Okonori — Restaurant in Carmel

Tonight I had the privilege of trying out Okonori in Carmel, as it has just recently opened. I took my father to share in the experience, and we both left very satisfied and excited to return. It has been a while since I have had sushi in Japan, it definitely left an impression on me that has essentially ruined sushi for me in the states. I will say though, the fish at Okonori reminded me of a quality that I experienced first in Tokyo. That is how "clean" the fish tasted. I don't know if this is a real descriptor in the culinary world, but for me it means a simple mild and subtlety sweet taste without any of the fishy flavor or smell. This for me is a real compliment to give, and I happily give it to Okonori. They fly their fish in daily from Hokkaido, and the quality and care given is very good. I really enjoyed how well they balanced their creativity with the traditional minimalism that is Japanese sushi and maki so that you could still taste those subtle flavors of the fish without covering them up with sauces like most American sushi. A real gem is Okonori.

They are currently operating on a limited menu, and the full menu will debut later this week. We enjoyed the spicy bluefin fun roll, the Horizon Roll (featuring snow crab), a small plate of fried shrimp wrapped in a coil of potato (like shoe string french fries) served with a spicy and sweet chili dipping sauce, and the teriyaki salmon. Everything was very delicious, well executed. While the salmon may have been a tad overcooked, the favor was excellent. I always enjoy the little things that separate a place as well, and one small thing I particularly enjoyed was the freshly hand grated wasabi.

The environment was very modern and elegant, with a mix of traditional and upscale environment. The staff is well trained, and servers were extremely knowledgeable, kind, and attentive.

I would say they price matches the experience, and I would definitely return. Great for a date night or even getting together with friends and family. Highly recommend, and selfishly hoping for success so I can continue to...

We were so disappointed with the food at this restaurant… We really wanted a good high-end upscale Asian restaurant on the north side to go to! The food was disappointing and bland. We started with the agedashi tofu which was served with a sweet chili sauce (think chicken nugget sauce) not the traditional tsuyu sauce agedashi tofu is served with. I got a Yūgen cocktail, which is a house special, it is supposed to have sake infused with rose, rosemary, thyme, lychee, lemon, and lime, it tasted like focaccia bread. I didn’t get any lychee, lemon or rose. We ordered two entrées, the salmon teriyaki, and the steak teriyaki. Both were served with steamed vegetables. There was little to no teriyaki sauce on either plate plates, the vegetables had literally no seasoning whatsoever. I actually asked for soy sauce to add some level of flavoring to the dishes. The only things that were semi good were the three rolls of sushi we ordered. We got the king salmon avocado, the nami heat, and the kari kari shrimp. They were slightly above average in terms of sushi rolls. The atmosphere is really cool, and you can tell there was a lot of intentionality in the decoration, which made the atmosphere really enjoyable. But the food and the drinks were about as mid as I’ve experienced in a very long time. I’m hopeful since this place just opened things will turn around and it...

We visited Okonori this weekend to try something new, and it truly offers a dining style that stands out from most places in Indianapolis. The space is modern, warm, and beautifully designed the atmosphere alone makes the visit worthwhile.

The food follows a more traditional and authentic Japanese approach, clean, delicate preparations that highlight the natural flavors of each ingredient, especially the fish. The presentation is minimalistic and very refined. This is not the typical American-style Japanese food with heavy sauces or intense flavors, everything here is lighter, more subtle, and intentionally served just as the chef prepares it.

It’s a different kind of dining experience, ideal for those who appreciate a more faithful expression of Japanese cuisine. I enjoyed it and would like to return to explore more of their menu and enjoy the beautiful...