WHAT IS OMAKASE?

Omakase Japanese Dining at Hurley House Hotel berkshire cool dining experiences near me

Omakase is hot, sizzling, and everyone wants a slice. Literally translating to ‘I leave it up to you’, omakase is a Japanese dining tradition that began in the 1990s to accommodate the new influx of nouveau riche customers to the country, who knew little of the high culture surrounding sushi, yet still wanted a piece of the action.

Fast forward 30 years, and the concept has taken the London food scene by storm, attracting hardcore foodie connoisseurs and sushi novices alike. In the big smoke, areas like Mayfair have become a mecca for omakase restaurants. And it’s big ticket business. Cropping up here, there, and everywhere, you’ll find these suave Japanese bars offering exquisite multi-course tasting menus (sometimes over 20) with only the absolute crème de la crème of talent donning the chef whites. Fussy eaters, look away. There is no menu, and it is completely up to the chef what is served on the night.

Omakase Japanese Dining at Hurley House Hotel berkshire

Expect a communal set up, a little like a Teriyaki bar (minus the flaming onion volcanoes). There could be seating for anything from 2 to 20 people, and every dish is handcrafted right before your eyes. It’s the definition of true, high-end dining and an experience synonymous with luxury. But the craft, skill, and expertise poured into every single morsel doesn’t come cheap. You could pay anything up to £450 a head for the privilege at some of the top joints.

However, sometimes, even money can’t buy you a seat at the table. If heading into London, you could find yourself facing months long waitlists to get your fill. Luckily for you, we have our very own, exclusive omakase bar right here in Berkshire. We wanted to keep it our little secret, but fine, we’ll share. If we have to.

THE LOWDOWN

Hurley House Hotel Berkshire historic inn painted brick illuminated at night

No traipsing on the tube for you. You can get your chops on this smoking hot trend right here in the Royal County. Hurley House Hotel officially opened their trendy Omakase Sushi Bar in May last year. Fun fact: it’s actually claimed to be the only one of its kind outside of London. So when I say it’s Berkshire’s best kept secret, yep, I mean it.

Sittings take place on Fridays and Saturdays at 6.30pm or 8.30pm, plus two additional private sittings are available on Thursday at 7pm or Sunday at 1pm by prior arrangement. The man behind the magic? Head Chef Suren who has years of hard grafted experience under his belt working at some of the top sushi restaurants in London. He received his training under the careful guidance of revered sushi master and chef Akira Back who has a reputation for cutting cuisine and exquisite taste. A force to be reckoned with then.

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At his station, there’s no oven or hob, so everything that’s created in front of you is cold and ultra fresh. As for the menu, well, technically there isn’t one. But you can choose between two tasting options – either the 12-course Lotus or 16-course Dragon. You won’t know what’s on them of course. That’s down to Suren on the night. As for produce, only the very finest, highest quality ingredients are used in the dishes. I’m talking A5 kobe Wagyu beef (the absolute highest meat quality grade possible) and extravagant bluefin tuna.

There’s also a special drinks menu, with a carefully curated selection of Japanese sakes and whiskies which you can pair with the meal. Hungry yet? You should be. Let’s dive in.

THE VIBE

Omakase Japanese Dining at Hurley House Hotel berkshire japanese restaurant

Grown up and oh-so chic. It’s an incredibly intimate affair that takes place around a shared wooden omakase bar for you and up to four other guests. The bar itself sits just off the side from the main restaurant, so if there’s only two of you having a quiet night out, you can still revel in its buzzy atmosphere.

I love the use of natural wood textures like rattan and atmospheric lighting which helps give the evening that real touch of intimacy and class. The way it’s set up feels like such a special, once-in-a-lifetime affair. You just know you’re in for an evening to remember.

The seats are high stools, but very comfortable – even two hours into the feast. It’s uber relaxed, and the setting is built to be social. Whether you’ve cobbled together some friends, a couples night out, or you’re shoulder to shoulder with complete strangers, you’re guaranteed a laugh and a good time regardless.

There is nothing to say children can’t enjoy this experience, and Suren tells me he has cooked for them before. If your kids have the palate to handle it, why not. But I would probably say this is something best left for older teens and the adults.

THE OMAKASE EXPERIENCE

For us, the 16 course Dragon offering was on the cards, and squishing down into my seat for the evening, I was fluttering with excitement. I didn’t have a clue what I’d be stuffing my face with, but I was ready and willing to try anything.

From the very start, Suren was warm, welcoming, and very gentle in his approach. Had I been up there weilding the samurai knife, I can only begin to imagine the carnage that would ensue. But that is why Suren is the certified pro, and I was happy to be at the mercy of his very trusted hands.

To start with, he showed us his well-stocked portable cooler brimming with the most beautiful cuts of fish I’d ever seen in my life. Bluefin tuna, scallops, squid, trout, grouper, mackerel, and crab – I was salivating already. Then, like some mystical sushi jedi, he got to work.

Suren’s knowledge of his craft, the ingredients, and cooking was just staggering. It was clear he is a true master of his art. And a fine art is exactly what it is. With his intimidatingly long knife he got slicing and dicing. The only bit of heat? His blowtorch to crisp up the fish. And all around him was a rainbow assortment of garnishes, herbs, and seasoning to whip up the magic.

The first course out? Grouper with white truffle, romanesco, imperial caviar, surinag, and tofu. Well, things certainly started with a bang. I’m an absolute fiend for truffle and the flavours on this were breathtaking. The dish was a riot of colour, texture, and flavour and I loved the garnish of the flower that packed a punch in its own right.

Soon following in its wake – bluefin tuna, salmon caviar and truffle shavings. No exaggeration when I say this might just be the best tuna I’ve ever tasted in my life. My god, you could tell this was a premium cut. It simply melted away in your mouth and was soft as silk. Just sublime in every sense of the word.

Nothing was stopping this culinary train. Third came the vegetarian dish comprised of bamboo shoots, wacacmi, ginger flower and moge. A proper flavour bomb – this was utterly delicious. I loved how each dish was so wildly different and it was already becoming impossible to pick a favourite.

Along with the food, I opted to try the drinks pairing for £43. It included a Nyetimber Classic Cuvée English Sparkling Wine to start, plus three varieties of sake, with one coming out hot (much like a mulled wine). I must admit, I’d never had sake before, but it married with the food beautifully. And averaging 15% proof, safe to say I left the meal one happy chappy.

Meanwhile, my fellow foodie connoisseur dipped into the lip-smacking range of mocktails on offer including the Passion No-Tini (a non-alcoholic pornstar martini) and the Elderflower No-Jito. Both tasted as good as the real thing to be honest.

The next course sent me to food heaven. Spider crab, asparagus, and sea grapes. Wow, wow, wow. The flavour of the crab was divine. I’m actually struggling to put into words how much I loved this dish. It must also be said that the presentation of each and every item was absolutely stunning. Even though I’d watched Suren assemble it together just moments before, I still didn’t know how he did it.

Everything from the assortment of crockery and variation of cool and quirky plates with every course, to the attentive level of service throughout the meal just felt ultra premium. But that’s omakase for you.

The last of the cold dishes, and quite possibly my favourite (I know, it’s a big call), was the slow cooked Wagyu beef, rice, bamboo shoots, and parmesan. The flavour was beyond exceptional and I’m struggling to think of an adjective to capture just how good it was. I don’t think you could find a beef dish better than this. The flavour was rich, intense, and simply divine.

Omakase Japanese Dining at Hurley House Hotel berkshire sushi

With that, it was on to the nigiri section – the most popular type of sushi in Japan. Watching Suren put these plates together was like sorcery. I got completely engrossed in the display of mastery before my eyes and I really didn’t appreciate just how much skill goes into it.

“You have to train for 10 years as a sushi chef before you even begin to learn omakase,” Suren tells me when I ask him how long it took him to learn his craft. Wowzer. Well it’s not for the faint hearted. And not everyone has what it takes, according to Suren.

Omakase Japanese Dining at Hurley House Hotel berkshire sushi near me

We sampled seven pieces of nigiri in total – each as delightful as the last. There was the belly of bluefin tuna, dry aged sea trout with imperial caviar, mackerel and chives, Japanese scallop with black sashimi paste, botan prawn ebi, marinated tuna with tofu sauce, and Norwegian squid with lime juice. All, of course, served raw and eaten the traditional way: all in one go.

Again, the quality of the fish was glaring. Inside each nigiri, Suren freshly prepared two and a half year aged wasabi (the age means it’s a more mild taste than the younger headblower variety), which packed the perfect kick and built up with each bite. There was also slices of raw ginger on the plate, plus pickled ginger which you ate just after downing your lump of sushi. Stunning.

It was at this point Suren nipped out for about 10 minutes to whip up the hot dishes in the kitchen. First was the miso soup with wasabi. This marked a nice change of pace from what we’d been eating so far. You’re encouraged to use chopsticks throughout the meal, although if you’re terrified of making a fool of yourself in front of the sushi master (puts hand up), you of course can request regular cutlery. Surprisingly, I’d actually been using my sticks up to this point, but for the soup, thankfully you were given a spoon. That could have got messy.

Following this was the absolutely delightful prawn with foie gras and custard. I’ve never had anything like this before, but I lapped up every morsel. Not going to lie, I was starting to flag on the food front at this point, but the level of flavour was still very much appreciated. Just fabulous and I loved the little serving pots.

The meal concluded on an absolute whopper. But I expected nothing less. The succulent chunks of kobe Wagyu beef was as exceptional as you could get. The very definition of melt-in-your-mouth, the dish came with shredded nori seaweed, wasabi truffle porcini mayo, and a pinch of salt. Can Heinz up their game and start selling the mayo please, cause oh my, I need that in EVERY meal. I’m going to be pining over this dish for a long time.

Something sweet to tie it up in a neat little bow. The fruit platter that Suren ever so carefully assembled was so moreish. The fruit was top notch – juicy, fresh, and accompanied by the macha and white chocolate melted dip, actual heaven. There was a mini yuzu cheesecake with red bean sauce that lasted all of five seconds too. And as if we needed any more food in our gullets, a show-stopping petit four of chocolate orange slices and fresh strawberries came out, blooming with dry ice.

The omakase bar at Hurley House is so much more than just going out for a bite to eat. It’s a proper, one-off immersive experience that will stay with you for years to come. And that’s exactly what I love about food. My top tip? Don’t be at the back of the bus when word gets out about this exceptional dining ritual. If London’s waitlists are anything to go by, you’ll want to get booking, stat.

OUT & ABOUT

By the end of your feast, you’ll be fit to burst. Make for cover and hunker down in one of Hurley House’s ten boutique bedrooms for a sleepover. That will put a stop to the inevitable designated driver argument. Nearby, the village of Hurley is chocolate box pretty, sitting on the River Thames where you can jump on a boat cruise or take a gentle saunter around the surrounding countryside. Henley isn’t far either, nor is gorgeous Marlow for some boutique shopping ’til dropping.

PSST…

Feeling inspired? Try your hand at mastering the art of sushi yourself on one of Hurley House’s sushi making courses with sushi chef Tomono Davies. It’s £95pp for two hours of fun and you’ll practically leave a pro. Or so you’ll tell yourself. On every month for the rest of 2024. For more details or to book a place, email hello@hurleyhouse.co.uk or call 01628 568500.

THE VERDICT

ellie ball journalist muddy stilettos berkshire editor

Good for: Gourmands who worship extraordinary food and love a seriously special dining experience. Omakase is a once-in-a-lifetime must-do.

Not for: Vegetarians or those with complex dietary requirements and food allergies. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the experience, the restaurant isn’t able to cater to this.

The damage: Compared to London prices? A steal. Guests can select from two tasting menus – the 12-course Lotus is £95pp and the 16-course Dragon is £125pp.

Words by Ellie Ball

Hurley House Hotel, Henley Road, Hurley, Berkshire, SL6 5LH. Telephone: 01628 568500.

London’s hottest dining trend reviewed: Omakase at Hurley House Hotel

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