The Omakase Room
Eight seats, one chef, no menu.
Omakase means you leave it to the chef. At KoBu that is not a gimmick, it is the only honest way to serve fish that has been aged: what is ready today decides what you eat tonight.
“An intimate 8-seat private dining experience.”
The counter is the room. There is no pass, no runner and no wall between you and the person making your food. You watch the cut, you take the piece straight from the chef, and you eat it while the rice is still warm.
How an evening runs
Four things to know
01
Book ahead, always
Reservations are required for the Omakase Room. Eight seats is eight seats, and the fish for the evening is prepared against the bookings, so walk-ins cannot be fitted in. Call (904) 232-8333.
02
The chef sets the order
A curated progression of dry-aged and wet-aged seasonal fish, built to move from the lean and delicate through to the rich. You are not handed a list, and that is the point.
03
Tell us what you cannot eat
Allergies, shellfish, anything you would rather avoid: say so when you book, not on the night. With a set progression the kitchen needs to know in advance to work around it properly.
04
Let it take its time
Pieces arrive one at a time, at the pace the chef is working. Come hungry, come unhurried, and let the sake list do some of the talking between courses.
The Mark of Time
Why age fish at all
Straight off the boat, fish is firm and clean but quiet. Given days under controlled conditions, the flesh relaxes, moisture leaves, and the flavour concentrates into something rounder and considerably more savoury.
Dry-ageing pulls moisture out and tightens the texture. Wet-ageing works more slowly and builds depth without drying the fish. Different species want different treatment, and knowing which wants which is most of the craft.
It shows up all over the menu: the kanpachi is aged before it is dressed as crudo, the bluefin tasting walks up through three cuts of one fish, and even the miso soup is built on an aged fish bone broth.
Not booked the room?
The dining room does this too
You do not need the counter to eat well here. The dining room serves the full menu, including the omakase tastings, the aged bluefin flight and everything off the hot side.
It is built for intimate dinners, birthdays, group celebrations and banquet-style gatherings. Larger parties are worth a phone call so the kitchen can plan the evening with you.
Reservations required
Eight seats a sitting, Tuesday to Saturday from five. Call and the team will find you an evening.