When cherry blossoms fall

Located in Shanghai’s business centre, Omakase is a new restaurant offering kaiseki ryori, a traditional Japanese, multi-course, cuisine that traces its origins to the dishes served at the centuries-old tea ceremony. Designed by local practice Shanghai Hip-pop Design, Omakase deliberately avoids the aesthetic of traditional Japanese interiors.
Inspired by the time of year when cherry blossom petals fall gently to the ground in the breeze, the restaurant has been conceived in a glimmering-pink oneiric space that evocatively complements the culinary delights of kaiseki ryori.
Spread over two floors, the restaurant envelops its guests in a pink glow, courtesy of the illuminated glass floor and a series of up-lighted glass partitions decorated with painted cherry blossom petals and dewdrops. The diffuse swathes of mellow pink lighting imbue the space with a romantic tranquillity whereas the semi-transparent partitions tiptoe between privacy and openness further enhancing the sense of mystery.
Standing out against the neon-pink surroundings in amber luminescence, a cubic core on the entrance level contains a private dining room while a staircase that leads guest to the upper floor emanates an amber glow. The same amber glow distinguishes the bar counter on the same level, and the dining tables and counters upstairs which loom seductively amid the “suspended” pink cherry blossoms.