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Calgary Herald

Chorney-Booth: Where to find an omakase experience in Calgary

It's a bit of a food lover's dream: sitting at a pristine sushi bar as the chef methodically hands you piece after piece of sushi (with a few other snacks thrown in for good measure), gauging your reaction to make sure the next bite suits your fancy. Omakase, the Japanese culinary service that roughly translates to 'I'll leave it to you,' has become the hottest trend in fine dining all over the world, including here in Calgary. Article content Article content For the uninitiated, omakase is often compared to a Western-style chef's tasting menu, but while that model involves diners obediently following the chef on a journey, a proper omakase chef will adjust the menu to suit the guest. Think of a chef's tasting menu as being like a presentation, whereas omakase should play out more like a conversation. Article content Article content That chef attention, coupled with high-end seafood and expert preparation means omakase is also famously expensive, with most local versions coming in at well over $100 per person and Michelin-starred examples in other cities often costing over $500. While the price may seem steep for what is typically about a dozen or more courses of nigiri, sashimi and appetizers, the experience can be mesmerizing and, for those who love it, well worth the price tag. Article content Article content Ryuko/Sushi Jun Ryuko just opened its third full-service restaurant — this one in the Beltline at 1004 14th St. S.W. — but culinary director Jun Young Park's attention is also on his new sushi counter, Sushi Jun. Operating from an intimate sushi bar on the upper floor of Ryuko's original south location, the program is a pure expression of Park's deep love of traditional omakase. He offers three different tiers at dinnertime (ranging from $130 to $200) with the option of sake pairings. Article content Park develops his daily menu after looking at the reservation book to glean some information about his guests while figuring in what's fresh from his fish suppliers. Not only does he carefully curate the menu, but times a music playlist to complement each dish.