For sushi lovers, there is a new omakase restaurant in town and it’s unique and inviting. It’s called  Sushi by Boū, but more about that later. 

First, for anyone who might not be familiar with omakase-style dining, here’s a brief tutorial. Omakase is a Japanese dining style where the chef takes full control of the meal, and the guest leaves the selection of dishes up to the chef. The word “omakase” translates to “I leave it up to you,” which perfectly captures the essence of the unique dining experience. In an omakase meal, the chef (or chefs) typically serves a multi-course meal that showcases the freshest ingredients of the season, often with an emphasis on high-quality fish in sushi restaurants. The meal is usually prepared right in front of you, allowing for an intimate and interactive dining experience. Each dish is carefully curated and presented in a way that reflects the chef’s expertise, creativity, and personal style. For me, it’s a lovely way to dine. 

Sushi by Boū was founded by David Bouhadana, a noted sushi chef who trained in the Kansai region of Japan and previously worked at establishments like Sushi Dojo and Sushi on Jones. The concept has grown from its NYC roots to include over a dozen locations in cities like Chicago, Nashville, Washington DC, Boca Raton, and now, Salt Lake City – backed by the hospitality group, SimpleVenue. 

Hidden Entrance to Sushi by Boū

Sushi by Boū is known for its speakeasy vibe, and to enter the small restaurant in the historic Peery Hotel, guests walk through a false bookcase in the Peery Hotel lobby which serves as a hidden door. 

The space is decorated with a 1920’s speakeasy theme that fits in well at the downtown Peery Hotel. “Salt Lake City has been on our radar for some time; a vibrant community whose energy matches our own,” said Erika London, CEO and Co-Founder of SimpleVenue and Boū. “The historic charm of The Peery Hotel made it the perfect partner to introduce our immersive omakase experience to the region. We’re excited to introduce our concept to the city.”

Sushi by Boū offers guests a choice of its signature, chef-guided tasting menus, each showcasing premium ingredients, expert technique, and seasonal selections. There are three omakase dining menus: “Signature Omakase (12 courses/$70) – An exclusive Edomae-style experience featuring a curated progression of seasonal bites and chef-driven artistry; Bougie Omakase (17 courses/$100) – A decadent journey through seasonal imported fish, creative flavor compositions, and a celebratory Kanpai toast; and BoūReserve Omakase (17 courses/$150) – The most luxurious expression of the brand, with elevated touches including a Caviar Bump, Foie Gras snow, Wagyu upgrade, Bone Marrow, and Truffle. 

In addition, guests can order a la carte items – called “Boufaves” as add-ons to their omakase meal. Given that Sushi by Boū only has seating for 12, reservations are mandatory. 

Chef Daniel

My wife and I were invited to check out Sushi by Boū prior to its opening to the public and we were impressed. The omakase dinners are carefully timed, with three seatings per night and guests are allotted one hour to eat. It’s not easy to deliver 12 or 17 sushi courses in an hour, but the sushi chefs at Sushi by Boū hand guests bite-size pieces of nigiri, sashimi and such at a quick pace, which I liked. I was especially impressed with Chef Daniel’s dexterity in being able to explain each course to guests while simultaneously assembling the upcoming course. 

Hamachi

After a warm welcome by the staff, our first course was Hamachi – Japanese yellowtail with green apple wasabi, served nigiri-style. Sushi by Boū guests will notice that no soy sauce or wasabi is supplied since the sushi chefs provide individual toppings and sauces for each course. The delicacy of some of the fish would be ruined by dunking it into soy sauce or smearing fiery wasabi over it. Fresh ginger is given to guests to help refresh the palate between courses.   

Akame

The next course was a gorgeous piece of blood red Akame – which is lean bluefin tuna with house green soy sauce. It’s bite-size splendor. 

Botan Ebi 

I love barely cooked shrimp at sushi restaurants, and at Sushi by Boū Botan Ebi (spotted prawn) was another example of simple but sensational nigiri.

Ikura 

The ebi was followed by an Ikura roll: tobiko salmon roe wrapped in nori and topped with lemon zest. That’s all the topping the rich salmon roe required. And yes, it was a bit messy. 

Bincho

A beautiful piece of Bincho – albacore was lightly torched and painted with truffle butter – yum! 

Maguro

Next up was a nori-wrapped roll of minced Maguro: fatty tuna and akame – lean bluefin tuna – simply delicious. 

Hokkaido Scallop Nigiri

The halfway point of our Sushi by Boū omakase evening was signalled by a serving of a lightly torched Hokkaido scallop with olive oil.  

One bite mini handrolls are another fun part of the omakase meal. No utensils required for the miso black cod (gindara)!

Scottish Salmon

A favorite course of mine was torched Scottish salmon with jalapeño vinaigrette and truffle oil. And, as a rule, I don’t even like truffle oil. 

Wine, beer, sake, rare Japanese whiskeys and cocktails are available at Sushi by Boū and during the course of the evening everyone was treated to a tasty mocktail with a rousing toast of “Kampai!” 

Toro

That splendid Scottish salmon was followed by smoked Toro (prized fatty belly meat of bluefin tuna) lightly kissed with garlic chili crisp.

Wagyuni

Heading into the home stretch, we were treated to the most complex – and most delicious – course of the omakase evening: “Wagyumi surf & turf.” This was a heavenly serving of nigiri – sushi rice topped with A5 wagyu beef, uni (sea urchin), and if that wasn’t decadent enough, drizzled with rendered bone marrow. Wow. 

Unagi

Rounding out the evening was one more serving of nigiri. This time it was barbecued Japanese eel (unagi) with orange juice that the sushi chef drizzled onto the fish by rubbing an orange along the blade of his sushi knife. Don’t try that at home! 

I look forward to returning to Sushi by Boū to try some of their “Boulicious Extras” such as the Big Mac: A quadruple stack of toro, scallop, wagyu beef and uni. Or perhaps the Holy Tshili Hand Roll where salmon is mixed with Holy Tshili Everything Bagel Chili Oil, yuzu, and a fresh shiso leaf – bold and spicy. 

To sum up, if you love sushi and especially love eating omakase style, there’s a speakeasy in the old Peery Hotel that has a spot at their sushi counter for you. 

Culinary quote of the week:“Ultimate simplicity leads to purity.” – Yamamoto talking about Sushi Master Jiro Ono’s cuisine