America’s 9 Best Omakase Restaurants That Are Not Sushi

"Cozy and intimate with only eight counter seats, this four-year-old Lower East Side wagyu shabu shabu spot is a total hidden gem. In fact, Shabushabu Mayumon is New York City’s only respite for wagyu served in the shabu shabu dip style. The 20-course chef’s tasting menu changes around every four months, and centers around varied preparations of the iconic buttery beef. Behind the counter, the restaurant team carefully times how long paper-thin sleeves of Japanese and Japanese-American wagyu are dunked then swished in a kelp dashi broth, before they are dipped into sauces from ponzu to a sesame-soy. One will also find signature dishes like house-made yuba (tofu skin) made a la minute wrapped around sea urchin, and seasonal specials like Hokkaido scallop with an Iwanori seaweed sauce and yuzu kosho." - Kat Odell