【Reading】おこのみ

【English Name】A la carte ordering

"Okonomi" refers to the style in which, at a sushi restaurant counter, customers choose and order ingredients (neta) one piece (kan) at a time according to their own preference. It is the opposite of omakase, in which everything is left to the chef, and of pre-set "sets" and "assortments" whose contents are decided in advance.

When ordering okonomi-style, customers look at the ingredients in the display case and tell the chef what they want to eat one item at a time. Its appeal lies in the freedom to proceed with the meal at one's own pace and to choose only one's favorite ingredients. On the other hand, because the price differs for each ingredient, the bill can be hard to predict.

At conveyor-belt sushi restaurants, the method of freely taking plates can be said to be a de facto okonomi style, but traditionally the term has been used to refer to the ordering method at counter sushi restaurants. When ordering okonomi at a restaurant for the first time, it is also a good idea to ask the chef about seasonal ingredients or the restaurant's specialties. A common way to enjoy it is to combine omakase and okonomi, ordering additional okonomi items after an omakase course.