text: There are two ways to enjoy Raku (Las Vegas), Izakaya-style or Omakase-style (I believe they call it Kaiseki).  Both are excellent.  But the latter is truly 5 stars.  \n\nSeveral months ago, we were unable to score reservations for the main dining room (our usual Vegas hang-out spot), and our small group was told that we could get a table in the \"omakase\" section, where we would have to order one of the Kaiseki (full-course consisting of various raw and cooked seasonal items) courses.  \n\nNow, just for the record, I rarely order a \"Kaiseki\" or \"Omakase\" course at a typical Aburiya (aka \"Izakaya\"), but having done my homework on the chef/owner (Chef Endo, whose background is in traditional Kaiseki (in Tokyo), who then moved to global fame as executive chef of Megu NY), I was more than willing to give it a try.  And I've been hooked ever since.\n\nOne of the most memorable Kaiseki dishes we had here was the whole  Nodoguro white fish, a seasonal winter fish.  Apparently only two of these whole fish made its way to Las Vegas that winter day, via direct flight from Tokyo, and we got one of them.  One of the most fun ways of enjoying an excellent fish is to see how different it tastes under different preparation.  Chef Endo understands this completely, and we were served different parts of the same fish as three different courses.  First, the Sashimi.  Second, steamed with ginger and seasoned with a light Dashi-based sauce.  Third, grilled with pinches of sea salt.  An ultra-fresh fish is a must for Sashimi, but when you have that sashimi-grade fish expertly steamed or grilled, it's absolute heaven.  The heat breaks down the amino acids of the fish, significantly boosting the Umami factor.  I would argue that the most delicious way to enjoy fresh fish is lightly cooked, and not raw.  \n\nHonestly, the skewers that they threw into the Kaiseki course were meh, but the home-made Tofu, the fish dishes, and the soups were absolutely amazing.  Can't wait for my next trip to Vegas and Raku!  I gotta make sure to book at least a week in advance!