Mu Omakase in Canberra offers an intimate Japanese dining experience from a low-lit wooden counter with just 12 cushioned seats.
Guests are guided through about 11 courses by an attentive team, including a sommelier who may recommend a smooth, earthy sake from Nagoya. The meal begins with cod-liver pâté served on wafer-thin wakame crackers, alongside cucumber shots containing finger-lime jelly.
The menu places pristine produce and precise technique at its centre. Highlights include chawanmushi with Western Australian lobster, a sushi platter featuring sanma maki brightened with shio lemon, and applewood-smoked salmon sashimi.
A yuzu chicken ramen, enriched with duck fat, is followed by Patagonian toothfish cured for two days in miso and sake before being gently grilled at the counter.
The substantial progression also includes a highly marbled wagyu rib-eye. Dessert comes in the form of strawberry nigori-sake ice cream, providing a sweetly tart finish to the meal.
The adjoining Cicada bar serves premium cocktails and snacks, making it an option for diners looking to fit in a pre-theatre meal.
