nami

218 E Main St, Richmond, VA

For as long as I can recall, I would dub myself a "sushi lover," but in actuality this was a highly fraudulent claim. I was what some might describe as white girl basic and only ever ordered maki rolls. All of this changed after having an amazing omakase experience at none other than Nami in downtown RVA.

We had 13 courses, ranging from hamachi to tuna even to wagyu steak. The omakase area is a small bar sized room upstairs at the restaurant. It provides a very engaging environment between the chef and the patrons. For those who are unfamiliar like I was initially, omakase is a Japanese tradition where the chef selects what the courses will be (and in what order), and gives a brief description of the decadence that sits awaiting your feast on the plate. I've never had fish so unfishy... it was so velvety and luxurious.

I went into this quite prepared since I was open to eat anything and everything, and I made sure not to get too full beforehand (a must!) There were instances where I wasn't certain what the fish was that I was eating, and honestly I didn't mind at all. It is all part of the experience for me. The knowledge that the staff had was very helpful, and they're willing to answer questions if any arise. This space has seen a lot of riffraff throughout the years, but Nami allows for something more extravagant and unique to shine.