As his recent James Beard Award semifinalist nomination for Outstanding Chef demonstrates, Manabu Horiuchi — better known as Hori — has long been considered one of Houston’s most talented culinarians. Beginning today (Tuesday, January 27), Houstonians will have the opportunity to experience the full breadth of the chef’s talent at Sushi Horiuchi, his new six-seat omakase counter.
Located next to Katami, Sushi Horiuchi is one of Houston’s most intimate restaurants. Those willing to commit to the $300 menu (plus tax, tip, and optional sake pairings) will experience about 20 courses crafted by Hori with assistant chef Anna Tran and sommelier Jessica Cano.
To be clear, opening Sushi Horiuchi as a companion to Katami was always part of Hori’s plans for the restaurant. The chef aspired to recreate the intimate sushi restaurants he experienced as both a diner and a young chef in Japan before he moved to Houston to work at the Japanese consulate. He and Katami’s managing partner Ryan Snyder discussed the concept during an appearance on CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast.
“It’s very personal — only six seats. I can give the best service to our customers, and I can use the best fish. Katami is a busy restaurant, we have so much fish. It’s a premium service we can do for a six-seat counter,” Hori said.
“We’re going to be really focused on the guest experience in a way that’s hard when you’re serving hundreds of guests a night,” Snyder added.
During a visit to the restaurant as part of invite-only practice services, Hori explained that he delayed opening the restaurant until he felt confident that Katami’s staff could operate without his daily supervision. He’ll be devoting his attention to Sushi Horiuchi, which is open for one seating per night Tuesday—Saturday.
Dining at Sushi Horiuchi
When walking in, the first thing people will notice is how small the room is. The most prominent feature is a wall sculpture shaped like a map of Japan. Created for Sushi Horiuchi, chefs Hori and Tran refer to the map throughout service by showing which region is the source of that dish’s ingredients.
As part of its commitment to service, the meal begins with a glass of Krug, one of the world’s most well-regarded champagnes. The menu’s first course nods to Texas, with a tofu-inspired custard created from pecans instead of soy. Topped with smoky trout roe, the dish captures some of the sweetness and smokiness of Texas barbecue, presented in a way that feels distinctly Japanese.
The meal continues with a soup that’s made with hamaguri clams and maitake mushrooms. On a cold night, it provided some much-needed comfort.
Sushi Horiuchi’s caviar course ups the presentation from Katami by pairing the ingredient with finely-diced hirame (Japanese flounder). Instead of blini (or potato chips), diners eat the course using salmon skin crackers.
The meal continues with a lightly-seared piece of tuna over a salad of cucumber, daikon, and carrots. It’s followed by one of the evening’s most memorable bites, crispy-skin tilefish (amedai) paired with a broth made from the fish’s bones.
Diners get their first bites of raw fish via a sashimi course of buri (yellowtail), madai (snapper), and Hokkaido scallop. Hori explains that the madai is pressed in seaweed, which adds umami and gives the fish a firmer texture.
After some sweet hairy crab, Hori and Tran prepare wagyu sukiyaki; after being heated in broth, one piece is enhanced with freshly-shaved white truffle while the other gets a light dusting of spicy furikake. Sourced from the Kagoshima Prefecture, the meat is served with sushi rice that cuts some of its richness.
It’s time for nigiri. Tran explains that she gets to pick from the best of Katami’s fish, which is sourced from Tokyo’s Toyosu seafood market. That may explain why the night’s otoro practically glistens with intramuscular fat.
Hori showcases two kinds of uni — one wild and one farmed — to showcase how the sea urchin’s brininess can change depending on where it’s sourced. Tran showcases kamasu (barracuda) in an Osaka-style square sushi roll that Hori explains goes back to the time when sushi was made with preserved fish. The last savory course is seared anago, a saltwater eel that’s meatier and less sweet than the most commonly used unagi (freshwater eel).
The meal concludes with two desserts — cucumber sorbet with yuzu and the “Japanese garden,” a treasure chest of house-made chocolates and other mignardise. They’re paired with matcha that Tran makes by carefully whisking high quality powder into a foamy tea.
Final Thoughts
Looking at the Japanese restaurants that have been included in the Michelin Guide, it quickly becomes clear that a la carte sushi restaurants need not apply. The inspectors have only recognized omakase experiences, awarding Recommended status to Hidden Omakase and Neo. Surely, Sushi Horiuchi will have their attention as a possible addition for the 2026 class and could be the first Japanese restaurant in Houston to receive a coveted Michelin star.
One of the guide’s criteria is that a restaurant showcase the chef’s personality through its food. By using premium ingredients sourced from Japan and adding a few Texas touches, Hori shows diners that this restaurant is the culmination of his career as a chef. For now, Houstonians who love sushi will undoubtedly make this new arrival one of Houston’s most difficult reservations.
