Uminono - Melbourne

Last week I found myself on a private business trip in Melbourne. Having not been in the state for a lot longer than I would have liked, I took the opportunity to acquaint myself to the dining establishments I'd been scoping out for a while. First off my list was Uminono, which I had long wanted to visit ever since reading Harvard Wang post about it. Other than Fridays, they only offer lunch sessions, so I made a point to go right after I landed. 

Rushing in, I was greeted with a friendly smile and seated at my favourite spot, the sushi counter. I was also able to get a peek of the beautiful dry age fish on display in the cabinet near the door.

  

The menu was succinct but elegant with a focus on sushi but with a touch of french flair to the dishes. I opted for the lunch Omakase at $145, comprising of two entrees, nine nigiri, a hand roll and dessert.

Starting off with a Sake Martini, it was smooth and rich, a perfect indulgence to start my meal.

 

Starting off with the two entrees, my first was the requested Negitoro Hosomaki atop a cucumber sushi. I was also given a cup of complimentary fish bone broth. The negitoro was rich but also refreshing, the flavour of negi was on the lighter side and it had a delicious added crunch from the cucumber. The bone broth was also deep and umami, with a rich meaty scent that lingers in your mouth after.

Second entree was the braised calamari with edamame. The calamari was a tad on the saltier side for my liking, but it had a strong soy miso flavour to it. This was elevated by the creamy texture of edamame and the strong earthy scents of bonito. 

Starting off with the nigiri dishes, I had the Kingfish. After being dry aged, it was slightly sweet but very much umami. The texture was firm but plump and the slice was generous.

This was the Paradise Prawn, served raw with even the tail peeled. It was ridiculously fresh and sweet with a soft bouncy texture.

Mackerel was never my favourite fish, but it has significantly grown on me in recent years. This slice was particularly tasty, with its dense, buttery, silky texture and savoury taste, lifted with the dab of ginger garnish.

The Snapper was silky smooth with an almost nutty flavour to it.

One of the most unforgettable bites I've enjoyed on this trip was the seared scallop nigiri. With just the right amount of char to give it a little bit of caramelisation, it really lifted the already sweet and fresh scallop to new heights. 

In contrast, the Ikura was a fairly standard bite for me. I love ikura, but there was very little to separate this piece of sushi from any other ikura sushi I've had before. 

Next up was the soy marinated Akami. It was lean and meaty, infused with the umami of soy along with the intensity of tuna. I really enjoyed this bite.

 

The most decadent pieces came last, being the Otoro and the Salmon belly. Both were buttery and rich with a melt in your mouth texture that I loved. These were definitely above average, even for omakase standards. 

The handroll at the end was also creative and bold in its choices, utilising both salmon and cashews as filling. I was so intrigued by the chef making it that I forgot to take a closer picture of it after being served. Suffice to say it was delicious. Savoury, buttery but also with a complementary nutty crunch of cashew that worked really well in the roll.

There was but one single dessert on the menu, aptly named "the one and only", comprising of  raspberry, vanilla and gianduja. Not only did the flavours provide a deep contrast against each other, with the tart freeze dried raspberry, the smooth vanilla and light foamy gianduja, there was also a contrast in textures with a crunchy cereal type base to go with the vanilla. Expertly executed, it is a dessert that I will reminisce long after the meal.

In spite of the fact that I came in with sky high expectations for Uminono, the team delivered and exceeded them. I highly recommend a visit and will most definitely return next time I'm in the area.

Price Range: $145pp for Omakase

Taste: 9.5/10

Value: 9/10

Service: 9/10

Environment: 9/10