This Is The Only Omakase Restaurant In Central Vietnam

When you think about food in Vietnam, Vietnamese specialties like pho (a savory noodle soup made from beef or pork) or banh mi (a baguette sandwich with meat and thinly sliced vegetables) are likely what comes to mind. But a new omakase restaurant has shaken up the dining scene in Central Vietnam, drawing in visitors with promises of a theatrical experience featuring fish that’s flown in fresh directly from Japan.

Nayuu, the newest restaurant addition to the Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hội An, Vietnam, is helmed by Spanish-born, Tokyo-trained chef Alex Moranda. He crafts seasonally changing menus, which utilize Japanese seafood sourced directly from Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market alongside high-quality beef cuts that are brought in from Japan or Korea. Since opening in March, the restaurant has brought in visitors from around the country—particularly because it’s the only omakase restaurant in Central Vietnam. However, the experience also brings an element of surprise to diners since the menu changes each day depending on the ingredients on hand.

Hội An has long since had a reputation for being one of Vietnam’s most spirited dining destinations outside of Saigon (also known as Ho Chi Minh City) and capital Hanoi. The port town was once a hub for trade and had ships arriving from destinations around Asia and Europe. From there, merchants from Japan and China settled into the town, bringing with them unique ingredients and influences from their respective destinations. Since then, Hội An has been an experimental, melting hotspot for all different types of dining.

The city itself has a few chain restaurants and offers travelers the ability to devour all different types of food experiences, ranging from street food snacks in the old town to luxe, beachfront dining experiences at hotels. Regardless of your preferred dining choice, Hội An won’t disappoint on food, providing endless restaurants options.

With the bustling dining scene and influences from Asian countries, Nayuu being the first (and only) omakase experience in Hội An was surprising. While Saigon and Hanoi both have an abundance of omakase restaurants, there was nothing like this experience until it debuted in March.

“Nayuu is about reimagining a refined, interactive experience through Gomi—the quintessential five tastes of Japanese cuisine including sweet, salty, bitter and sour, and the elusively dreamlike umami—while inviting diners to take an active role in guiding their meal’s preparation,” explains Moranda in a press release.

Every dish is served up kappa-style, meaning it’s prepared directly in front of you by the chef in a theatrical-like performance. Techniques like torching the fish, utilizing liquid smoke and explaining each and every ingredient in the sashimi are used to entertain. And the experience itself is divided into multiple parts: otsumame (the chef’s signature amuse bouche), sashimi, nigiri sushi, grilled seafood, grilled beef and dessert.

Menu highlights include a sashimi selection that’s ever-changing and hand-selected by the chef, followed by cuts of aged beef served in various formats. Varieties of tuna, uni or salmon are a few of the fish selections you might be served, whereas the beef options can range from a Kagoshima Wagyu tenderloin from Japan to an aged Korean Andong Hanwoo beef.

Since the ingredients are so fresh, each week brings an exciting new menu that highlights different fish, seasonal produce or meat cuts. However, dinner is always wrapped up with a dessert selection of seasonal fruit and a yuzu soufflé.

“I see my role as being a connector of people through food. I look forward to crafting dishes that celebrate the clean aesthetic of Japanese food, while also utilizing local Vietnamese ingredients from our flourishing garden,” says Moranda.

Another draw to the dining experience? The large collection of regional sake sourced from around Japan. In addition, the signature old fashioned, which is crafted with aged rum that’s made just down the coast, or the seaweed-infused Wakame Martini are suggested as dinner accompaniments.

Guests wishing to try the omakase experience can book it online for VND 5,800,000 per person. Nayuu is only open for dinner, from Wednesdays to Sundays, and the omakase experience is held in two evening sessions: 5:30 to 7:30 pm and 8:00 to 10:00 pm.