Omakase vs Kaiseki: What the Difference Is, and Where Rōnin Fits
Omakase and kaiseki get used as if they were the same thing. They overlap, both are multi-course Japanese meals chosen by the kitchen, but they come from different places and feel different at the table. This page explains both and names the Melbourne rooms that serve each.
Rōnin is a ten seat Korean omakase at 445 Little Collins St in the CBD: about ten courses decided on the day by Chef Liam Lee, A$195 per guest paid at booking, Wednesday to Saturday from 6pm, dinner only, no dietary alterations, no BYO.
The Planned Sequence
Kaiseki grew from the tea ceremony meal and follows a structure: an appetiser, a soup, a sashimi course, a grilled course, a simmered course, rice, pickles, dessert, each with a set role and often its own tableware. The sequence is planned ahead and the same for every guest that night. In Melbourne, Ishizuka on Bourke Street is the clearest example, at a listed A$315.
The Chef Decides
Omakase means “I leave it to you”. The chef decides each course from what is best that day, usually at a counter, usually in front of you. It began at sushi bars and now covers many cuisines. Minamishima, Kisumé and Aoi Tsuki serve Japanese omakase in Melbourne; Rōnin serves a Korean one.
Where Rōnin Fits
Rōnin keeps the omakase format, chef’s choice, course by course, ten seats, and swaps the cooking for jang, fermentation, charcoal and banchan. It is not kaiseki, because nothing is fixed in advance, and not sushi, because there is none. The Korean omakase page and what omakase means go further.
By Temperament
If you want ritual and structure, kaiseki. If you want to watch a chef improvise within a tradition, omakase. If you want that with Korean food, Rōnin is the only counter in the city doing it.
Common Questions
Is omakase the same as kaiseki?
No. Kaiseki is a planned formal sequence. Omakase is the chef choosing on the day. Some restaurants blend the two.
Is Rōnin omakase or kaiseki?
Omakase. The courses are decided on the day and the cooking is Korean.
Which Melbourne restaurant serves kaiseki?
Ishizuka on Bourke Street is the best known, with a sixteen seat room and a listed price of A$315.
Book a Seat
445 Little Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Wed to Sat, 6pm to 11pm (dinner only)
0401 721 491 | info@roninomakase.com