"Oheya feels like an intimate dinner party. Partly because your spot at the 12-seat counter comes with a personalized name card, but mostly it’s because this restaurant serves excellent sushi on par with its sister location Uchi. And unlike the 90 million other omakases in Houston, the 12 courses at Oheya keep a brisk pace. This means you don’t need to trade quality sushi for three hours of your life. photo credit: Liz Silva Each piece arrives almost as soon as you finish with the one before. Chefs here ditch the lengthy introductions of each dish and let you spend time eating. But they’re always available to answer questions about the smoked coconut milk coating the nigiri or muse about their favorite course. The dishes at this Montrose omakase and the chefs that create the menu rotate every few months. Each season features fresh options like wagyu beef dumplings and salmon croquettes topped with trout roe. People might celebrate a birthday at Oheya, and it's the perfect spot for a little solo sushi meal in peace. The menu at Oheya changes regularly, but here’s an example of what you might find. Food Rundown Oyster The heat from the slivers of thai chili on these oysters is effortlessly balanced by the hazelnut foam. It’s the perfect start to excite us for the rest of our order. Sake Croquette This breaded salmon patty might look like something you’d find during a country breakfast. But the ikura served on top reminds you that you’re at an omakase, not a Southern-style diner. Wagyu Dumpling We love the tender wagyu beef inside this dumpling. And the slight smokiness from the broth inspires us to turn our bowls upside down to drink every drop. Lobster temaki This is our favorite course on the menu. The Caribbean jerk sauce marinade is slathered on the lobster, creating a slow-warming effect. We’re thankful that the chefs were kind enough to include plantain pieces to keep things from getting too hot. Kinoko This dish serves mushrooms in three ways. It sounds more interesting on paper, but it lacks the excitement to be memorable. And the chicken of the woods mushrooms leaves us reaching more for a sip of water than the next bite." - Gianni Greene
