My First Omakase Meal

I went to my first omakase meal with a dear friend who I hadn’t seen since the start of the pandemic. We went to Hoseki Sushi. Chef Tim took us on a culinary journey with these dishes and the meal was a revelation.

The first course was sashimi—hamachi, bluefin tuna, and torched hotate. The fish was ridiculously fresh. I tried my best to savour every bite and not inhale. While the hamachi and bluefin was incredible, the hotate stood out. The torched element added a great texture and highlighted the natural sweetness of the scallop.

Chef’s visual presentation is gorgeous and highlights a minimal natural aesthetic.

The second course is called “one bite” containing ikura, sturgeon caviar, uni, and crab. The difference of textures sings on the tongue and the delightful burst of the ikura highlighted the overall taste of the ocean.

The next course is fish foie gras aka monkfish liver. The sauce is ponzu and the acidity tempered the richness of the liver. The bonito shavings added a layer of smokiness to the dish.

The third course is the sushi. We were instructed to eat a piece of pickled ginger in between bites as a palate cleanser. We were encouraged to eat with our hands. As a Filipino, I was born for this!!! First up is mantis shrimp. Apparently they are belligerent and their punch can wreck aquarium glass. The texture reminded me of chicken because of its surprising meatiness. Definitely doesn’t taste like the traditional shrimp I’m accustomed to.

The next piece is barracuda highlighted by bits of garlic. For such a terrifying fish, it tastes so tender, juicy, and light.

Next up is King Salmon from New Zealand. I love salmon and this is supposed to be the best of the best. I totally groaned when I ate it. This was a buttery umami bomb and one of my absolute favourites of the meal.

Otoro is the best part of the tuna and this melted in my mouth. It was so delicate yet flavourful. Being a huge tuna fan, this again, was one of my favourites.

This is striped jack. The touch of garlic highlighted the fish and strengthened its subtle flavour.

This was a rare treat. Spanish mackerel is normally a winter fish. The rest of the offerings were seasonal summer fish. This was garnished with a sprinkle of sesame and green onion. Mackerel to me has always been a heavier, oily fish and this piece, proved me wrong with how light it tasted.

The sushi course is finished. Next up is the black cod in miso. This was cooked to perfection and had the consistency of a pillow, one I’d lay my head on and eat at the same time. It was so tender and didn’t flake. It tasted sweet, subtle, and perfect.

The last course is the wagyu. The sear is the only contrasting texture against the tenderness of this meat. I now understand why these particular cows need special treatment. I totally gobbled.

The meal ended with Japanese crown melon. I like melons, I do. They’re not my favourite fruit but damn. I mean damn. This melon costs $100 each. Totally understand why. This is the juiciest melon I’d ever have in my life. It’s like a fruit gusher the moment it entered my mouth. The painstaking process of growing these definitely makes sense. I think I’m ruined for life for other fruits.

This meal was incredible and on par with my meal at Atelier du Joel Robuchon in Paris. Thank you, Chef Tim. The experience itself was inspiring to me. Chef Tim is a master and has so much joy in his craft and watching him cook and him taking the time to chat with us about each dish made the omakase so special.