Before going to a restaurant, many customers like looking at online menus, but what if your dinner was entirely up to the chef? That’s exactly what happens during an omakase experience.

In Japanese, omakase translates to “I leave it up to you.” In this dining experience, which typically takes place at the sushi counter, customers rely on the chef to prepare an artistic, creative meal. The chef usually presents a course menu, beginning with lighter flavors and leading up to dishes with a heavier taste.

“The Japanese word omakase is easy for non-Japanese to pronounce and has a beautiful sound,” explains Chiaki Takahashi, owner and brew master of Islander Sake Brewery, which launched its Hanale omakase (25 N. King St.) earlier this year. “It’s also a word that allows chefs to unite their desire for delicious food with their wish for you to try it.”

Omakase menus typically change periodically in order to showcase seasonal ingredients and keep the menu fresh. Most chefs set a base price for the omakase and give diners the option to add extra courses for a fee.

The experience is wide-ranging since it’s based on the chef’s philosophy and cooking style. This is especially evident in Sushi Fukurou, which opened within Buho Cocina y Cantina (2250 KalakauaAve.). Sushi Fukurou’s 14-course menu ($125) is inspired by Japanese, Mexican and local cultures, according to head sushi chef Miki Yanagihara.

“My inspiration was from having multiple cultures manifesting in an omakase,” says Yanagihara, who previously worked at Nobu Honolulu and Shokudo Japanese Restaurant & Bar. “The Mexican part of the menu is because we’re within Buho. Being born and raised in Hawaii, I like the aspect of having some local cuisine to my dishes, as well as traditional Japanese.”

Dishes featured on Sushi Fukurou’s soft-opening menu included tako ceviche, onaga nigiri topped with ginger-scallion sauce and Hokkaido uni and caviar hand roll, to name a few. (See Nadine Kam’s full review of Sushi Fukurou on pages 6-7 for more details).

“Having chefs curate their own dining course reflects not only their skills and talent, but their personality as well,” Yanagihara says. “Omakase is appealing because people like that personal connection to the chef.”

“People also like mystery — with an omakase, they don’t know what they’re going to get,” adds Ryan Ko, director of operations for Sushi Fukurou.

“Having that ‘surprise me’ factor is a cool thing.”

While many sushi courses in an omakase can be traditional, more restaurants are starting to feature more innovative dishes with modern twists.

“The greatest appeal of omakase is that we can make dishes that go best with sake, depending on the mood of the day,” says Takahashi of Hanale’s omakase. “That method was well accepted by our customers. In Japan, a dish that goes well with sake is called ‘A-te.’ The most attractive point of our restaurant is that we can offer the ultimate ‘A-te’ with our own sake pairings. We also use fermented foods as much as possible — they’re healthy and can enhance the food’s flavor without the use of salt.”

“Sushi is not just a one-dimensional cuisine; it’s expanding to be more diverse,” Yanagihara adds.

Along those lines, Tsuki Maki — located within Upstairs Hawaii (280 Beachwalk Ave.) — features a unique approach to omakase. This is the first hand roll omakase experience in Hawaii, according to chef Angie Lee, who previously worked at Sushi Sho and various high-end restaurants in Japan.

“(This omakase) is not really Japanese style and it’s not American sushi; it’s in between,” she explains. “There aren’t a lot of sauces in the dishes so people can really taste the flavor of the fish.

When it comes to creating her menu, Lee prides herself on featuring ingredients from both Japan and Hawaii.

“I get my seafood from Fresh Island Fish,” she explains. “Some of my menu items are seasonal; I want customers to try some of the dishes I learned to make while I was living in Japan.”

Tsuki Maki’s menu includes six hand rolls, three dishes and a dessert ($85). Previously featured dishes included Dungeness crab maki with Hokkaido uni, ahi taku maki and king salmon maki.

“When I’m at an omakase, I look forward to what’s next (in the course meal),” Lee says. “I’m interested in how the chefs make their menus and create their journey — what they start out with, what’s in the middle and what’s at the end.”

While the sushi world in Japan has been traditionally male dominated, the number of female sushi chefs is on the rise. Coincidentally, both recently opened Tsuki Maki and Sushi Fukurou are run by female sushi chefs.

“Traditionally, sushi chef titles and positions are reserved for men, so we want to do our best to break out of that mold,” Ko says. “We want to work hard to highlight (chef) Miki’s abilities, especially in today’s day and age.”

Because the omakase experience is highly personal, seatings are often limited so diners have the chef’s full attention. Currently, Sushi Fukurou offers two seatings, 10 guests maximum. Tsuki Maki also features two seatings, with only two tables open for the omakase.

The omakase experience is not for everyone. Count on a longer meal — omakase courses feature small dishes, which are usually explained by the chef — and you might not like every single course. If you’re on the fence about trying it out, remember: it’s a creative (and delicious) art form, and it’s important to trust the chef.

“I want my customers to be full, but I also to take them on a culinary experience to know me better,” Yanagihara says. “From the food, they can understand where I’m coming from and feel my spirit.”