Is this sushi worth the high price?
Herbert Hacker on the new Shiki Omakase.

What does “Omakase” mean, and which restaurant is it?

Joji Hattori, a Japan-born conductor, opened “Shiki” on Krugerstraße in 2011, arguably the best Japanese restaurant in the city. Now he has gone one step further and opened “Shiki Omakase” just a few steps away. “Omakase” means “I leave it up to you,” referring to the chef. The small back room of the “Shiki Boutique” seats only eight guests, and all the nigiri sushi and sashimi are prepared à la minute right in front of the guests.

What is the evening like?

Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m., while lunch starts at 12:30 p.m. Head chef Alois Trend and sushi masters Hiroki Takahashi and Ruben Gorcea explain the current sequence of courses. Then it begins. Each course is better than the last. Even watching the fish being cut is fascinating. This has nothing to do with what has traditionally been considered sushi in Vienna. The difference is enormous—no, it’s like comparing different galaxies.

How much do the menus cost, and are they worth the money?

The evening menu, with around 20 courses, costs €298, while the lunch menu costs €198. That is a lot of money, but it is worth every cent, because the focus here is on precious, top-quality ingredients.

Take “O-Toro,” for example. It is a prized part of the bluefin tuna, incredibly delicious and meltingly tender on the tongue—but correspondingly expensive. Even the rice served with it is completely different: firm, with a delicate flavor.

The creations should be eaten quickly, because they are at their best when absolutely fresh. Here, minutes matter, as does the almost ruthless perfection of Japanese culinary craftsmanship. And that kind of perfection comes at a price.

What do you drink at Omakase?

Wine is not really the focus here (although the impressive wine cellar of the main restaurant is available). Instead, guests should put themselves in the hands of sake sommelier Peter Dallinger, a passionate sake expert who oversees a sake collection that—as with the entire restaurant—is second to none.