We heard great reviews from other friends about Yugen Omakase so we booked it for a birthday dinner. Yugen was opened by Alex Yu, an ex chef of Sokyo (LINK), with Chef Samuel Chee. They have been awarded Two Hats by Good Food 2026. They also have a dine-in option downstairs, with their omakase seating upstairs opened to only 6 patrons per night. We camped out for the booking, which is released about 2 months in advance on a set date on their website.
The omakase was $285 per person and the beverage pairing was $185 per person.
The omakase was $285 per person and the beverage pairing was $185 per person.
Omakase
Our first sake was the IWA 5, brewed in Shiraiwa.
It has a clean, crisp profile with delicate floral and fruity notes that unfolded elegantly on the palate.
It has a clean, crisp profile with delicate floral and fruity notes that unfolded elegantly on the palate.
The first dish was a New Zealand snapper sashimi with a mountain peach and yamamomo seed (known as a Chinese bayberry or yumberry), served with a simple yuzu salt and soy sauce. The yuzu salt was actually refined down in house, which added so much flavour to the white fish.
This was a dashi and wakami noodle soup. It was sweet and cold, with a lot of umami flavours from the wakame (edible seaweed), bonito flakes and kombu. It also had green shisho from NSW, giving it a subtle earthy note too.
Our next beverage was the Kawatsuru Sanuki Cloudy Honjozo Nigorizake sake, brewed in Kawatsuru Shuzo.
It offered a rich, creamy texture with a gentle sweetness that balanced its bright, fruity notes. Its smooth, full-bodied mouthfeel and subtly effervescent character made it comforting and indulgent.
It offered a rich, creamy texture with a gentle sweetness that balanced its bright, fruity notes. Its smooth, full-bodied mouthfeel and subtly effervescent character made it comforting and indulgent.
Hands down, this was the best dish of the night. It was a chawanmushi duck egg with brown butter and caviar.
The use of duck egg gave the bite a rich and fatty flavourbomb that we had never seen done before, and the fact that it was cooked in brown butter made it all the more delectable. Our eyes were rolling backwards wtih each bite. The caviar cut through with its infamous pops of oceanic saltiness, and the gold flakes made it visually mouthwatering and luscious.
The use of duck egg gave the bite a rich and fatty flavourbomb that we had never seen done before, and the fact that it was cooked in brown butter made it all the more delectable. Our eyes were rolling backwards wtih each bite. The caviar cut through with its infamous pops of oceanic saltiness, and the gold flakes made it visually mouthwatering and luscious.
This was Black Super Dry Junmai Imayo Tsukasa, brewed in Imayo Tsukasa Sake Brewery.
It was a bold, crisp profile with clean, sharp notes that highlighted its dry elegance. It had a smooth, refined finish and subtle umami depth.
Mick was proud of himself for recognising it immediately because it’s a brewery we had visited in the past (LINK).
It was a bold, crisp profile with clean, sharp notes that highlighted its dry elegance. It had a smooth, refined finish and subtle umami depth.
Mick was proud of himself for recognising it immediately because it’s a brewery we had visited in the past (LINK).
To preface, everything was delicious so I might only list the ingredients to prevent repetition. Our first nigiri was a scallop with lemon and salt. The condiments were subtle, highlighting the creaminess of the mollusk.
Next was a calamari with sesame. The cut of the calamari was perfectly scored, giving it a tenderized texture that allowed the savory, umami-rich soy and nutty, aromatic sesame to seep into every chew.
This was a straightforward delicious bite of soy marinated akami, known as lean tuna. It was tender and subtly savory, with a rich umami depth.
Next was a red gurnard, with its delicate, flaky flesh elevated by the bold, piquant kick of spicy radish.
The King George whiting was light, enhanced by the zesty brightness of chili lime salt for a vibrant, flavourful bite.
The glazed toothfish was rich and buttery, melting effortlessly on the palate. The savory nori sauce added a subtle oceanic depth, perfectly complementing the fish’s natural sweetness.
For our savourier nigiris, we were served SANZEN Yamahai Junmai Omachi, brewed in Kikuchi Shuzo.
This is a richly expressive sake with a savoury-leaning profile, opening with earthy umami, gentle cereal notes and a soft lactic depth from the yamahai method. It brought an elegant herbal nuance and rounded richness, finishing dry, clean, and quietly complex.
This is a richly expressive sake with a savoury-leaning profile, opening with earthy umami, gentle cereal notes and a soft lactic depth from the yamahai method. It brought an elegant herbal nuance and rounded richness, finishing dry, clean, and quietly complex.
Our first savoury nigiri was a seared ocean trout belly. It melted into a rich, buttery softness, lifted by its crisp, caramelised edges.
Next was a seared imperador nigiri brushed with egg yolk. It offered a silky, smoky bite enriched by the yolk’s golden richness.
The unagi in a crisp nori delivered a warm, sweet-savory burst of grilled eel wrapped in a satisfying, crunchy seaweed shell. The use of unagi over anago gave a richer, sweeter and more intensely flavoured punch of eel.
Next was a perfectly cut chuutoro (medium-fatty cut of bluefin tuna). It was rich and meaty.
The seared kingfish belly nigiri was a plush, buttery bite enriched by a gentle smokiness from the flame.
The sambal prawn nigiri brought a fiery, aromatic kick from the ABC sauce that wrapped around the sweet, juicy prawn in a bold, addictive bite.
This seared scampi was a delicate bite, with a gentle char and a creamy, almost milky-like mouthfeel.
For our full-bodied nigiris, we had Take-Suzume Yamahai Junmai, brewed in Otsuka Sake Brewery.
It is a robust, earthy sake crafted with the traditional yamahai method, showcasing the rich umami, subtle lactic complexity, and a gentle acidity that balanced the full-bodied, slightly grainy texture, finishing clean with lingering depth.
It is a robust, earthy sake crafted with the traditional yamahai method, showcasing the rich umami, subtle lactic complexity, and a gentle acidity that balanced the full-bodied, slightly grainy texture, finishing clean with lingering depth.
The Australian Ribeye MB9 Wagyu was decadently marbled, each bite melting effortlessly on the palate with a rich, buttery flavour. Its perfectly seared exterior added a savory depth, creating a luxurious and indulgent steak experience.
We really liked that the omakase included red meats, something we had only seen once at Besuto Omakse (LINK). It signals to us that the chef is willing to break the traditionalism of omakase and be more creative.
We really liked that the omakase included red meats, something we had only seen once at Besuto Omakse (LINK). It signals to us that the chef is willing to break the traditionalism of omakase and be more creative.
We were served an Australian otoro (tuna belly), which was fatty and tender, but had less marbling and a firmer texture than its Japanese counterpart.
To have Japanese otoro right afterwards highlighted exactly why Japan’s tuna are elite. This premium bluefin tuna, prized for its ultra-rich marbling and buttery melt-in-your-mouth texture, was a delicate sweetness with a clean finish.
UGHHH the tamago that signifies the end of an omakase 😭. This was a crème brûlée tamago, with the egg’s rich sweetness elevated by the hardened sugary crust.
The dessert was a cute Jasmine tea cake. It was light and sweet (but not too sweet).
Extra
We were fat c*nts and got this marinated fish roe ginkan on top.
And a sea urchin with rice. It was actually their last two sea urchins so bless the universe for rewarding us with this decadent, rich, umami bowl of goodness. It was sooo good.
Service
The service was fantastic, as you would expect when dining omakase. We really loved Chef Samuel’s energy and enthusiasm. He wasn’t afraid to share some knowledge about his cooking techniques. And he definitely kept up with Mick’s drinking 😂.
Review
This was our favourite dining spot for 2025. We will definitely be back. And we were told to ask for pickled mackerel if we’re dining in the winter months because that is Chef Samuel’s specialty.
Thanks for reading. Happy eating!!
Thanks for reading. Happy eating!!
