Awarded Best Omakase Restaurant at the Gourmet Vietnam Awards 2025, Fume stands as one of Vietnam’s most thoughtful Japanese dining experiences. Guided by Chef Shozo, the restaurant reinterprets omakase as an evolving conversation between Japan and Vietnam, tradition and intuition, seasonality and quiet creativity.
At Fume, dining unfolds with deliberate restraint. The space is composed and intimate, stripped of distraction, allowing focus to rest entirely on the counter and the choreography behind it. Soft lighting, natural materials, and an unhurried rhythm frame an experience that feels personal rather than performative, a setting where time slows and attention sharpens.
At the heart of Fume is Shozo, whose culinary philosophy is grounded in Japanese tradition yet shaped by global curiosity. While the menu may initially echo familiar forms of Japanese cuisine, each course reveals layers of nuance. French technique quietly informs structure and balance, while subtle pan-Asian influences appear not as fusion, but as instinct never imposed, always precise.
The omakase menu, refreshed approximately every six weeks, is the defining expression of this philosophy. Built around pristine seafood, much of it flown directly from Japan, the sequence moves with elegant progression.
Delicate sashimi selections highlight natural sweetness and clean minerality; lightly cured fish introduces depth without weight; charcoal-kissed elements add warmth and texture. Signature moments often include impeccably sliced toro, seasonal white fish brushed with restrained umami, and warm rice courses finished with carefully aged seafood.
Beyond imports, Fume places equal importance on locality. Chef Shozo works closely with Vietnamese farmers and fishermen, selecting produce and catch that meet his uncompromising standards. This dual sourcing allows the menu to remain rooted in seasonality, with subtle shifts reflecting both Japanese calendars and Vietnamese terroir. The result is an omakase that feels alive, never fixed, never predictable.
Technique at Fume is never ostentatious. Precision exists to serve flavour, not ego. Each dish arrives with calm assurance, its success measured by balance rather than spectacle. Even the pacing of the meal feels intentional, guided by intuition and guest engagement rather than rigid structure.
Recognised as Best Omakase Restaurant at the Gourmet Vietnam Awards 2025, Fume exemplifies a rare kind of refinement, one that values dialogue over display. It is a place where Japanese culinary discipline meets quiet evolution, offering diners not just a meal, but a moment of considered attention, shaped by craft, season, and trust.