Shokuhin Poruno "à la" Sakedokoro Makoto

Yes, for the knowledgeable folks out there, the title of this blog post is an amalgamation (or blasphemy) of Japanese and French using American idiomatic syntax.  But this post is about food porn, so please just salivate over the pictures and feel free to extend some liberties on the title.

One month ago, I made reservations with friends at Sakedokoro Makoto, an upscale establishment owned by chef Gene Itoh specializing in omakase style dining.  With roots in Japanese culture, omakase is a less formal type of traditional dining that has also been adapted in America to take on the characteristic of a chef's tasting menu, European style. Purists might actually tell you that likening omakase to a chef's tasting menu is entirely missing the point.  Whereas a tasting menu is used to showcase a chef's artistic skills, seasonal ingredients, regional specialties, and so on, omakase dining exists on a deeper relational level.  This is certainly an opportunity for a chef of Japanese cuisine to show off his or her art; however, omakase is about the chef's real-time relationship with patron(s) and the trust placed in the hands of the chef.  This style of dining is intimate such that the chef is expected to gauge the patrons' reactions from one course and adjust for the next, thereby maximizing dining pleasure.  And although I am no expert on Japanese culture, old or new, I daresay omakase is a deep concept with origins in old Japan.  It applies generally to many forms of vendor-customer relationships, not just those in the restaurant industry.

Based on the purists' definition of omakase dining and my experience at Makoto, I would say that Chef Itoh definitely takes liberties on this dining style.  There was a defined menu for the night, and while the small restaurant space was cozy, intimate, and traditional, we had no contact with any of the chefs.  That is not to say the menu did not impress--most of it did.  Tack onto that eight out of nine courses being paired with a specific variety of sake from the earthy to the smooth to even the sparkling, and I would say it was a successful meal.  For the pictures below, hover over for English descriptions..

And before I present the food porn, I want to give a shout out to my friend Toby for hauling ass back from New York City to share a great meal.

Course One: Owanmono. Robusuta no Tosazu Jure' Sarada.

Course Two: Kobachi. Yaki Hotate, Uni no Kuriimu Sauce. Uzura no Oriibu Oiruae. Hokkeigai Nuttaae. Masu no Kobujime, Tobikokake.

Course Three: Kuchigawari. Tenaga Ebi no Oriibu Fuumi, Burande Frambei.

Course Four: Tsukuri. Maguro, Toro, Kanpachi, Kurodai.

Course Five: Agemono. Otosan no Watari - Gani, Okakiage.

Special Course of the Day: Japanese Seared Beef.

Course Six: Yakimono. Yaki Orenjirafi.

Course Seven: Sushi. Hirame Chimaki, Shake Hakosushi, Soba Sushi.

Course Eight: Dessert. Budo no Grand Marnier Fuumi Shabeto.

Still reading?  I am impressed!  Here are the highlights, the "good," and the "not impressed":

Highlights:

• Course One contained ample lobster meat but kept balance with other flavors.
• Part of Course Two, the seared sea scallop with sea urchin cream sauce and topped with flying fish roe.  Divine.
• Also part of Course Two, the salmon topped with wasabi flying fish roe was very tasty.
• Course Five was soft-shelled crab.  I love soft-shelled crab, and the tasting salts were great.
• The Japanese style seared beef was a slice of heaven.

Good Stuff:

• Course Three scampi tasted great and was artistically prepared.
• The amber jack sashimi in Course Four was tasty, but not really worth a $35 upgrade.
• Course Six orange roughy was prepared how it should be.

Not Impressed:

• Soba sushi.  Interesting, but not what I wanted to pay for.
• Western pastries were sub-par.  Makoto should stick with their guns and make Japanese sweets.  Although there were small Western style bakeries all over urban Japan that made really good pastries.
• I feel bad about this one, but the sorbet was lost on me.