Sensyu Japanese Restaurant

28/F, L'Hart, 489 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay
Tel: 2893 6668
Open: 11am-3pm, 6-11pm (Sundays for dinner only)
Cuisine: Japanese

Price: about HK$370 without drinks and the service charge.

Ambience: the upper floor of the two-storey space is dominated by a large sushi counter, with tables in an L-shape by the windows. The lower floor has two private rooms. The noise level was comfortable.

Pros: the sushi and sashimi are served with fresh wasabi. Service was friendly.

Cons: the menu is of the something-to-please-everyone variety, which makes it seem unfocused. Although the sashimi was excellent, the sushi was not. The ikura (HK$30 per piece) had salmon roe that was too sticky and soft, the uni (HK$40 per piece) was topped with broken-up pieces of sea urchin, and the crab meat in the crab and avocado roll (HK$70) was dry, not succulent. Grilled mentaiko (HK$35) was overcooked, and the buckwheat noodles in the cold soba (HK$55) were too thick and heavy.

Recommended dishes: toro sashimi (HK$180 for two pieces) was thick, fatty and tender. Striped jack sashimi (HK$120 for five pieces) - the server's recommendation - was smooth and rich. Grilled ox tongue (HK$50), which came with slices of fried garlic, were thinner pieces than we like, but they were meaty, tender and not overcooked. Grilled unagi (freshwater eel, HK$80) was a generous portion. Although the skin could have been charred a little more, the meat was nicely soft and fatty. Japanese tomato salad (HK$55), dressed with a light sesame sauce, refreshed our palates. Beef inaniwa udon (HK$85) had a fragrant broth, smooth noodles, blanched spinach and a lot of thinly sliced beef.

What else? There are some set meals starting at about HK$460.