Sushi Bar Kakizaki — Restaurant in Melbourne

i’ve got the best birthday dinner here. kakizaki really deserves the 4.9 rating.

i went for the chef’s table omakase. even though my expectations were already high (4.9 rating!), the real experience was even beyond.

one set includes 1 welcoming sashimi, 1 tasting plate, 12 different nigiri made of seasonal seafood with side dishes (there were around 4 of them) served in between, finishing with dessert.

upon entering, i was immediately welcomed by the passionate & kind staffs who walked me to my seat and helped me with my coat. they both stayed really attentive during the entire session, smiling & rushing to your side just by a tilt of your head. the vibe was really cozy.

the chef was extra focused on his work, giving a show from prepping the seafood to actually turning them into delicious, mouth-watering nigiri. he did introduce each type briefly upon serving. needless to say, i was blown away at how heavenly everything tasted! don’t think i’ve ever tried better. it’s wise of them to opt for locally sourced ingredients to keep everything fresh, while maintaining the price at an affordable level. every 2 or 3 nigiri, a side dish would be served. and no, it’s not just seaweed or peanut kind of side dish. it’s an actual dish like soaked tuna, or braised mushroom.

the dessert i got was sesame pudding and just like the rest of the meal, it was spectacular. told them it was my bday and they did a special decoration for me (normally it’d be only the pudding cup) ❤️

paid $140 for the session plus $18 to try the special tuna belly hand roll that night. worth every single scent spent.

p/s: there’s quite a lineup so i suggest booking at least 3...

If you’re looking for the best omakase in Melbourne without breaking the bank, Kakizaki has got you covered at $140pp from Oct 1st onwards! Use your Vic Dining rebate to get 25% off your bill too!

We ordered: 🐠 Sashimi Plate 🍱 Traditional Tasting Plate

Nigiri Sushi 🍣 Snapper 🍣 Jack Mackerel 🍣 Scampi 🍣 Tuna 🍣 Sea Perch 🍣 Scallop 🍣 Alfonsino 🍣 Bonito 🍣 Kingfish 🍣 King Salmon 🍣 O-toro 🍣 Anago

🐟 Negi-toro (Tuna Belly Hand Roll) 🍮 Black Sesame Pudding

With only 10 diners seated around the chefs table, the vibes are intimate, the food is delicious and everything is prepared meticulously right before your eyes. We started the dinner with a sashimi plate consisting of yuzu kingfish, wasabi tuna and a smoked salmon roll - flavours on point. The traditional tasting plate to follow had a crunchy fried oyster, tender grilled miso toothfish and chawanmushi. We were then on to the specialty sushi course - 12 pieces of incredibly fresh nigiri, hand prepared by the chef as we watched the master at work. My favourites were the melt in the mouth king salmon, the plump tender scallop and the flavoursome anago. We were provided with multiple side dishes throughout as well - mushroom salad, slow cooked kingfish with daikon, miso soup and squid with mustard. We added the tuna belly hand roll as an extra order, which was so fresh and flavoursome, complemented perfectly by the crunchy seaweed. Dessert was a creamy black sesame pudding, a perfect way to...

ORDERED: 🍣 Kakizaki Sushi bar's $140pp omakase/ chef's table Otsukuri (Sashimi), Hassun (Traditional tasting plate), Nigiri (John dory, Snapper, Scampi, Tuna, Red Mullet, Bonito, Scallop, Alfonsio, King fish, King Salmon, O-toro, Anago), Dessert

REVIEW: Quite intimate where you're sharing the experience with 6 other people. The chef quietly prepares your nigiri, firstly cleaning then slicing the fish fillets in front of you. He then proceeds to store it away in a wooden glass box until it's ready to be served.

He methodologically prepares 4 pieces of nigiri at a time, taking care to ensure each rice is pressed to perfection. You gotta eat it quick - because cooled down rice firms and that ain't it 🙅‍♀️. He does introduce each fish as it lays it in front of you - but that's it for the interaction.

The fish is so fresh, and you really gain an appreciation for the 12 different subtle tastes and textures of each. King Salmon remains my favourite, as does the fattier fishes but they're all fantastic 🥳. The first dish, John Dory, really blew me away when it was so soft and the rice so warm and pliant from the massaging. It set a high standard for the rest of the meal.

Only wish we had more interaction from the chef and more story behind where the fish was from. Overall, a nice experience. I was already full at the 8th Nigiri - so definitely got some good...