Say stop when you've had enough

[_john]

I have been to a few restaurants over the years that have a unique system of dining. I think a lot of people know about the concept of omakase but this is a little different. The first restaurant where I experienced this system was a kushi-katsu restaurant. Kushi-katsu is deep fried things on bamboo skewers. You sit down at the counter and the proprietor asks you "Shall I begin?". From that point on freshly fried one or two bite skewers come out one by one. Each one is unique and there are three dipping sauces that are paired with each skewer. There are no prices listed, just say stop when you have had enough and the chef will calculate your bill. I asked him how many unique dishes there were, was there some kind of limit? No, it was limited only by his imagination. One customer ate almost 60 unique skewers, he said. The progression is always the same. There are spaces reserved in the progression for seasonal items but they are more or less the same. "seasonal green vegetable", "seasonal white fish" etc. The restaurant's system is explained on the door and sign so you know what you are getting in to.

Has anyone else been to a similar restaurant? I don't feel right calling this omakase, what would be the best way to describe it?

[buffy]

Yes, I have experienced that before in a yakitori restaurant here in Hiroshima. No menu or prices, either. Good question on what to call it, but I think omakase does fit the bill. How many kushi did you eat before you asked the chef for the bill?

[_john]

  On 6/1/2011 at 7:14 AM, buffy said:

Yes, I have experienced that before in a yakitori restaurant here in Hiroshima. No menu or prices, either. Good question on what to call it, but I think omakase does fit the bill. How many kushi did you eat before you asked the chef for the bill?

I could only get to the 13th one. I had a beer too. I think the bill was around $25

[Chris Amirault]

What other sorts of food are served in this manner? Is the key that items are served in the same progression -- unlike, say, a conveyor-belt sushi joint -- and you just say when when you're done?

[_john]

I think the progression being the same each time is one of the key points. The other being that unlike omakase where you you, the customer, usually set a limit of a certain number of dishes or a monetary amount the only control you have is "stop" and "go". I found my self going back to see if I could get to the next level. Maybe there is a bonus round or a warp zone? I found myself very susceptible to the idea having been brought up with video games.

[Blether]

Then it's the "Tantarosu Koosu" or "Jirashihoudai".

[Avvocot]

Maroni's in Northport Long Island uses this method. You reserve Chef's choice for lunch or dinner and then they start bringing out tasting courses (Tapas size) until you shout uncle. Then they bring out three or four desert courses. Best restaurant on Long Island. Maroni beat Bobby Flay in a meatball throwdown.

[LPShanet]

  On 6/2/2011 at 3:44 AM, _john said:

I think the progression being the same each time is one of the key points. The other being that unlike omakase where you you, the customer, usually set a limit of a certain number of dishes or a monetary amount the only control you have is "stop" and "go". I found my self going back to see if I could get to the next level. Maybe there is a bonus round or a warp zone? I found myself very susceptible to the idea having been brought up with video games.

There may be more specific terms, as mentioned, for the specific meal format, but I do have the impression that this still fits under the umbrella of omakase. The word means, basically, "it's up to you", or "I entrust you". Curious to hear if others have heard specific terms for this type of omakase. The fact that the order is mostly the same each time is fairly common in Japanese food, with a number of omakase sushi restaurants doing things that way. Also, most kaiseki cuisine has a very traditional order that things are supposed to come in, so the concept of having a specific progression is a frequent theme in Japanese cuisine (and culture overall, if you look at things like the tea ceremony, etc.).