Hoze is situated in Gothenburg, Sweden, a city with access to some of the best seafood you can find. At Hoze you will have the chance to savour an array of mostly local seafood prepared with influences from Japan and the Mediterranean.

The restaurant is small; it has only six counter places. The restaurant is run by Chef Patron José Gabriel Cerdá Contreras, who sometimes is assisted by his father, but most of the time José will do everything. It is a very intimate and personal setting with José preparing the food in front of you. This personal setting gives you the opportunity to ask José any questions you may have about the food or you can just speak with him about his passion for food and experiences he has from Japan and working with kaiseki master Fumihiro Hayashi in omotenashi and Japanese cuisine. A big part of the experience at Hoze is the close interaction with the chef, produce and guests; together they are the ingredients for a flavourful journey.

Chef Patron José has a kaizen mentality and is continuously trying to improve his dishes and experiments in how to use local fish, how to age fish and how to find different and great flavour combinations. Therefore the menu is continuously evolving.

The meal starts with an array of bite-size dishes. It can be a langoustine or crab meat dish accompanied by different small taste and texture combinations. After several small courses there will be a selection of sushi with local fish like mackerel, herring and salmon with several of the fish aged, and all served on some of the best Koshihikari rice Japan has to offer with exquisite soy sauce and real wasabi. Then of course some dessert followed by some locally roasted coffee and sweets. Hoze does not serve any alcoholic beverages so do not come here expecting a pairing menu.

The restaurant is situated a bit off the centre of Gothenburg, very discreetly on a sloping street. It is easy to pass by it, but hard to forget it after you have been there. Booking is only through mail or the homepage. Omakase means chef’s choice, and at Hoze it is José who sets the menu. So when you come here, you just have to relax and enjoy that evening’s parade of dishes.

Written by Joakim