5 Omakase Experiences That Offer More Than Just Great Food.

Borrowing from the traditional Japanese culinary concept, these chefs take the decision-making firmly out of their diners' hands.

- Samantha David

Bite-sized bread sushi - bread topped with pieces of fish - are among Small's irreverent offerings.

Omakase: You may already be familiar with this Japanese dining concept, which quite literally translates to I'll leave it up to you. During this culinary journey, your meal options are out of your hands and in those of the chef. This is where the chef's creativity truly shines, with the ultimate carte blanche to play around with seasonal ingredients and conceptual ideas.

Unsurprisingly, omakase has now infiltrated other cuisines as well, allowing chefs to experiment with innovative dishes, as well as quirky, unconventional dining experiences.

Here are five of our favourite omakase experiences that offer more than just great food.

Cuttlefish vindaye with kabocha puree.

Small's has evolved from a cosy pizza bar to a doughmakase joint doling out experimental bites.

Prawn toast with dandan sauce, a never-been-served-before creation that was part of the R&D process.

SMALL'S

Singaporean chef-owner of Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant Artichoke and Masterchef Singapore judge Bjorn Shen is known for his incredibly bold (and sometimes outrageous) creations on a plate. Small's originally started as a 2m by 2m omakase pizza place in early February 2020. It's currently located at King George's Avenue, though it may be at the end of this year.

Dedicated to exceptional dough, the tiny joint was attached to Artichoke, and was really Bjorn's R&D kitchen. There, he would play host to four people at a time, a few days a week, dishing out fascinating mainstays born out of his wild imagination.