Kiku Omakase at Lancaster Bangkok is for experienced and first-time omakase diners alike
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Just exactly what is omakase? For me this has always been a tantalising mystery, in more ways than one but not quite in the usual fashion. Because while I might have wondered at the concept, culture and etiquette of dining omakase style, what I did know is that it would for sure be a delectable experience.
It certainly was. After years of passing by the numerous omakase restaurants in and around Bangkok’s Thong Lo neighbourhood on an almost daily basis and thinking to myself “I have to try this” but never quite mustering the confidence to do so, I at last… did so.
Kiku Omakase is the new omakase restaurant that recently opened at Lancaster Bangkok hotel. A ‘culinary haven masterfully curated by a Japanese chef’ where, as general manager Martin Hurley explained, both the experienced and first-time omakase diner is equally welcome.
“We previously had omakase available at The Lancaster bar, but knowing this was a dining experience that deserved its own space we opened Kiku Omakase in March of 2024. It’s the ideal spot for those who already know and love omakase dining, as well as those wanting to try it for the first time.”
So what is omakase? The phrase omakase literally means ‘I leave it up to you’ and is used when dining at Japanese restaurants where the customer leaves it up to the chef to select and serve seasonal specialties. The chef is expected to be innovative and surprising in selecting dishes, based on interactions with the diner and discreet observation of their reaction to each previous item served, in a meal that can be likened to an artistic performance.
Chef Naotaka Tokuhisa is the highly skilled omakase chef at the helm of Kiku Omakase. Having honed his skills in traditional Japanese cuisine in the renowned kitchens of Fukuoka, Kyoto and Tokyo and wowed diners at restaurants across Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, he brings to Lancaster Bangkok’s newest dining venue 27 years of culinary expertise.
Chef Naotaka’s deep passion for his culinary craft shines through at every step of the omakase experience at Kiku Omakase, where he blends time-honoured traditions with innovative techniques. His mastership of the delicate balance of flavours and presentation – hallmarks of Japanese cuisine, his presentation, impeccable timing and meticulous attention to detail, mean each dish he creates is a sublime fusion of taste, texture and visual artistry.
Chef Naotaka’s specialty is in sushi, hot dishes and the traditional ‘kaiseki’ multi-course meal. The emphasis in kaiseki is on seasonal ingredients, intricate and graceful preparation. My first omakase meal was, needless to say, a true delight.
It began with an appetizer of salmon carpaccio, which was followed by a course of three types of sashimi – thinly sliced food, usually seafood or various meat and eaten raw. In this case it was chotoro – medium fatty tuna with a lovely pink colour and a texture that melts in your mouth, shima-aji – striped jack that’s light and buttery with tender flesh and just a bit of fat, and ama ebi – sweet shrimp and the only species of shrimp best enjoyed raw, as cooking them robs them of their full sweetness.
Next was a grilled course of kinki shio yaki – its English name being channel rockfish, this is a rare fish found in Hokkaido, and considered a delicacy in Japan for its succulent and fatty white flesh. Then, a boiled course of awabi with kimo sauce – abalone with a firm yet tender bite and a sauce made from its liver that complements the natural sweetness of the abalone. And then, a madai – or sea-bream – clear soup.
Dessert was a delectable serving of strawberry daifuku with black sesame ice cream – a strawberry wrapped in red bean paste and sweet mochi, and the popular Japanese ice cream being rich and creamy with a nutty flavour.
Watching Chef Naotaka skillfully prepare each exquisite dish with focused attention and surgical precision, is a joy. Adding to this visual spectacle is the informed and engaging commentary he delivers on each dish – its ingredients and their origin, the specific flavours to enjoy with each mouthful and the dish’s place within the entire meal.
Any questions I had he fielded with a warm enthusiasm, providing answers that reflected his knowledge, understanding and passion for omakase dining. Such as what the pickled ginger – or gari – provided in a small dish was for? And could I use my fingers for some dishes, as opposed to chopsticks?
Turns out the gari is used to cleanse the palate between dishes, and not only is it ok to use your fingers for some dishes it’s actually recommended. Particularly for the sashimi, with Chef Naotaka explaining that once I had a firm grip on this to turn it upside down so the rice was on top, thus allowing the fish on the bottom to fully scintillate my taste buds.
As Martin said, it’s like going to the theatre – a theatre where there’s an interactive performance showing in which you the diner, the chef and the cuisine are the main performers.
There are three ‘Kaiseki Omakase’ courses on offer at Kiku Omakase. These are the Ayame Course comprising 14 courses – appetiser, sashimi (four kinds), grilled, steamed, soup, sushi (five pieces) and dessert; the Suzuran Course comprising 18 courses – appetiser, sashimi (five kinds), fried, simmered, grilled, steamed, sushi (six pieces), soup and dessert; and the Kiku Course comprising 21 courses – appetiser, sashimi (five kinds), fried, simmered, grilled, steamed, sushi (six pieces), soup and dessert.
Kiku Omakase is open Wednesday to Sunday, for lunch from 12pm til 2.30pm and for dinner from 5pm til 8.30pm. Visit Lancaster Bangkok’s website to find out more, or to make an omakase meal booking by phone, email or via Line.
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