Omakase

Omakase is a Japanese sushi bar in Aruba located in the Manchebo Beach Resort.  There are only 8 seats where Chef Mylene Lapinid, originally from the Philippines, perfects her craft in front of the diners.  She learned from a master chef who taught her the traditional art of sushi making and her cheerful disposition only adds to the fun dining experience.

For the omakase, there is no choice; the Chef will present a series of plates, beginning with the lightest and proceeding to heavier, richer dishes that showcase seasonal ingredients.  We ordered a jar of cold sake, Gekkekeikan, a classic from Japan that was founded in 1637 and has a very clean and pure taste. It paired perfectly with our four course meal that started off  with a simple miso soup.

Next, we were presented with the sashimi plate and a separate dish of chilled crab salad.  The salmon was the best; super fatty, clean, and melted in my mouth.

The rolls were creative and a bit over the top for our liking, but we enjoyed the Manchebo Special Maki - spicy salmon & cream cheese roll, topped with mixed crab & smoked salmon salad with mango, Ebitem Maki - shrimp tempura, cucumber & cream cheese rolled on rice crispies, and the Caterpillar Maki - salmon & tuna roll topped with avocado.

Lastly for dessert, we were presented with a Banana Tempura served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  I always feel like sushi restaurants feel pressured to offer a dessert option, which end up underwhelming and unnecessary.   I would prefer to round out the omakase with more fresh fish.

Overall, the fish was decent and I appreciate the authentic attempt, however the lure for tourists with the crazy maki rolls outshine the simplicity of a true omakase experience.

Total Rating: 3.9
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 3.5, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 5