Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse & OMAKAI Unite for One-Night-Only Collaboration Dinner & Sake Experience

On Wednesday, October 8, 2025, UKIAH Japanese Smokehouse (UKIAH), Fort Lauderdale’s newest riverfront dining destination, will team up with Miami’s acclaimed omakase concept OMAKAI sushi to present an exclusive, one-night-only collaboration dinner and sake pairing experience. Longtime friends and culinary innovators, Chef Michael Lewis (UKIAH) and Chef Aaron Pate (OMAKAI), will join forces to craft an 11-dish tasting menu designed for South Florida’s most adventurous “fish-ionados.”

“Japanese cuisine is about balance and innovation,” said Chef Michael Lewis, Co-Founder & Executive Chef of UKIAH. “Partnering with Chef Pate and OMAKAI allows us to push boundaries, merging our styles for a truly unforgettable dining experience.”

The UKIAH + OMAKAI Sushi Dinner Experience will take place in the main dining room, with seatings available between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Guests will enjoy a tasting menu curated by Chef Lewis and Chef Pate and may choose between two-tiered dinner levels, both including an 11-dish tasting menu paired with four premium sake pours. Seating is limited to 60 guests, and reservations can be made via OpenTable with prepayment required.

Dinner Tiers:
The Essential | $125
11-dish Tasting Menu including four two-ounce pours of Sake
To book click HERE
The Elevated | $195
11-dish Premium Tasting Menu including four two-ounce pours of Sake, with upgraded culinary additions such as fresh uni, caviar, and truffles.

Some highlights from the tasting menu include:
Toro Tartare Crispy Rice with Chili Umami Salt
Marinated Short Rib Temaki with cucumber, shiso and wasabi
King Salmon Nigiri with Salmon mousse and Caviar
Mentaiko Udon Noodles with Tempura Shiso chip, uni and ikura
A5 Wagyu Skewer with Roasted Onion Truffle Butter
Whole Smoked Bluefin Tuna Kama

For those unable to secure a dinner reservation, a limited selection of à la carte options will be available for purchase by regular guests that evening.

“We’re excited to bring OMAKAI’s approach to traditional sushi into this collaboration,” added Chef Aaron Pate, Executive Chef of OMAKAI. “Working with Michael at UKIAH’s stunning riverfront location creates the perfect canvas for an 11-course journey that highlights the depth and diversity of Japanese flavors.”

The event continues the celebration of World Sake Day (which took place earlier in the month) with a special Sake Passport Experience from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Guests will receive a passport to guide them through four distinct sake tastings—paired with educational notes and one curated food bite—on UKIAH’s riverfront terrace. Completing the passport unlocks a bounce-back reward for a future visit. Participation is complimentary with advanced sign-up through EventBrite and space is limited to 100 guests.