While Lisbon has plenty of top-notch sushi restaurants, it had been lacking a proper omakase (chef’s choice, sushi-only) joint. Entrepreneur Rishav Verma (Mamasan and Aura Dim Sum Lab) changed that with the arrival of his new Omakase Ri, a seven-seat dining counter in what feels like a Japanese speakeasy in the old Izcalli space in Alcântara.
The chef who gets to choose is Will Vargas, who hails from Brazil, a country that probably has the second-best sushi after Japan. Vargas, who spent some time welding a sushi knife at Ikigari, gets his fish from the Janeiro 31 market, tuna from Spain, and a few notable exceptions that are flown in straight from Japan. They also have a setup for aging certain fish—particularly fatty tuna, which surprisingly benefits from a few days of rest. The fish positively melts in your mouth.
As anyone who cares about sushi will tell you, the fish is almost a footnote. The real craft of sushi is making the perfect vinegared rice, which is why the restaurant uses the noble Koshihikari type of rice from the Toyama prefecture of Japan, and warms it in a traditional nosebitsu wooden tub. They also bring in fresh Mediterranean wasabi, and while they don’t necessarily brag about their ginger, it’s delicious.
Vargas’s Japanese-Brazilian partner helps with service and keeps the drinks (and ginger) flowing. Although there’s a good list of natural wines, most diners opt for some of the unusual sakes on the ever-changing list—the small size lets Verma pick up whatever interests him at the bottle shop (Sake Mico) rather than relying on a distributor—or, better yet, the sake pairing option.
For more information, visit the Omakase Ri website.
Omakase Ri
Rua Alcântara 13
Lisbon
Phone: +351 914 094 506
Email: book@omakaseri.com
Reservations only. Bookings must be made at least 24 hours before.
