Virtual Reality (VR) Omakase – Icca NYC

Scrolling through Instagram one day I saw a very interesting pic of a bunch of people sitting at a sushi counter with VR headsets on. I did more digging and discovered it was a VR omakase at the One Michelin starred ICCA in New York. I had to check it out for myself. Upon arrival at the restaurant, we were greeted by one of the founders of Epic.Now, the events company which organized the event with ICCA. We were seated at the sake bar for the first part of the experience which was a tasting of two different sakes. One sparkling and the second, the Dasai 50.

We were then presented with some “tarot” cards to choose from which had a sort of inspirational quote on the back.

After that, it was time to enter the dining room. The excitement built as I was so curious about how the evening would go.

At each spot, there was a VR headset and a specially designed “cup” where the chef would place each bite of food. The cup had a kind of video game controller in it. Once you put the headset on, you can see your hands and cup. This would be crucial for eating later on.

About the meal. Basically, the meal consists of 8 “courses” of food with each one paired to a specific VR scene. The VR itself is done well. You can look up, down, behind, and forward, and be immersed in the scene. A few seconds into each scene, someone will tell you that there is food in the cup in front of you, which you then lift to your mouth and then guide the food into your mouth with your fingers. Each piece is like a bite sized hor d’oeuvres, so once you get used to it, it gets less awkward. Be sure to keep your napkin in front of you so its handy for mouth wiping.

About halfway through the experience, the headset will change to a live view of the dining room so you can take a break and watch the chef prepare nigiri.

After the short break, the experience continues until dessert, when your headset will be removed. The dessert was a chestnut monaka.

Before I give you my assessment, here is a look at the menu, which they give you at the end of the meal.

In terms of food, each bite was good. It was strange to not see food before putting it in your mouth, but it was also fun to try and decipher what I was eating. I think that the food and what is being shown the VR should be more tied together. This could be achieved through narration and revealing what each bite was before the next course/scene starts, instead of just giving a menu of everything at the end.

Also, I think that there should be an opportunity to take a sip of water, or other beverage, at certain times throughout the meal. Basically, once the meal started, we didn’t get a chance to drink anything until the end. This would help with palate cleansing and just avoiding being parched.

Lastly, I was disappointed that there was only one piece of nigiri. I thought the majority of items would be sushi. Also, although I am an advocate of appreciating food as an art, and will always choose quality over quantity, the amount of food given was way too little for a late dinner. I can never related to people who say they feel hungry after a tasting menu, and had to “grab fast food after”, as chefs usually test the food portions, prior to finalizing their menus, but in this case, we actually went to have another dinner after the meal. It was way too short. The whole dinner portion was about 40 minutes.

Overall, it was a great experience with huge potential. I think if they can sort out some of the issues I mentioned above, it will be a success. Even with the above, I was smiling throughout the experience and had a great time. If you go into it thinking of it as an experience, you won’t be disappointed. I would not return, but I would recommend someone to experience it for themselves. Obviously, a lot of work and effort went into this and I don’t want to seem like I am negative on the experience. The food was well executed, the VR was well executed, the service was fantastic, it just has kinks to work out to improve as can be expected for such a new and innovative experience. Please, go try it for yourself. You will have a good time. Just make a reservation for after.