Eclectic Kim Review: Omakase by Osen

When I sat for omakase at Omakase by Osen during DineLA, it felt like I'd been transported out of Los Angeles and into an intimate sushi-ya in Japan.

Traditionally, omakase is a Japanese word that means “to entrust” or “to leave it up to the chef.” The term refers to a style of dining where the customer leaves the selection of dishes to the chef, who prepares a series of courses based on the freshest ingredients available that day.

The history of omakase can be traced back to the Edo period in Japan (1603-1868), where sushi chefs would prepare fresh seafood for their customers. At the time, sushi was considered street food and was sold from small stalls. However, as sushi gained popularity, chefs started to offer omakase to their customers, allowing them to taste a variety of different types of sushi.

At Omakase by Osen in Silverlake, the DineLA menu was set and all Johann and I had to do was arrive, settle in and delight in the dishes before us.

KING CRAB MISO SOUP
Made in-house crab dashi, white miso, and Japanese cilantro

DASHI JELLY
Crab meat, scallop, viola flower with homemade yuzu ponzu sauce

CHAWANMUSHI
Japanese steamed egg custard with uni and ikura

TUNA PRINGLE
Cherry tomatoes, micro cilantro, truffle sea salt with homemade truffle mavo

AMADAI MATSUKASA YAKI
Tilefish, hanaho flower with thickened dashi sauce

SASHIMI
5 pcs of chef’s choice premium sashimi assortments of
Toro (Bluefin Tuna), Kampachi (Yellowtail), Shima aji (Striped Jack), Saba (Mackerel) and Hotate (scallop)

LOTUS ROOT CROQUELLE
Unagi, cranberries with Japanese purple sweet potato espuma and dill

SUSHI
8 pcs of chef’s choice premium sushi assortments
Ohyou (Halibut), Kinmedai (Goldeneye Snapper), Tai (Sea Bream), Toro (Bluefin Tuna)
Maguro (Bluefin Tuna), Kurodai (Black Snapper), Otoro (Bluefin tuna belly), Uni (sea urchin from Hokkaido)