Sushi is not just sushi anymore.In most cases it's now omikase in which diners thoroughly trusts the chef to decide what they should eat.It's becoming popular with wealthy young men.Are omikase sushi houses becoming the next steak house? Possibly
Regular contributor Brett Anderson wrote about this in today';s New York Times Food section. Omikase sushi is the culinary trend that'[s growing stronger and not limited to just the East and West Coasts anymore.Omikase means "I leave it up to you" and it's at the chef's discretion what to serve. It's usually expensive and fresh ingredients, sometimes frown in straight from Japan.it's also making an impact on men, from their twenties to their forties as well. It's even garnered the nickname "bromokase" because it's such a male bonding experience. These sushi houses are now as popular as steakhouses. They are popping up all across the country. A short five years ago omikase sushi restaurants were only located in New York . Now Austen Texas is home to the popular SUshi Bar ATK, frequented by popular podcaster Joe Rogen. Austen has become the American capital of omikase., also having it become part of mainstream American dining.
Omikases have been glammed up. Some have cocktail lounges, hip-hop soundtracks and colorful sauces. Some sushi chefs have even infused their personalities into their restaurants. Chef Saine Wong of Toshokan is even known to pull out his guitar and to lead singalongs after nigiri, a mound of rice topped with different ingredients. His include potato pave, a kind of scalloped potato and braised short ribs.These new school omikases are similar to previous sushi restaurants. They are extremely high priced and have limited seating. This is turning them into steakhouses which have always been known for their exclusivity and top notch ingredients.There is some criticism regarding this.Ryan Sutton, ANew York City restaurant critic disapproved of this in his podcast " Free Food Podcast". A dinner for two in New York can easily top one thousand as he implies that omikase restaurants are aimed squarely at the financial industry and the super wealthy. They don't contribute to the food culture in any meaningful sense. Yet they are still popular .
Will omikase restaurants replace regular sushi bars? Possibly. They appeal to a certain type of wealthy young male.They can succeed with that following.
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