Restaurant review: Keyaki only offers grilled foods, but does them well

The first thing we noticed as we sat down at the counter seat of Keyaki was that the cooks were grilling the food over charcoal, not gas (which is easier).

Apart from a few salads, the menu offered only grilled items, which is another plus in our eyes: we like restaurants that concentrate on one thing, as long as they do it well.

There are only a few tables for two at Keyaki; most diners sit on backless stools along the long counter that runs along the bar and grill. We ordered single skewers of everything, so we could try more items.

All the chicken organ meats (HK$33 each) we tried were delicious: the liver was moist and rich, while the kidney and heart had a firmer, bouncier texture. Miso pork ribs (HK$45) were fantastic — tender, with a great flavour, and we considered having another skewer (but resisted). Maitake mushroom (HK$32) was juicy, with nicely charred edges. When the cheese mochi (HK$48 for two pieces) arrived, I warned my guest to wait a few minutes, so the molten, mild cheese filling wouldn't burn our mouths when we bit through the tender pounded rice wrapper. The mackerel (HK$58) was really delicious, with a rich, oily flavour. Grilled rice ball with soy (HK$38; it can also be ordered with miso) was cooked low and slow, so the exterior became nice and crusty. The rice went very well with the sweet, chewy pieces of dried puffer fish (HK$85) and seasoned cod roe (HK$85).