Leif W.
Yelp
Update: Omakase at Hokido Japanese Restaurant
Omakase means "I'll leave it up to you" in Japanese. When in reference to eating sushi it means "chef's choice." To me, omakase is an experience: an opportunity to watch an experienced chef plate visually stunning and delightfully delicious servings of sushi.
To celebrate my birthday, I decided to make a reservation at Hokido Japanese Restaurant to try their omakase. I was not disappointed. It was a wonderful experience on every level.
Hokido Japanese Restaurant offers a four levels of omakase -- Regular, Silver, Gold, and Platinum -- so consider the number of courses listed for each level and how hungry you are when deciding which level you choose. Each level can be filling. For omakase, the chef assembles each course using the best selections of fish configured in imaginative ways. It takes time and effort. So, as you should expect, omakase is the most expensive item on the menu. The prices, per person, range between $125 to $200.
Omakase at Hokido requires a reservation due to the necessary preparation. I believe they will want your reservation to be around 7PM. Also, the omakase meal takes time. Set aside plenty of time to leisurely enjoy the experience. And do take your time.
Another matter to consider about omakase is where you sit during your meal. You will want to sit at the sushi bar so that you may watch your sushi chef work. It is definitely part of the experience to witness how a chef puts these visual and culinary masterpieces together.
I chose the Platinum level, because of course I did. I had to fight my impulse to dig in to each course so that I could take a photo. In all seriousness, each course was almost -- really, almost -- too pretty to eat. But in consuming, the visual beauty combines with the textures and flavors to make a completely enjoyable experience.