15 May 16 - 22, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents The Cost of Craft Tatsu, a 10-seat omak- ase on the edge of Deep Ellum illuminates the traditions of edo- mae style sushi. Is it worth the price? BY CHRIS WOLFGANG D irectly translated, omakase means “I leave it up to you.” In practice at omakase experi- ences across Dallas, it means a diner is willing to put his or her trust (and often, their credit card balance) completely in the hands of the chef. Omak- ase has been an option for years among Dal- las’ Japanese restaurants, but the influx of dedicated omakase-only establishments is a more recent development. Despite the surge in popularity, omakase can be intimidating to newcomers. Most omakase restaurants seat no more than 12 guests at a time, usually no more than twice in an evening. Reservations can be hard to come by, and when combined with the cost and trepidation of not knowing what you’ll be served, anxiety is understandable. Allow us to recommend Tatsu, the eponymous res- taurant from chef Tatsuya Sekiguchi, for starting your omakase journey. Tatsu focuses on the edomae style of su- shi preparation, a traditional method in which soy and vinegar are used to lightly flavor and cure the fish. Sekiguchi learned his technique from his father at his family’s near-century-old restaurant in Hasuda, Ja- pan. Sekiguchi came to New York in 2001 and worked under chef Naomichi Yasuda of the Michelin-starred Sushi Yasuda for a decade before striking out on his own. Sekiguchi and his wife, Hiroko, noticed many of their customers in New York came from Texas, which prompted them to visit Dallas in 2019. “Although the atmosphere was com- pletely different from New York, I was overwhelmed by the rapid development of the city,” Sekiguchi says. And compared with New York, which he felt was oversatu- rated with sushi, Sekiguchi saw room for opportunity. “Also, experiencing the good climate and the warmth of the people, my wife and I de- cided to move to Texas on the flight back to New York.” Tatsu recommends guests arrive early for their reservations. While waiting, you’ll be offered a seat in the cozy but bright foyer, where you’ll have a chance to peruse Tatsu’s broad sake and wine options. When service begins, you’ll be ushered into the dining room, full of maple-toned woods and a brick wall against the back. You sit low at the bar while Sekoguchi and sous chef Yogi Ishii be- gin working in front of you. The dining room is brightly lit, so as not to miss any of the vi- sual and culinary performances about to take place in front of you. Tatsu’s sushi style is an homage to tradi- tional methods that are elegantly simple and allow the flavors to take center stage. Each dinner opens with one or two appetizers; on our visit, that meant lightly blanched aspar- agus drizzled with a sweet ume sauce, fol- lowed by katsuo tataki (seared skipjack) before the main courses began. Watching Sekiguchi work is mesmeriz- ing. His knife serves as an extension of his hand and mind, the strokes into each cut of fish neither hurried nor deliberately slow and guided by the traditions handed down through his family. For each cut of fish, he reaches into a bowl of rice, always procuring the perfect amount, and shapes it in his hands. The fish is delicately placed on top, sometimes brushed with vinegar or steeped briefly in soy, a level of simplicity that pays dividends on the palate. As each course progresses, you can fol- low along with the evening’s menu that re- mains in front of you. But fear not if you don’t know what aji or hotaru ika is; Seki- guchi translates each piece as he places it in front of you (in this case, horse mack- erel and firefly squid). Subtle flavors step forward in each serving, with one flavor never overpowering another. Between courses, Tatsu encourages cleansing of your palette with bites of pickled ginger placed in front of each patron and refilled as required. Pacing of each course feels perfect, nei- ther rushed nor overly delayed, and any worries we had about gorging ourselves on 14 courses of nigiri were unfounded. In- stead, we reveled in the opportunity to dis- cover previously undiscovered gems along the way (sawara, or Spanish mackerel, deli- cately smoked in a wooden box by Sekogu- chi before serving, may be our new favorite). But sushi fans will also relish traditional standbys, like an exquisite bluefin toro so rich and fatty that it nearly melted on our tongue. Most meals end with a hand roll pre- pared by Ishii, followed by bowls of rich miso soup. A small dessert concludes the service; a delicate dairy-free miso ice cream was the selection during our visit. But don’t leave just yet; an a la carte menu appears with selections to end your meal, mostly made up of rare finds and ultra sea- sonal catches (we indulged in a piece of orange-spotted grouper maruhata for $14), as well as the opportunity to order another piece from the prior servings. We found ourselves full, but not painfully so, by night’s end. Sekiguchi sees more room for growth in Dallas’ omakase scene and views restaurants such as Shoyo, Pearl and Namo as inspira- tion rather than competition. “We respect and inspire each other. This is a sight you won’t see in other cities,” Seki- guchi explains. “I believe that in the near fu- ture Dallas will have a food culture comparable to Los Angeles and New York. I’m happy to be a part of that growth.” There is no avoiding the fact that dinner at Tatsu is an extravagance for many. There are just 10 seats per service, and know that dining solo in a prime weekend slot is a practical impossibility — we tried — so bud- get for a guest accordingly. Dinner is prepaid when booking a reservation on Tock; dinner for two (at $185 each), plus 18% automatic gratuity, taxes and fees will drop your net worth by nearly $480 before you and your companion ever step foot inside. Reserva- tions are released on the first and the 15th of each month for the following two weeks and fill quickly. Dallas certainly adore its fads, and it’s almost a given that some guests are claim- ing Tatsu’s reservations because of scar- city rather than a wish to expand their sushi knowledge. But to dine at Tatsu be- cause of its exclusivity is to miss the les- sons within. Tatsuya Sekiguchi provides both a master-level class on sushi for the well-versed and an accessible introduc- tion to the art form for newcomers. The traditions employed at Tatsu are intended to respectfully illuminate the craft, but the light shines brightest on the elegant bril- liance on display. Tatsu, 3309 Elm Street, No. 120, Dallas. Tuesday – Saturday, seatings at 5:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. Alison McLean A sampling of the nigiri offerings at Tatsu omakase. From top left, clockwise: toro, shima aji, menegi, unagi, kuruma ebi. Alison McLean Chef Tatsuya Sekiguchi prepares nigiri. t Dish
