Overview
On Tuesday, December 17, Chef Keisuke Kita (ex-Nobu and Sushi Baby) quietly opened his 28-seat omakase-style restaurant Nori Maki in Melbourne's CBD. Here, Kita and his crew are combining traditional Japanese cuisine and culinary techniques with contemporary Californian and Melburnian style — placing made-to-order handrolls at the very core of the dining experience.
But don't expect your big Aussie-style sushi rolls. These are significantly more classic in their delivery, although Kita has played a little with the recipe, crafting them with a higher nori to rice ratio — really driving that umami flavour home.
And while it isn't strictly an omakase restaurant, it is giving real omakase energy. Twenty-three of the 28 seats are overlooking the kitchen, giving you the opportunity to watch the chefs create each of the dishes before serving you directly.
Price-wise, you'll also be pleasantly surprised to see a less-than-daunting bill grace the table after experiencing a proper feed at Nori Maki. Its generous set menu omakase experience only costs $69, and it comes with a sashimi plate, four handrolls, a signature roll, chawanmushi and a dessert. That's a damn good price for these eats, especially considering Kita's impressive experience.
Not only has he worked as the Head Sushi Chef at Nobu in Melbourne and helped open Atlantic Group's Sushi Baby, but his entire family has a long tradition of working in this field. His family's culinary heritage spans over 180 years and is associated with the highly prestigious Shijoryu cooking tradition.
By striking out on his own, he now has a lot more space to play with the art of sushi-making, putting his own contemporary twist on handrolls. Just make sure you get in early as it looks like this small fine-diner is going to fill up fast.
You'll find Nori Maki at 7/235 Bourke St, Melbourne (within the newly redeveloped Tivoli Arcade), open 11.30am–9pm from Tuesday–Saturday. For more details, you can check out the venue's Instagram.