Itamae AO
Japanese restaurant · Miami ·
Peruvian-Japanese fusion dishes with ceviche & tiradito
Peruvian-Japanese fusion dishes with ceviche & tiradito
"Itamae AO is technically an omakase. But don’t come here expecting a traditional sushi omakase. The Nikkei dishes on Itamae AO’s eight-course tasting menu are entirely unique (and not sushi). They pull at your cheeks and amygdala with tangy leche de tigres made with things like habanero, jackfruit, or ash. Slivers of squid are coiled into springs, spiny lobster is minced into tartare, and octopus terrine envelopes an olive and anchovy tapenade. If you remember the previous iteration of Itamae in the Design District, consider this an evolution. The terrazzo counter is still present, but it’s now the stage for the most unique tasting menu in Miami right now." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo, mariana trabanino
"A Miami restaurant whose chef won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the southern region; the chef, a Peruvian American of Chinese descent, used the moment to reflect on finding identity in kitchens and the collaborative, multicultural nature of restaurant work." - ByPervaiz Shallwani
"A tasting-menu–centric Nikkei concept operating as a restaurant-within-a-restaurant in Miami; its chef Nando Chang won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: South and used his acceptance speech to celebrate immigrant contributions to American cuisine, underscoring both the kitchen's refined tasting-menu focus and its cultural significance." - Missy Frederick
"Itamae AO isn’t your standard omakase. Of the entire eight-course meal, only one nigiri appears. The rest are Nikkei-influenced dishes featuring sea creatures like kanpachi, swordfish, and razor clams—all paired with punchy flavors that tickle the tip of your nose while your ears vibrate from Tyler, The Creator basslines. Even though the flavors are inspired by Peruvian cuisine, you won’t find these dishes anywhere in Lima. You won’t find them in New York or Chicago either. Their leche de tigres are made with local produce like jackfruit. And the peerless flavors on display have evolved in Miami, from a small stand in a food hall to the Itamae AO of today." - virginia otazo, ryan pfeffer
"A restaurant within a restaurant, this 10-seat counter by Chef Nando Chang in Midtown looks to set a new standard for Nikkei cuisine in the region. Those familiar with the chef’s past work in the Design District will take heart in how classic Peruvian-Japanese flavors as well as signature dishes have been reworked, reimagined, and refined. Searing levels of acidity and spice figure prominently on this bold tasting menu, often in the form of leche de tigre. From lobster bisque with sweet potato gnocchi to creamy rice with Hokkaido scallops and parmesan, the cooking possesses style and substance in spades. Sourcing is a priority, with whole fish flown in from Japan, later to be broken down and occasionally strung up in dry-aging fridges along the wall." - Nancy DePalma