The omakase service is resuming at Kata Robata at 3600 Kirby, after a temporary halt during the pandemic. According to a press release, in 2020, the restaurant was sending out so many takeout meals that there was just no capacity to also create the customized omakase offerings.  

Kata Robata is known as one of the best restaurants in Houston for omakase. That’s thanks to executive chef Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi’s innovative ideas, which push the boundaries of traditional and modern Japanese dining, and his methodical way of layering simplistic, fresh ingredients into complex, beautiful presentations. Horiuchi is a four-time James Beard Award nominee, and in 2019 Kata Robata earned the top spot on Houston Chronicle restaurant critic Alison’s Cook’s Top 100 Restaurants list. 

Omakase translates to “I’ll leave it up to you.” Rather than ordering from a menu, diners rely completely on a highly skilled chef to select the courses for the prix fixe meal. Kata Robata’s omakase selections fluctuate based on the types of fish that are delivered daily from Japan, but it’s always a mix of cold and hot dishes, and often includes seasonal nigiri and delicacies featuring uni and wagyu. Even the Yuasa brand soy sauce Horiuchi prefers for omakase is special, as it’s crafted at Japan’s oldest soy sauce brewery and marinates in cedar barrels for more than 18 months to bring out complex umami. 

Only eight omakase meals are available nightly, except for Sundays and Wednesays, which are Horiuchi’s days off. The price ranges from $150 to $200, depending on customer preferences and which fresh ingredients Horiuchi is using, and does not include drinks, tax or gratuity. Diners can reserve their experiences by calling Kata Robata at (713) 526-8858, or visiting the website and noting in the reservation that they’d like omakase.

Lauren Bebeau