Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
As (typically) hours-long affairs, omakases tend to be an evening activity but Uminono is only open by day. That’s not the only way this chirashi bar deviates from convention. The restaurant exclusively serves raw seafood plus accouterments – no other protein in sight. And the chef doesn't even have a Japanese background; he’s French with classical training.
But despite the odds, Uminono is a star. When we visit on a Saturday the 12-seat chef’s table is fully booked, naturally. After settling in, we seek the guidance of the sake sommelier who provides tailored and well-informed suggestions based on how many total glasses we’re after and our preferred flavour profiles.
As soon as the Abe Green genshu hits the table, floral and fruity with hints of melon and peach, the dishes start to roll out. A beautiful dashi, rich and savoury thanks to an aged snapper bone jus, to sip between courses. Then the box of fish we’ll be eating is presented – salmon aged for ten days; kingfish aged for seven; alfonsino, a deep sea snapper only available a few weeks a year.
It’s given its due respect with a light torch and a hint of wasabi to complement its sweetness. The prawn is a very pleasant surprise with the delightful nuttiness of sesame miso. And the Ora King salmon, rich and soft, is counterbalanced with rice topped with crispy salmon skin.
As we’re dining, a few guests walk in to sample the venue’s $70 chirashi don – the only other item on the menu, exclusively served in the small dining area – or to grab a sushi box to-go. One staff member tells me they sell enough takeaway meals to afford to close at night, providing a work-life balance not found in many upmarket restaurants.
The set always finishes with a hand roll of the day, made with diced tuna on our visit. It wasn’t necessarily our fave bite to end on, but that's just because the rich, creamy Japanese otoro (tuna belly) finished with confit egg yolk and shaved black truffle was a tough act to follow.
Dessert, the only French-inspired dish on the menu, carries the experience through. All twelve are plated before our eyes, starting with raspberry granita, creme patissiere and bits of fried crepe that all get topped with a cloud of warm chocolate mousse and freeze-dried raspberries. It's expertly paired with a seasonal sake from Koueigiku brewery, prepared just once a year and featuring notes of roasted chestnut.
The only thing stilted about the otherwise seamless dining experience is attempting to pay via a slow-moving, squishy queue that could probably be better streamlined, which could have been just a one-off. But judging by the attentiveness of the staff and the gaggle of regulars dining with us, it’s evident the team’s commitment to their craft is constant.