Ronin Omakase Lunch – A Luxury Meal Worth the Splurge?

Ronin Omakase is where I choose to celebrate KultureKween’s anniversary today—whether it’s the 18th, 17th, 13th, or 8th, depending on which milestone is being counted. Either way, I marked the occasion the only way I know how: with an unnecessarily fancy solo lunch.

I had been to Ronin Omakase once before, and it is one of the very few “fancy-ish” Melbourne restaurants I’d happily go back to. It’s also one of only two omakase spots here in Melbourne that’s worth repeating. They do Japanese fine dining with a wink—think high-quality food with playful touches.

When they sent out a newsletter about a new “luxurious lunch” menu, it seemed to be the perfect excuse to revisit for a mini milestone celebration. (Also, it reminded me I should start sending newsletters to keep my two loyal followers engaged.)

Upgraded Compliments at Ronin Omakase

I arrived right at 12 PM and was seated at a not-quite-corner seat. The waiter complimented my lint-covered green sweater, which happens to be her favourite colour. “Mine too,” I replied. And then, because I can’t take a compliment without oversharing, I blurted, “I got my engagement ring in the same colour – this is also why I avoid shopping mall counters—one kind word and I’ll leave with a $60 lipstick.

Today was no different: I walked in, planning to order the basic luxurious lunch, but after the compliment, I went rogue and ordered the most luxurious version—with salmon roe, snow crab, and toro (fatty tuna).

Goodbye, week’s worth of office lunches!

Ronin Omakase’s Two-Part Lunch Ritual

The tray arrived with a side of instructions:

1. Whisk the egg yolk.
2. Mix it into the bowl
3. Eat half your sashimi.
4. Halfway through, request a ladle of broth soup over the rest.
5. Finish with soupy rice and the second half of sashimi.

All clear… except for one tiny flaw: they served three pieces of sashimi. How do you eat half a piece? For the price, I’d like four, thanks.

Luxurious Lunch

As for the food, it’s decadent. Luxurious. The salmon roe popped with every bite, the snow crab was pure indulgence, and the toro… well, I prefer a chunk rather than thin slices, but that’s a personal thing.

The first half of the meal was decadent—salmon roe popping in my mouth, snow crab tasting like pure indulgence, toro melting away (though I do prefer chunks over slices). It truly felt like a rich person’s meal. Akin to bathing in wine or getting a 24k gold face mask.

Halfway through, without even looking at my bowl, the same complimentary waitress came by to initiate the second act of the meal—the warm soup pour.

This is something I love about Ronin: they make meals fun. From the Indomie nigiri to the two-act lunch, they balance quality with a playful touch. I can’t think of another Melbourne restaurant that does it quite the same way—others are either too serious or all show with no substance.

Soupy Rice in My Bingo Card

Normally, watery rice is a hard no from me (adult me only makes exceptions for congee), but I have a new way of eating rice as one of the things in my 2025 bingo card. After trying thunder tea rice at Makan, I’m more open-minded.

Looking into the bowl, I see a ramen-like serving, with swapped noodles for rice.

Warm. Hearty. Nourishing. A touch too yuzu-heavy for me, but I still polished it off. Yumm!! And all too quickly, which lands us at my only other complaint, that I need more rice. I like my rice-to-side ratio at 3:1, and this was more like 1:3.

Final Verdict on Ronin Omakase’s Luxurious Lunch

Would I return to Ronin Omakase? Absolutely—for the omakase dinner. The luxurious lunch? Once was enough.

Should you try it? Yes—especially if you’re nearby, love Japanese seafood, and have something to celebrate… or just need to erase a bad day at work. Or skip the excuse entirely—just go for the sake of treat-yo-self!

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