Michelin-starred Shingo in Coral Gables Review | Eater Miami

"At this Michelin-starred omakase hidden gem in Coral Gables, your first instinct is to touch everything: the cool hinoki counter, rugged, wavy ceramic tea cups by Shiro Tsujimura, and elegant Josephinenhütte glassware. That tactile thrill continues through nigiri eaten with your hands — diamond-scored pickled mackerel that feels textured on the fingers and palate, golden eye snapper (kinmedai) that glides like velvet, and osetra caviar that lands like confetti on the roof of your mouth — as chef Shingo Akikuni runs a high-frequency, tangible omakase where you’re encouraged to touch the art. The $275 seasonal tasting can feature, in colder months, a rich, delicately savory yellowtail soup (buri owan), with fatty yellowtail returning as nigiri. The wine pairing by beverage director Kaori Yoshioka is a must, with the limited-release Ohmine 3 Grains sake poured from two different rice varieties for a side-by-side comparison. Don’t skip the new tea pairing: mugicha barley tea (delicate and earthy), gokujo genmaicha with roasted rice (powerful with grilled seafood), and freshly whisked matcha with Japanese pudding as a fitting hug goodbye. Mid-meal, Akikuni and sous chef Yuta Sakakibara swap stations to engage both sides of the counter, and service feels intelligent and friendly, guiding you through seafood, ceramics, and wine. Arrive about 15 minutes early to browse the entryway’s rare Bizen ware pottery, which is for sale and showcases new artists seasonally." - Henna Bakshi