"Best" omakase recommendations?

A certain lovely dining companion's birthday is on the horizon and although I initially was thinking Meiji, a review of reviews suggests that this may not be the best course.

We enjoy omakase with one small twist: although LDC is of Japanese descent, she has some . . . peculiarities of preference. She doesn't like raw fish. Athough I'm the gaijin in the couple, I enjoy pretty much everything. While most places we've been to have accommodated her somewhat unorthodox preference, I mention it because it means somewhat less emphasis on superb sushi/sashimi and perhaps a bit more facility with cooked dishes.

By way of assistance, we enjoyed Matsumoto but were unhappy at Katsu. We are particularly fond of Sunshine Cafe and Renga-Tei, but were not particularly impressed by Oysy. Don't know if those particular likes/dislikes help, but any direction would be appreciated. (FWIW, although we are in the city, we're willing to travel for this meal....)

Edit: Having pondered my request a bit, I should revise "Best" to read "most enjoyable." High quality is, of course, very desirable. But enjoyable ranks equally high--whatever "enjoyable" means to you....

I really dig Chef BK at Aria bar in the Fairmont. He has a real inherent understanding of progression from light to rich to almost a dessert sushi. It's as if you're experiencing a tasting menu at one of the citys pre-fixe high end places. He mixes all his own sauces, ponzu, truffle soy, some interesting combinations. I've never seen a sushi chef taste so much. He doesn't take anything for granted from one sushi move to the next.

Once when I was there, BK walked away for a minute, and one of the patrons, an afficionado of cutlery sitting at the sushi bar, asked if he could see the Chef's knife. The chef's assistant showed it to him and put it back down. When BK got back, he immediately asked who touched his knife. It turns out he always puts it down the same way, and knew immediately someone had been messing with his stuff. That kind of attention makes its way into the preps.

Gypsy Boy wrote:(FWIW, although we are in the city, we're willing to travel for this meal....)

How far? Streamwood? I hope you consider Sakuma's..

Although part of a larger group having an omakase dinner, Chef Sakuma accomodated, without prior notice, A2Fay's non-raw item request with cooked dishes in place of those that had raw items. I will note that these items/dishes were fried - shrimp balls in one instance, tempura in another and a tempura unagi in sauce (Hutch special?) third*. The third one though didn't really feel 'fried' as it was in the sauce. Also we only 'realized' that all these were fried much later, mulling our meal. A2Fay was very happy with her dinner as was I**.
I'm sure with advance notice, you can do much better - possibly even get some different courses for each.

Happy birthday to LDC, and I look forward to your report wherever you go.

*details in the thread linked to, in this post

**A different price point, a different setting, a different beast (omakase vs. kaiseki) but comparisons to our meal at Matsumoto are tempting…

Sakuma's Japanese Restaurant/Sushi Bar
43 S. Sutton Road
Streamwood, IL 60107
(630) 483-0289

MJN wrote:I really dig Chef BK at Aria bar in the Fairmont. He has a real inherent understanding of progression from light to rich to almost a dessert sushi. It's as if you're experiencing a tasting menu at one of the citys pre-fixe high end places. He mixes all his own sauces, ponzu, truffle soy, some interesting combinations. I've never seen a sushi chef taste so much. He doesn't take anything for granted from one sushi move to the next.

I had lunch here Wednesday. While it doesn't answer the OP's query -- he specified no raw fish -- I agree that this is a special place for sushi and sashimi. It's not quite a traditional Japanese approach, but it's very respectful and delicious innovation. Pristine fish, gorgeously presented, exquisitely flavored, in perfect bite sizes. (Fans of Katsu-sized slabs of fish may be less enchanted than I am.) In the nigiri, even the rice was perfect: sticky yet discrete grains and not a bit gummy.

I also appreciate the humor of a menu that puts the tamago under "roe."

There are clearly off-menu items, so it pays to ask. We were describing ume-shiso maki (salt-plum paste and beefsteak leaf) to our lunch companion, and commented that you don't often see it outside of old-fashioned Japanese spots. So one appeared on our plates, even though it is not on the menu. (I'm glad I wasn't talking about natto!) However, the chef did have to explain it to his assistant.

The menu offers cooked-food items as well, but I don't think it's an omakase destination for someone who doesn't eat raw seafood. But sushi lovers definitely will want to let BK take care of them.

It was very difficult to sit there looking and tasting the beautiful nigiri and sashimi I was getting and keep from lecturing the guy down the bar ordering California roll.

Oh -- and they serve sushi till midnight! Nice sake list, too.

aria bar
312/565-7997
www.ariachicago.com (warning: flash and music!)
Fairmont Hotel Chicago
200 N. Columbus Drive, Chicago