Restaurant of the week: “Omakase”

Long celebrated for its seafood, Bergen has a new benchmark with Omakase by Sergej Pak, who spent much of his life in Moscow refining his mastery of sushi, and it shows: Chef Sergey Pak’s Omakase received a Michelin star within months of opening, and showcases impeccable ingredient handling and technical finesse. The menu opens with an oyster in ponzu, cherry blossom vinegar, white soy and mirin, crowned with black sturgeon caviar and trout roe. A refined overture that sets the tone: balanced, elegant, and quietly complex.

The thread of gentle acidity and saline sweetness continues throughout, anchored by Pak’s choice of Akitakomachi rice seasoned first with cherry blossom vinegar, then akasu red vinegar for depth. Subsequent courses—scallop, salmon, mountain trout and Bekkjarvik shrimp with a vivid blue roe—showcasing the local catch at its most pristine. A chawanmushi with brown crab and shiitake delivers an exquisite umami interlude. The one questionable moment is the otoro and uni finale. The marinade of soy, mirin, and water conceals rather than highlights the tuna’s natural texture—simplicity might have achieved greater clarity.

Dessert takes the form of miso ice cream, a textural show stopper that, while intriguing, lacks the quiet resolution a traditional tamago might have offered. Still, it’s a distinctive signature that underscores Pak’s willingness to eschew formality and go with his own rhythm. His control of flavor and respect for raw materials places him among the best sushi chefs in the Nordics, his work displaying the confidence that comes from precision, patience,
and years behind the counter.