The dining table: Omakase Por Favor, a 'fresh' new restaurant in Lincoln

A friend calls you and says, "Let's go out for dinner." Super, you reply, where? "The new place that just opened up in Lincoln, Omakase Por Favor." Huh, you reply, clearly confused ... and you wouldn't be alone because this restaurant concept is extremely unique anywhere in the Sacramento/Placer county region. Omakase Por Favor is Japanese/Spanish for 'Let the chef decide, please.' It's a dining experience quite common in Japan and available as a concept in other parts of the world, but it's relatively rare in the USA as a stand-alone experience. Think of a raw bar, on steroids, where you are encouraged to give up selection control. Yes, you can go to any sushi restaurant, sit at the counter, observe the sushi chef making dishes and say, "Give me X, Y or Z." It's another thing to sit at the bar or table, give your server any food allergies you have and just wait for the upcoming courses. (Spoiler alert, you can also order off the menu.) Owner/chef Jeana Pecha is not your average restaurateur. She grew up in Roseville and knew from an early age she wanted to get into the restaurant business. Hard work and perseverance got her a scholarship to the prestigious Culinary Institute of America's Napa campus, where their motto is Food is Your Life. Pecha has packed nearly a lifetime of experience into a few short years by working in kitchens in Japan, Korea, Mexico and the US. Her dream, however, was to open her own, unique restaurant near her hometown. She found a warm welcome in Lincoln from the owners of the Twelve Bridges shopping center – just down a few stores from Starbuck's and across the parking lot from Leatherby's. Omakase Por Favor is relatively small, by design, seating a maximum of 40 guests spread out around the bar and at the few tables in the restaurant. Pecha describes the interior as "Japanese/Aztec," and it exudes upscale and authenticity. The best seats are at the horseshoe bar, where you can see the culinary craftsmen at work. Taste test Due to the uniqueness of the restaurant, and because I have shellfish food allergies, I went with a companion for the tasting; I also wanted a sit-down with Jeana and to see their kitchen ... neither of which could have happened during a normal dining experience. Suffice it to say I was blown away. I sampled the atun tostada, with absolutely fresh tuna, house-made Ponzu Sauce, serrano's, cucumber, pickled onions, scallions, and lime ($16). My companion had the clasico tostada, which included shrimp, cucumber, pickled red onions, lime and chile oil ($18). Both outstanding! We both sampled Jeana's Chicharron chips. In most Mexican dishes, chicharrons are made from deep-fried pork skins. Omakase Por Favor uses sturgeon skins, a product which is delightfully light but complex in taste. Use of the sturgeon skin also speaks to the restaurant's mantra that "nothing goes to waste." With a tiny kitchen – only one freezer and two refrigerators – food is brought in every other day, and everything is used. I got a tour of the kitchen and asked for a close look at a full yellowfin tuna ($1,200 – delivered). It would have been great to watch Pecha break down the fish because it's a real skill ... maybe next time. My companion and I also sampled the oyster "shooter" ($5), where a Puget Sound oyster is nestled in an oyster shell with flying-fish eggs (a less-expensive alternative to traditional caviar) perched on top, balanced on a shot glass partially filled with house-made Ponzu sauce. Pecha explained the gastronomic technique, "Slide the oyster into the shot glass, take the oyster and juice into your mouth, bite down, then swallow." Wowie! Note, if you want the real caviar experience, order caviar y chicharron, which is tsar nicoulai golden reserve caviar layered onto chicharron chips, with Oaxacan crema and pickled vegetables. As one might expect, it takes a certain type of individual to want to work in a restaurant where creating culinary masterpieces is expected with every service. It took Pecha two years to find just the right staff. Sous chef David was recruited from Los Angeles and the others have been home-schooled by both chefs. Verdict Fresh is the operative word at Omakase Por Favor. Pecha knows the region's best fishmongers and she sources as much locally produced vegetables, condiments, etc., as she can. Omakase Por Favor has a nicely balanced wine and beer list, with glasses of wine in the $10-$15 range. For those patrons not yet ready for the full Omakase experience (an evening multi-course, $75 tasting), feel free to order off the menu. Your server will tell you what's fresh ... believe them. If you're looking for a unique experience where the food not only is picture-perfect but explodes in your mouth, make reservations ASAP, and try to score a seat at the bar. If you're looking for a rib eye steak or chicken tenders, look elsewhere. Omakase Por Favor, Twelve Bridges Shopping Center, Lincoln. Open Thursday through Tuesday for lunch and dinner (dinner reservations highly recommended), 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. 12 Bridges Drive, suite 100; 916-472-5503. Richard Pearl is a Lincoln resident who, as an extensive business traveler and wide-ranging tourist after retirement, has eaten in more than his share of restaurants worldwide. Email him at richardpearl.lnm@gmail.com with comments or ideas for other unique restaurants.