Nagomi

Quite easily some of the best Japanese food I’ve ever had. Full disclosure that I did not pick up the bill so every morsel of this omakase feast tasted even sweeter and more delicious.
This tiny, I’m guessing 25-​seater, is a hidden gem of a restaurant in Cuppage Plaza. Once you get past the «friendly ladies» of the many bars in the building, you are magically transported into a quaint and tranquil Japanese dining room. Leave your shoes at the door and pick between the table or the bar. Either way, order a beer or some sake, get comfortable, and prepare yourself for some serious eating as the chef prepares dishes from what’s freshest for the day.
We started with some Hokkaido oysters and they are seriously the largest oysters I have eaten but its size doesn’t compromise quality or taste. Both my bites (yes it’s that big) of this plump oyster gave me plenty of umami brininess and salinity. Next up is a treasure chest of sashimi. You are spoiled for choice with the variety of fresh fish. In particular, I just love the generous serving of uni that you can just taste the ocean.
The meal continues to get better as you move onto cooked food. The snow crab legs were just incredibly sweet and the tempura smelt (I think it was smelt) had a delicate crunch. The beef was just melt in your mouth tender and a joy to eat with the lettuce and dipping sauce. My favorite mouthful though was the grilled fish. I don’t know what fish it was but it was just so incredibly sweet. It must have been brined first in some mirin or sake then grilled. The meat is delicate but the skin is crispy and then bam the sweet flavors hit you with a punch.
Ending our meal with some comforting, but surprisingly deep and complex, japanese congee was a nice homey way to end an otherwise gourmet foodie meal. Nagomi is pricey but it is really good so let’s file this under special occasions as I dream about the sweet sweet grilled fish and look forward to my return trip.