Hidden behind nondescript double doors in the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, omakase pop-up Taikun debuted July 15. The seaside resort transformed one of its small private dining rooms into a temporary sushi bar now outfitted with an eight-seat counter, a see-through fridge stocked with wines and saki, and intimate yet sparse decor. You have until Nov. 5 to check it out.
For the uninitiated, omakase, which very roughly translates to “’I’ll leave it up to you,” has gained traction in the United States over the last few years. (Costa Mesa’s Hana re nabbed its fifth consecutive Michelin star for its omakase last week.) There’s no selection of items from which you, the diner, choose; the chef makes the decisions for you.
Chef Kei Yoshino, who prepares his nightly 16-course menu in front of seated guests, and his team from New York City offer a meal that features such stunners as a delicate akami, a silky and buttery zuke toro, and a perfectly potent uni. Red meat, blessedly, is also on the menu, including a torch-kissed A5 wagyu brushed with garlic soy atop a finger of rice. Diners can also look forward to contemporary luxury-dining stalwarts like dollops of caviar and shaved sheets of black truffle anointing the singular sushi bites. (This is, after all, the Ritz-Carlton.)
The menu is determined weekly depending on seasonality and quality of ingredients.
Yoshino and his New York City-based crew have toured their pop-up across the country at a handful of swank venues, including the Four Seasons in Miami and Bad Harriett at Aspen’s Hotel Jerome. Taikun makes its official west coast debut inside Orange County’s tony beachside resort.
Taikun offers two nightly seatings at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. costing $175 per guest.
Omakase, akin to most tasting menus or prix-fixe meals, is…
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