Otoro, uni, omakase etiquette and the deep cuts that separate a great sushi night from an unforgettable one.
By the Yes Ichiban editors · Updated September 2026
This is the deep end — the experiences serious diners chase. None of it is complicated once someone explains it.
Omakase: "I'll leave it to you"
Omakase means trusting the chef to build your meal, course by course, from the best of what they have that day. There is no menu. You sit at the counter, the chef reads the room, and each piece arrives at its peak. Eat it right away, tell the chef what you loved, and let the meal build.
Bluefin, and the holy grail: otoro
Bluefin tuna is the king of sushi fish, prized for its three cuts: akami (lean, deep red), chutoro (medium-fatty), and otoro — the fatty belly that melts on the tongue. A single piece of great otoro is one of the finest bites in all of food.
The other trophies
- Uni — sea urchin, custardy and sweet-briny; a love-it-or-hate-it rite of passage.
- Ikura — salmon roe that pops with clean, salty flavor.
- A5 wagyu — beef so marbled it melts at body temperature, sometimes seared tableside.
- Toro takuan and hand rolls (temaki) that the chef makes to close the meal.
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Where to try it near you
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