Sen Omakase
Madrid, Spain
⭐1 Star
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
If you enjoy Japanese cuisine, this is one of those places that is a must given its focus on presentation and the innovative touch that they add to its dishes (over 35 different courses). Chef Steven Wu, who trained in restaurants in both Tokyo and Kyoto, offers guests his surprise Omakase menu which is the only option here. His Kaiseki-style cooking places full emphasis on the seasonality of ingredients and a respect for tradition, replicating the five types of time-honoured preparation and cooking methods to ensure the perfect harmony between visual and tasting sensations. The immersive experience here develops in four different spaces, each with its own personality: the reception area (the garden-style corridor, where the aim is to recreate the different seasons of the year), a splendid Japanese dining counter, the tea room (where an ancestral ceremony takes place), and the cocktail bar, with its Japanese pop music, where you have the option of rounding off your meal with a choice of whiskies and cocktails.
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
A bridge between cultures: Sen Omakase uniquely fuses Japanese culinary tradition with the cosmopolitan energy of Madrid, offering diners a sensory journey that transports them to Tokyo and Kyoto through meticulously crafted dishes that celebrate umami flavors and Japanese heritage.
The number five concept: The tasting menu is structured around the significance of the number five, incorporating five techniques, five colors, five flavors, and engaging five senses, reflecting the Kaiseki tradition and creating an immersive, multi-dimensional dining experience that goes beyond the plate.
Exclusive immersive experience with precise timing: Diners must arrive punctually as all guests eat simultaneously at a fast pace, starting in a peaceful waiting room with appetizers before moving to a back room that doubles as a cocktail bar, making the meal a hedonistic, instructive, and immersive journey lasting over three hours.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at Sen Omakase in Madrid, a Michelin-starred restaurant specializing in Japanese Kaiseki and sushi, include:
Tuna belly (Toro): Used in nigiri preparations, the three slices of tuna belly are a highlight, showcasing the chef's mastery of sushi and the elevated quality of fish served.
Squid with caviar: Another signature nigiri that combines delicate squid with the luxury of caviar, emphasizing texture and umami contrasts.
Mushrooms: Featured in various dishes, mushrooms are a product the chef particularly enjoys working with, demonstrating technical skill and respect for seasonal, natural ingredients typical of Kaiseki cuisine.
Seasonal local and Japanese ingredients: The menu is deeply rooted in seasonality following the Kaiseki philosophy, with ingredients selected to represent the phases of the season (Hashiri, Shun, Nagori), reflecting freshness and the natural cycle of flavors.
Caviar: Used as a garnish or accompaniment to elevate the flavor profile and luxury of certain sushi pieces, such as squid nigiri.
These ingredients are significant as they embody the restaurant's philosophy of respecting Japanese tradition, seasonality, and the sensory experience of dining through a carefully curated omakase menu that balances five techniques, colors, flavors, and senses.
Menu & Pricing
Current Offerings & Prices
Sen Omakase – Michelin-starred Japanese Restaurant in Madrid
Set Menu (Omakase)
- Omakase Tasting Menu
- Around 40 courses showcasing a wide variety of traditional Japanese techniques in both cold and hot dishes.
- Includes a tea ceremony and cocktails as part of the sensory experience.
- Duration: Approximately 3 hours.
- Seating: Exclusive 12 seats at a wooden counter with live chef preparation.
- Menu changes seasonally, reflecting the freshest ingredients available.
- Highlight dishes include wagyu beef (firm, rich in umami with a sweet aftertaste), sweetened white chocolate foie gras, and buttery salmon taco seasoned with cardamom complemented by salty miso cream.
- Price: Approximately €220 per person (excluding drinks).
- Reservation is mandatory due to limited seating and exclusivity.
À la Carte Options
- NOT_FOUND (No specific à la carte menu or prices available; the restaurant focuses on the omakase tasting experience exclusively.)
Special Seasonal Menus
- The omakase menu is seasonal and unique, adapting to the freshest ingredients and culinary creativity of the chef, Steven Wu.
- No separate special seasonal menus listed beyond the evolving omakase tasting menu.
Summary Table
| Menu Type | Description | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omakase Tasting Menu | ~40 courses, tea ceremony, cocktails, seasonal, 3 hours, chef-prepared live at counter | €220 (excl. drinks) | Reservation required, 12 seats |
Sen Omakase offers a single, immersive omakase tasting menu experience with no à la carte options publicly listed. The price is around €220 per person, reflecting its Michelin-starred status and the exclusivity of the dining experience in Madrid's Chamartín neighborhood.