Utopia of the Seas, the second-largest cruiseliner in the world, set sail in July with 27 dining venues, 10 of which are complimentary. Several are culinary firsts for the company, including a complimentary food truck and a not-so-cheap "private omakase-inspired" dinner.
Royal Caribbean's new mega-cruise ship does the Japanese prix fixe-style of dining a bit differently. While the eight-course meal had some notable wins, I'm not convinced it's worth $153.40 per person.
Traditional omakase doesn't have a permanent menu.
Izumi's omakase dinner costs about $155 per person.
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The meal usually features the chef's preferences, seasonal and high-quality ingredients, a seat at the sushi bar, and, sometimes, a pricey bill.
An omakase dinner at New York City's three-Michelin-starred Masa, for example, costs $750 per person, while "cheaper" options can begin at about $65.
It's a no-brainer addition to Izumi, Royal Caribbean's signature sushi and teppanyaki specialty restaurant.
Sliding doors separated the six-person communal table from the rest of the restaurant.
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However, the meal was as rocky waves carrying the vessel.
For starters, I expected to be seated at the sushi bar across from the chefs preparing my meal, as is traditional.
Instead, The five other omakase diners and I — sat facing each other at a communal table.
If you hate making small talk, this could quickly become an anxiety-inducing affair.
The omakase dinner is sandwiched between the teppanyaki and sushi halves of Izumi.
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Without some chit-chat, the excited yells and cheers from the adjacent teppanyaki venue will be the only noise filling the air.
Thankfully, it'll be ever-present throughout the about two-hour-long meal. As will your self-described "geisha-inspired waitress," who bowed whenever she walked into the small dining room.
She did a great job explaining each dish and providing cultural tutorials on ingredients such as matcha and edomae nigiri.
Several of the plates were standout.
The "sakura carpaccio" came with four cuts of fish.
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The quality of the three raw fish dishes exceeded my expectations.
The second course, a carpaccio, was excellent.
The yellowtail and tuna were fattier than I expected, cut by their respective allium and jalapeño toppings. The Hokkaido scallops and salmon were just as succulent, served with caviar and gold leaf.
The next course, nigiri, used the same slices of fish sans yellowtail.
The "chef's edo nigiri" came with scallops, tuna, and salmon.
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I didn't mind the repeat cuts. They were great, and the salmon still came bedazzled.
The fifth dish was the most memorable one.
The "temari and nori creamy wasabi tuna" was my favorite course of the night.
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The two-parter showcased spicy tuna on seaweed tempura and temari.
Despite its uncommon shape — a ball of sushi rice wrapped in salmon, tuna, and avocado — the temari tasted as simple as its four ingredients.
Forgettable, compared to its neighbor.
The tuna wasn't spicy. But the tender, finely chopped fish and avocado were a satisfying textural complement to the crunchy fried seaweed and masago (more fish eggs).
Sesame oil spiked my nose before every bite, and the fry maintained its structural integrity despite its heavy luggage.
Unfortunately, some dishes were uninspiring.
The "miso broiled black cod" was plated with chili threads.
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The waitress informed our table that the raw oyster of our fourth course was sweet. I found it to be one of the briniest oysters I've had in a while.
Two dishes later, the miso-broiled black cod tasted under-marinated. I missed the deeply flavorful, savory-sweet balance I associate with the popular preparation style.
The subsequent plate — grilled wagyu beef and shishito peppers — was as disappointing.
"Robata wagyu beef and vegetables" rounded out the savory courses.
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Don't expect A5 wagyu. The sweet ginger-forward dressing overpowered the flavor of the beef.
It's for the best — it was overcooked, chewy, and difficult to eat.
Drink away the tough beef-induced jaw pain.
The "Japanese Strawberry" is the most popular cocktail on the menu.
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Our meal started with a yuzu-sake refreshment and was interluded with a sweet mix of sake, strawberry, and lime.
You're welcome to sprinkle in other libations throughout the eight-course journey, be it plain Japanese rice wine or the "Spicy Okinawa," a cocktail of Sriracha, grapefruit, and sake.
Order the latter if you enjoy a savory but refreshing pick-me-up.
The seven savory plates were deceptively filling.
The final course was a dessert of "chocolate matcha and sakura sorbet."
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Thankfully, I have a second stomach for dessert.
The sakura sorbet was a light and floral palette cleanser. It was more straightforward than the chair-shaped chunk of milk chocolate mousse, matcha, puffed rice, and yuzu jelly.
Enjoy digging through the pillowy mousse. You'll need to search and find the latter two components.
Would I recommend the $155 affair? It depends on who's asking.
The fourth course was "East Coast Oyster with spicy ponzu."
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The waitress did a great job of providing cultural insight into the eight courses, which were all uncomplicated and palatable.
If you don't have a high-end sushi or omakase experience to compare this to — or if it's not accessible to you on land — it'll likely be a fulfilling meal. I even heard another patron opine that this meal was better than the one he tried in New York City.
Personally, I've had more satisfying omakase dinners for half the price.
Izumi is located in the Central Park neighborhood of Utopia of the Seas.
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The cheaper options I've tried on land also featured more premium ingredients, such as otoro (fatty tuna), uni (sea urchin), and Japanese A5 wagyu beef.
I would've enjoyed the Izumi dinner more if it were $50 less expensive.
Yes, the meal was sprinkled with caviar and gold leaf. And yes, the quality of the raw fish was the best I've had on a ship. But for more than $150 per person, I expected a near-perfect experience inclusive of higher-end ingredients and exclusive of overcooked and under-marinated proteins.
I recommend saving money for another specialty restaurant if you often eat Japanese food.
