Kent’s Freshest Dining Experience: Omakase at 55, Rochester
Tucked discreetly beneath Fish at 55 on Rochester’s historic high street lies one of Kent’s freshest (quite literally) new dining experiences. Omakase at 55 is not simply an extension to fish-forward Fish at 55’s menu, it’s a finely tuned offering combining skilled kitchen theatre, Japanese ritual and sushi craftsmanship played out across a counter with just six seats. For around two hours, you relinquish control of the menu, and that, in many ways, is precisely the point. BY ADAM READY
Photography by Alex Watson, New Openings
The word omakase translates loosely from Japanese as ‘I leave it up to you’, a philosophy that defines the dining experience here – a first for Kent – from the moment you sit down. There is no menu and no decisions to make. Instead, the chef curates a multi-course sushi menu shaped by the best seafood available that day, moving from delicate appetisers through to nigiri and seasonal seafood dishes.
Leading the experience is Master sushi chef Thiago Krobath, born in São Paulo, home to the largest Japanese community outside of Japan, and trained in Nagoya under the All Japan Sushi Association. His approach draws on the traditions of Edomae sushi, the Tokyo-born style that emphasises seasonality, balance and the subtle techniques that transform pristine seafood into something memorable. And he sure knows his fish… And his rice… And his knife technique!
The changing menu offered at Omakase at 55 follows a journey through Edomae technique with courses often prepared just an arm’s reach away from the intimate dining counter. Ingredients here sing with precise seasoning, ageing and curing; with each piece presented individually in a quiet reminder that sushi, at this level, is less about abundance and more about precision. Rice is shaped moments before serving, fish is sliced to the perfect thickness and garnishes are used sparingly to enhance rather than distract.
Watching Krobath work becomes part of the pleasure. Knife work is meticulous, movements deliberate yet unhurried, and each delicately prepared piece looked breathtakingly beautiful as well as tasting sensational.
The format typically stretches to around 13 courses, with a gentle progression that moves through textures and flavours taking diners from sashimi and sushi to tempura prawn and maki rolls before concluding with a final flourish chosen by the chef. Optional sake pairings are available, adding another dimension to the evening for those inclined.
At £165 per person, Omakase at 55 is not a casual Tuesday night out. But then it is not trying to be. This is Kent’s only authentic Edomae omakase experience, and it carries that responsibility lightly and brilliantly, undeniably positioning it as a special-occasion experience.
Rochester may not be the first place one expects to find a true omakase counter, but that’s precisely what makes this experience so memorable, and dining here feels like discovering a secret: a small, beautifully executed reminder that some of the most remarkable dining moments often happen in the most unexpected places.
Omakase at 55
55 High St
Rochester
ME1 1LN
