A Hidden Omakase-style Home Dining Experience in Seattle 🍣✨

Okay, maybe that title’s a little clickbaity 😉 — but as someone still dreaming of the Japanese restaurants in Hawaii, I decided to surprise my wife with a homemade “budget-friendly omakase” for Thanksgiving. No prior experience, just following my instincts and using locally sourced basic ingredients… but the vibe? Totally nailed it. 🏡❤️ 🐟 Fish selection: King salmon and otoro were bought from Local Market Bellevue — larger portions and better prices compared to Japanese markets. (Though the tuna that day wasn’t great — a lot went to waste while trimming 😅) Sweet shrimp, squid, akami, and surf clams came from Uwajimaya Bellevue — pricier but fresher, cleaner, and more variety. 🌟 The star: Uni 🧡 The first batch was Tomimaru, air-flown and sourced from a local vendor — rich, creamy, and delightfully sweet. The second round was Akatsuki SP Akajou — truly top-tier, melts in your mouth like butter! 👨🍳 How it went down: 🍚 Sushi rice: Cooked with a 1:1 rice-to-water ratio using Wuchang rice (a bit too loose for sushi, honestly — grains were smooth and separate, hard to stick together later). After steaming, let it rest for 30 mins, then mixed in rice vinegar, salt, and sugar by feel in a wooden bowl. ⚠️ Tip: Don’t overmix! Let it cool to body temp before shaping. 🍲 Chawanmushi (steamed egg custard): Strained egg mixture + dashi (from instant powder at the Japanese market) + uni or other seafood. Steamed with cling wrap poked with holes — classic method. Topped with fresh uni or fish roe. ✋ Nigiri shaping: (Let’s leave this to the pros 😂) This part is really about technique. Tried several online methods — rice kept falling apart or sticking to my hands at first. Brushing hand-vinegar helped, and eventually I got a somewhat decent shape — enough to call it “sushi” anyway. 🔥 Torching magic: In Hawaii, I tried a chef’s homemade uni + butter + garlic sauce torched to perfection — unforgettable! My attempt was about 70% there — need to adjust the garlic (minced or infused oil) and ratios. But torching this combo over shellfish or squid? Absolute flavor bomb. 🤤 This was far from perfect, but filled with love — and really makes you appreciate the skill behind a real omakase counter 🙏. #HomeOmakase #Seattle #OmakaseAtHome #SushiLover #Konoshiro #Sushi #JapaneseFood #HiddenGemDining