners and pop-ups they did during the pandemic, Durand and Hirashiki wanted to create a communal fine dining experience in a casual setting that placed the focus on having fun and meeting new people. “One thing that somebody told me that was really funny was, ‘Seeing how you guys act would never make me think that I’m about to have the dinner that I just had,’” Durand says. When co-owner Luis Durand, his wife Kate, and business partner Arnon Magal opened U in September, they wanted to leave that seriousness behind. (Courtesy Luis Durand)Īs I would learn over the course of the evening, this is what dining at U Omakase is all about.Īt many omakase restaurants there’s a serious atmosphere centered around watching the head sushi chef prepare your courses right in front of you.
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