Omakase in the City: An Evening with FishinKitchen

Have you ever eaten stingray? I was among the uninitiated until recently. Now if anyone asks, I can unequivocally say, “I’ve tried it!” Since stingray doesn’t appear on many restaurant menus in the States, you may be wondering how I scored a taste.

Well, after reading about my first Feastly experience, the team invited me to a pop-up supper at their headquarters in San Francisco: a 3-course omakase presented by Geoffrey Reed of FishinKitchen. When I mentioned the opportunity to Jason – and the fact that I could bring him – his face lit up with a grin. We were in!

So after work last Thursday, we grabbed a bottle of wine, hopped in the car and headed to the Mission District. Forty-five minutes later, we were sitting in this hidden gem of a space …

And watching the chef ply his trade in the kitchen. I’m still baffled by Geoffrey’s ability to single-handedly cook for and serve a party of 20 after a day of fishing and foraging. But his prowess should come as no surprise – check out these impressive credentials.

Now on to the best part: the food! Here’s a rundown of Geoffrey’s omakase to peruse – dishes were served family style and descriptions are pulled from the menu. Keep in mind that many of the ingredients used were caught or harvested by the chef himself, whether from the ocean, farmers’ market or butcher shop.

Stingray buffalo wings – I’ll admit I was a little intimidated by this tidbit; as a kid, just being near the stingrays at Monterey Bay Aquarium made me squeamish. But I couldn’t turn down the catch of the day and am glad I bit the bullet wings. These sticky, sweet and spicy morsels were delicious.

Koji pickled carrots and celery with nattō “blue cheese” dressing

Miso braised pork belly with mushroom rice

Brussels sprouts with whole grain mustard ponzu – I’m a big fan of Brussels sprouts but have never seen them topped with bonito flakes. Brilliant! (We also enjoyed a side of yuzukoshō kimchi with the pork belly; I was obviously too busy chowing down or chatting and failed to snap a picture.)

Dashi – A palate cleanser before the grand finale?

Chocolate tofu with candied mandarin orange peels and green tea-covered biscuit sticks – No surprise, this was my favorite course of the evening. If you’ve never had a dessert made with bean curd, I know what you’re thinking: No thanks! But this pot de crème will surprise you. It’s rich, creamy and delightful to the last bite.

Find Food Lovers Near You

Do you live in the Bay Area, Chicago, New York or Washington, D.C., or plan to visit any of these cities? You can get in on the Feastly action! Pop-ups are happening daily – just take a look at the current offerings. If you come across an event that you’d like to attend, sign up with promotional code twoofakind to get 20 percent off your meal. Good food, good company, good deal … what’s not to love?