#21: [REVIEW] Omakase Experience by Prime Fish
15-courses for $300, rare melons, a trip to the mountains
Omakase Experience by Prime Fish has been on my “want to try” list for a while now. Local food influencers and writers have heaped praise on this place, singling it out recently as one of the few natural contenders for a Michelin star in Charlotte. Obviously this piqued my interest and one night in April after a few glasses of wine, I booked the pricey reservation (we’ll get to this later).
If you’ve never had Omakase, it’s essentially a Japanese tasting experience. The word “Omakase” translates to “I’ll leave it up to you,” meaning you’re trusting the chef to guide you through the meal. I highly recommend watching “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” if you’re interested in doing a deep dive.
My first time trying anything remotely close to Omakase was in Los Angeles at Sugar Fish. It’s kind of a trendy spot, with multiple locations in L.A. and NYC. The vibes weren’t giving “steeped in the ancient Japanese tradition of Omakase” but more “place that Kim Kardashian probably gets sushi to-go.” It was still incredible. I’d never had a sushi experience like that in my life and it gave me the itch to find something similar closer to home.
With all the buzz around Omakase Experience at Prime Fish, my hopes and expectations were high. Reservation day finally came last Friday and, after battling some kind of demon cold all week, my body was ready.
First impressions
I think it’s important to note that there are, not one, but three difference Prime Fish locations: Prime Fish Sushi, Prime Fish Cellar, and Omakase Experience by Prime Fish. We almost went to the wrong place but we realized our mistake before the damage had been done.
Omakase Experience is nestled in a small shopping area on the corner of Sharon and Providence. I’ll be honest, the exterior is underwhelming and it doesn’t help that it’s directly across from a Chipotle. Nothing says fine dining like walking past people on a patio eating burrito bowls!
We were 3 minutes late and there was a sort of hushed urgency to get us seated. I felt like we’d showed up late for church. There are only 6 seats in the whole place, so we had the pleasure of spending an intimate evening with four dudes on a business trip from Detroit who were sunburned from a day on the golf course and already seemed a little drunk. Romantic!
The experience
Price: $300/per person + gratuity and tax
What’s included: 15 courses of small plates and seasonal nigiri
Optional add-ons: Wine & sake pairing (ranging from $150-$350/per person)
Initially I only booked the food portion, which came out to a whopping $774.50 for myself and my husband. Once we got there, we decided to add on the least expensive wine and sake pairing because we wanted to get the full experience. When you’ve already dropped almost $800, what’s another $300?? POV: this is how you go into debt:)
Everything we ate
Otsumami - Appetizers
Chutoro Otoshi - Medium fatty tuna, caviar
Aburi Hokkaido Hotate - Seared diver scallop, caviar
Misoyaki Masunosuke - Miso marinated king salmon
Sakemushi Tai - Steamed red snapper, tomato dashi
Nimono Midori Awabi - Braised abalone, liver sauce
A5 Waygu Tartare - Miyazaki filet mignon, Black truffle
A5 Waygu Yakiniku - Miyazaki ribeye, peppercorn sauce
Nigri Sushi
Aori Ika - Bigfin reef squid
Kasugodai - Baby snapper
Zuke Akami - Soy cured bluefin tuna
Kunsei Oh Toro - Smoked fatty tuna
Masunosuke Truffle - King salmon
Tokujo Unaju - Grilled summer eel
Dessert
“All About Coconut"
Yubari King Musk Melon
What I loved ❤️
The nigiri: This portion of the meal was by far the best. Each bite was prepared with painstaking precision by Chef Robin Anthony and placed on a stone in front of you to grab and enjoy. The fatty tuna was smoked for five minutes in front of us with rosemary, which infused smoky rosemary flavor into the whole bite. I also really enjoyed the grilled summer eel, which was handrolled with cucumber and I believe tofu (could 100% be wrong here) in blue seaweed. One of the Detroit bros exclaimed, “it’s like a taco!” I think he meant burrito but we’ll give it to him anyways.
What struck me about this section of the meal was the simplicity in the presentation but the incredible detail that Chef Robin put into preparing each piece. The result was seemingly a humble piece of seafood placed on sushi rice but the depth of flavor was undeniable. You could clearly tell these were truly prime quality cuts of fish and they were delivered beautifully.
Wine & sake pairing: The wine and sake pairings by the sommelier, Terrell Johnson, made the meal much more enjoyable. We both love sake but we aren’t super knowledgable about it, so it was nice to have the pressure off of us to pick the right thing.
Both the wine and sake selections were interesting and unexpected. There was one sake that had the subtlest hint of pineapple and a sparkling wine from England that drank like champagne. Every choice paired perfectly with the dishes. It’s a bummer this isn’t included in the $300 price tag and only offered as an add-on.
What I didn’t love 💔
Roughly half of the small plates: Maybe my expectations were too high going in but the first half of the meal was simply…fine. There were a few dishes that had fried elements, which overpowered the other ingredients. The first dish had a pile of caviar on it but the delicate flavor was impossible to taste through the fried seaweed on the bottom.
The best dish in this bunch was the scallop and it was cooked to perfection. It was placed in a delicate miso-rich sauce and, again topped with caviar. It was lovely but I’m sorry to say it wasn’t incredibly memorable. I felt the same about the king salmon, the red snapper, the waygu—gorgeously executed, but somehow underwhelming.
The abalone was the only dish that I found genuinely off-putting. There was a sort of southern-inspired liver sauce (gravy) that felt completely out of place. The sauce was thick and tasted like it had maybe a hint of creole seasoning. Luckily it was small, so I didn’t have to experience it for long.
The claustrophobic vibes: As I said in the beginning, this is an intimate (tight) space. The staff were very attentive but it was borderline smothering. It felt like before I even set my utensils down, someone appeared behind me to take a plate. It’s hard to relax and enjoy a meal when you feel like you’re under surveillance.
When they weren’t clearing plates or glasses, they were still milling close by or watching at the counter as we ate. It was difficult to have a conversation without feeling like everyone was part of it.
I’d also say, in a place like this, it matters who you’re dining with. I don’t mean who you’ve brought with you, I mean the other diners aka the Detroit bros. I’m sure they’re all fine gentlemen but they acted like they were at their own private Cirque De Soilel. At one point, one of them was just standing up at the counter eating like he was at a sports bar. When you’re in such close proximity to other diners, it’s impossible to ignore them.
The price: All in, this dinner was over $1,000 for two people. One thousand doll hairs. I’m not saying this as a flex. I’m saying it because it’s frankly an astronomical amount to spend for one meal when you’re not a Real Housewife™.
I know they’re importing the prime fish cuts from Japan and other specialty ingredients like caviar and waygu and the elusive Yubari King Musk Melon (that sells for apparently $30,000) but, outside of the nigiri, I didn’t feel like they elevated the meal to a level that was worth the price tag. Tbh the melon tasted about as good as an in season cantaloupe from Harris Teeter.
I have no problem if people get their jollies off eating expensive melons and waygu. I’m just saying expensive, high quality ingredients don’t automatically equate to an incredible meal.
This is a banking town and I’m sure there are plenty of people who will love Omakase Experience for the promise of luxury menu items alone, but I expected something more.
Final take: Not Hag recommended 😐
I feel like I need to say that this was by no means a bad meal. The food was delicious and executed with precision and care. I give a ton of credit to Chef Robin for all the thought and detailed work that went into it.
That said, after it was all finished, I left feeling unable to really pinpoint anything that absolutely blew me away. The initial price tag of the meal set our expectations at a level Omakase Experience just didn’t deliver on. And while I don’t mind spending money on food, I’ve had better dining experiences in Charlotte that have cost far less.
I still plan on checking out Prime Fish Sushi and I’m guessing that could be a less expensive way to get a feel, if you’re interested. And if you’re willing to dole out the money to try Omakase Experience, go for it. Just don’t expect to have your life changed.
5 things I consumed this week (Mountains edition!)
Lobster roll ($34.95) at Baby Bull in Asheville. We know I love a Maine-style lobster roll and this one hit after a long drive. Slightly over-salted but otherwise perfect. Also, excellent fries here.
Cast-Iron Hot Italian ($17) and a Peroni ($4.75) at Four65 Woodfire Bistro in Highlands. I ordered this exact pairing last time I was in Highlands and it was so good I had to do it again. The sandwich also comes with a side of soup with fennel sausage and root vegetables that’s unexpectedly bomb.
“Cabin Negroni” ($16) at Highlands Supper Club. A solid take on a Negroni, swapping the usual Campari with Aperol. A bright spot on one of the weirdest dinners I’ve ever had where our server asked my husband and I at one point, “How do you two know each other?” I can’t stop thinking about it.
Steak Frites ($36) at Oak Steakhouse in Highlands. Love the mid-century vibes at this location. Ordered a dirty martini and deeply enjoyed these steak frites. The mushrooms were kind of meh. I always forget there’s also a location in Charlotte!
An adorable child’s tent mistakenly added to our room at Trailborn Highlands. I apparently (and accidentally) added this package on to our room, despite having no children coming with us. It’s honestly so cute though.
We’ve been to Highlands a few times but it was our first time staying at Trailborn Highlands. It’s essentially a remodeled Hampton Inn but with better branding and amenities like free bikes and an outdoor sauna. I think I’m becoming more of an Airbnb girl but we did scope out another spot nearby called Outpost Inn, which seems like kind of a nice in between.
How do we feel about more travel content this summer?
c u next tuesday,
the hag herself
All of the food and drinks reviewed in QCH are paid for by the author. This newsletter does not feature any ads or sponsored content.
Yes to more travel content! Saving these ideas for Highlands.
Dissaponting that Prime Omakase didn't live up to expectations (although you saved us a trip to try it). I agree at that price point, you want everything to hit.