Kasen opened in 2018 at 101 Le Thi Rieng — Saigon's first omakase counter, when “leaving it to the chef” was still unfamiliar to Vietnamese diners. Eight years on, the room is still one straight line: black stone, cream leather, mirrored wall, and ten gold-rimmed plates waiting for the first course.
The house philosophy continues a journey that began thirty years ago in Los Angeles, with Shinji Murata: seasonal ingredients meeting technique that reexamines tradition. Fish from Japan's live fish markets, produce from trusted local purveyors — the chef carries that heritage forward in Saigon.
Each seating is fifteen courses across about an hour to an hour and a half: opening with sashimi in the house's own style, through sushi with tender fish and warm rice, closing with cooked courses. Every course is introduced as it is served — the menu turns with the season, no two days exactly alike.