Sartorial Sushi
An omakase jewel in the Funk Zone
At Silvers Omakase, rice is a big deal—they’re the only ones outside Japan to serve it. It makes an appearance throughout the dining experience, which can feature up to 15 courses.
Written by Gabe Saglie
Photographs courtesy of Silvers Omakase
Lee earned a Michelin star at age 27
The menu at SILVERS OMAKASE is a snapshot of what’s available: It has changed more than 30 times since the buzzy Funk Zone eatery opened its doors in February. “We’re going to feed you a fantastic meal, period,” says chef and owner Lennon Silvers Lee, who earned a Michelin star at age 27 while working at his brother Phillip’s Montecito hot spot, Sushi|Bar. Lennon isn’t shy about his aspirations to make his restaurant a premium gastronomic destination that embraces the Japanese tradition of omakase, in which diners give the chef free rein over what’s served. “Guests come in, and they put their trust into us,” he says.
The restaurant exudes minimalistic elegance, with seating for just 10. The dinner experience is offered in 13 to 15 courses, each presented with flair. Lee’s team is small by design—six total, including sushi chefs, a sommelier, and a maître d’—all handpicked. “One team, one dream,” he says. “No swing shift, no prep cooks, no night staff. If we get sick, we close down the restaurant.”
There’s a laser focus on the provenance of proteins—mainly fish—and especially the origin of the rice. After all, “in true Japanese cuisine, rice is 90 percent of the menu,” says the chef. “What differentiates good sushi from bad is the rice, not the fish on top.” Silvers Omakase is the only place outside Japan that serves rice from the Doyuuno farm in Japan’s Toyama prefecture, which is grown organically, in mineral-rich soils and along mountainsides at higher elevations. It arrives daily as brown rice, then is polished to Lee’s size and flavor specifications. The result is a rice “with a bigger mouthfeel,” he says. “You almost taste every grain individually.”
A penchant for the exclusive extends to the glassware. All the sake, beer, and water glasses, and all the carafes, are crafted by Kagami, Japan’s first crystal house and, many assert, its finest. “Each glass is handmade by a master craftsman,” Lee says. Silvers Omakase doesn’t have a full liquor license because “distillates don’t really go well with this type of food.” Libations include “an ever-changing list” of top-tier wine and vintage Champagne brands (think a 2003 Dom Perignon at $1,500), as well as six Japanese beers and a lucrative lineup of sake. This could be the rarest sake list in the state, in fact, and maybe the most hedonistic, with some labels that require “the right relationships” to procure, and many that “you simply can’t get on your own.”
The omakase options include wine, standard sake, and rare sake pairings; there’s a nonalcoholic choice too. Silvers Omakase is open five nights a week, Tuesday through Saturday, and by reservation only. 224 Helena St., Santa Barbara, silversomakase.com
