Yo Nashi :: Omakase More Like Oh My Yum
New Orleans is synonymous with good food. Locals and tourists have a plethora of choices. If you are looking for an elevated dining experience, you must try Yo Nashi. The restaurant itself provides an intimate environment. This is perfect for a date night or a night out with friends. The menu varies weekly based on seasonal ingredients available locally. The creative works of owner Kyle Payer and Chef Mackenzie “Mack” Broquet. Come with an empty belly because you will leave full! The restaurant is an Omakase experience meaning the menu is set by the chef or as my husband likes to say, “You no pick, we pick for you.” LOL!
The menu can range from 8 to 10 dishes. Each dish is brought out elegantly placed on beautifully ornate plates. Yes, they have thought of every detail of your dining experience. Once seated, Chef Mac will introduce himself to your party and gauge likes/dislikes and allergens. While the menu for the evening has been already selected, the Chef can adjust dishes based on the party’s preferences. Again, a very intimate experience. 
Remember when I said come hungry, here comes the food. Chef Mack delivers each dish and explains what each one consists of. The appetizer round can consist of 1 to 3 plates. The plates can range from pan-seared tuna to scallops to a puree soup to ceviche. Each plate enhances the next one. There is a sushi/nigiri plate that is personally my favorite. I am pretty picky when it comes to Nigiri as I am from Florida and expect fresh/flavorful fish. Yo Nashi does not disappoint! If you like one of the nigiri and would like another piece, you can ask the chef for another for an added fee. The fish in the nigiri can range from swordfish to bluefin tuna to red snapper to salmon. My last trip to Yo Nashi had bluefin tuna topped with foie gras and I cannot stop dreaming/drooling about it since then. The main dish is typically a seared fish but there is sometimes an option for an upgrade to A-5 Wagyu beef. The fish is excellent and the Wagyu beef literally melts in your mouth. The dessert round cannot be missed even if you are full, yes those small plates add up!
Yo Nashi gives a unique rare experience for its diners and is one of my favorite date night locations. It is not to be missed. Yo Nashi, at 419 Carondelet Street, Suite 101, is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday through Monday and some Fridays for lunch from noon to 2pm.
