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SCMP Reporter

Japanese options in Hong Kong have diversified in recent years. People in Japan do not eat sushi every day. Often, when there are no important dinners to attend, men hang out at an izakaya, roughly translated as a dining bar, where small dishes are served with big bottles of beer or sake. Children and mothers at home also tend to eat simple, homely food, such as beef and potato stew. Izakaya have now become popular in Hong Kong. Unlike in Japan, where men make up most of the clientele, in Hong Kong an izakaya is frequented by all types. Hong Kong has also seen the opening of specialised Japanese restaurants such as an inagiku, which is a century-old name of tempura in Japan. Hong Kong probably boasts the best selection of Japanese restaurants outside Japan, and that is something to be proud of.

Inagiku

1/F, The Royal Garden,

69 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

2733 2933

The fare Supposedly an ultimate tempura experience, with the fries browned in special sesame oil heated to the perfect temperature.

The ambience Very Zen in colour and motifs, with golden hues contrasting with dark wood and a wave pattern on the wall. Even when full, the restaurant is serene.

The cost If you just eat and drink little, $500 a head will get you through. If you really dive into the sake, triple the budget.

Who to bring Business clients, especially Japanese clients, or a few good friends who love tempura.

Turn-ons The Japanese prawns in the tempura are exquisite, and all the greenhouse vegetables, which are more distinct in taste than the run-of-the-mill variety, make ideal fries.

Turn-offs The texture and taste of the uni tempura are a little disappointing.

The extras The private teppanyaki room with state-of-the-art conference facilities is great for business functions.

Harakan -

Shop 1, G/F, Sunning Plaza,

10 Hysan Road, Causeway Bay

2882 8616

The fare Fine Japanese dining.

The ambience Clean, spacious and mind-calming, this place has  soft, natural colours and the feel of an onsen ryokan, a Japanese inn with hot springs.

The cost At least $500 a person without wine.

Who to bring Spacious booths offer comfort and privacy for friends and family.

Turn-ons The space, Zen-like ambience, attentive service and great sushi. The Harakan assorted sushi platter, which consists of fresh, tasty pieces of fish such as tuna (maguro and toro), salmon, yellowtail and snapper, sea urchin, cockle clam, and creamy and delicious miso crab paste (a rare find).

Turn-offs Some of the dishes, such as Hokkaido crab hotpot ($320 for 150g of crab, and $580 for 300 grams), seemed a little overpriced for what they were.

The extras There are 150 types of premium sake available.

Tomi

G/F, 7-9 Minden Avenue,

Tsim Sha Tsui

2366 1078

The fare There are two menus, one offering dishes close to what people in Japan eat and another that caters more to Hong Kong palates.

The ambience The small space can seat about 20 diners and is clean and calming, almost Zen-like.

The cost $250 to $300 a person without drinks.

Who to bring A date.

Turn-ons Seasonal Japanese dishes that change periodically. You can always get the most seasonal fish and vegetables.

Turn-offs If you are not Japanese the staff will not show you the Japanese menu unless you ask for it. It feels a bit like discrimination.

The extras Located on Minden Avenue, fast becoming another popular party hub in Central, Tomi is a good place for a quiet dinner before you party the night away.

Kissho

Shop 1A, G/F, 14 Wong Nai Chung Road, Happy Valley

2836 6992

The fare Seasonal Japanese fine dining, with the seafood and vegetables changed periodically.

The ambience Guests pass through a bar area and maze-like corridor to get to the main dining hall. Small groups can sit at the sushi bar for personal attention from the chef. The decor is uncomplicated, modern and slick.

The cost This is fine-dining pricing. Expect to pay at least $500 a person without wine.

Who to bring A friend you would enjoy talking at the sushi bar, or a group of friends.

Turn-ons The fresh seafood and the geoduck, which is crisp and full of flavour. A rare find is the untreated salmon roe, which tastes less salty and more natural than the regular variety.

Turn-offs The chef at the sushi bar has a habit of taking your plate of unfinished food away, rearranging it and giving it back to you. The intention may be good, but it could make you feel uneasy.

The extras Lovers of sake can sample the selection on the liquor trolley they order.

CYS Japanese Restaurant

2/F, Matheson Centre, 3 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay

2591 1813

The fare Sushi, yakitori and other traditional dishes.

The ambience Small and intimate, with full-length windows overlooking Causeway Bay. This sushi bar is also a good place for the lone diner.

The cost The portions are not very big, so the bill can often add up to $200 a head.

Who to bring No one, or just a few friends.

Turn-ons The intimate service, the tasty yakitori and the freedom to pick your fish at the sushi bar.

Turn-offs The stench from the yakitori grill is strong and can make your clothes smell.

The extras The selection of sake is limited, but good enough for a casual night out.

Miso

Shop 15, Basement, Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central

2845 8773

The fare Extensive range of traditional dishes and others with a modern twist.

The ambience Big but modest, with ochre walls of rough-cast cement, good lighting, comfortable seating, cloth napkins and two large teppanyaki bars. The place attracts lots of young business types.

The cost Good value at $200 to $300 without drinks.

Who to bring Friends and business associates. Not the place to try to impress phonies.

Turn-ons A cloud of angler-fish liver paste on a tofu fez punctuated with a blob of chilli. It?s marvellous with soy sauce. The sashimi is good and the grilled cod has outstanding flavour, with an ?orange honey? glazing that is neither obtrusive nor cloying. Well-priced set menus.

Turn-offs There is not enough eel in the nori-wrapped roll and the tempura crab is light on crab meat. The waiters needs to hang back.

The extras Terrifically priced sake.

Blowfish

G/F, 20-26 Peel Street, SoHo, Central

2815 7868

The fare A variety of traditional Japanese dishes and others with twists.

The ambience Just off SoHo in a dim and quiet section of Peel Street, this place is happily unpretentious with a funky edge. The neon-lit interior glows through the glass exterior, making the place impossible to miss at night.

The cost Less than $300 a head without sake.

Who to bring One of the protagonists in a Wong Kar-wai film.

Turn-ons The sushi is fresh. The botan shrimp sizzles, with the meaty crustaceans (shelled) flavoured by a quick of hot oil. The spicy tuna maki rolls are spicy in a good way.

Turn-offs The yakitori served during the yaki-hour (happy hour with yakitori, $10 a skewer) comes too lightly grilled.

The extras The sake selection is small but adequate, and reasonably priced.

Kyozasa Restaurant

20 Ashley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

2376 1888

The fare

Casual and simple Japanese dishes, some with western twists.

The ambience

The place looks like a neighbourhood izakaya in Japan, offering a rare out-of-Hong Kong experience.

The cost

Portions are small, but you can have a decent meal for less than $200 without sake.

Who to bring

Friends who like to talk loud (the usual habit in an izakaya).

Turn-ons

The food. Dishes like the asparagus rolls (wrapped in thin sheets of seaweed and deep-fried) and the sashimi salad in kimchi sauce are sensational.

Turn-offs

You have to strain your neck to choose your dishes because the menu is pasted on the walls.

The extras

The people who run the place are friendly. If you fail to get a table, they may even give you a free beer coupon as ?compensation?.

Y by the bay

C202, 109 Repulse Bay Road,

Repulse Bay

2812 2120

The fare Fine Japanese cuisine.

The ambience Spacious and classy.

The cost Most people go for the $99 all-you-can-eat fresh beef with shabu shabu. Add some sushi and other dishes and it can add up to $300 to $400 a head without drinks.

Who to bring Whoever you would go with to Repulse Bay.

Turn-ons The fantastic ambience, the fresh sushi and, of course, the shabu shabu. There is also a backyard for alfresco lovers.

Turn-offs It is quite a walk to the restaurant from the entrance to Stanley Bay.

The extras A sister restaurant, Empire Y, has opened at the Empire Hotel Kowloon on Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, taking over the space formerly occupied by the nouveau Japanese restaurant Daidaya.

Kyoto Joe

B-G/F, The Plaza, 21 D?Aguilar Street,

Lan Kwai Fong, Central

2804 6800

The fare No teppanyaki, but a good range of Japanese favourites and some experimental dishes. Overall, the cooking is acceptable but the freshness of the sushi leaves a lot to be desired. Dishes vary in quality.  The grilled eggplant with mayonnaise is good but the battered strips of veal shank with a light garlic-ginger sludge is far from exciting.

The ambience Typically Lan Kwai Fong, Kyoto

Joe is dark and moody and the serving staff can be too until you warm them up. Veneered tables and cube lampshades under a mirrored ceiling. Seems a bit old hat and tatty.

The cost Expensive at about $300 to $400 for a meal, excluding drinks.

Who to bring Only those you can trust with your dubious judgment.

Turn-ons Sea bass with miso and a light dusting of shichimi pepper. Deep-fried bean curd. A big range of sake, including the house sake in carafes at $95 and $115.

Turn-offs The room-temperature sushi was not as fresh as it could be. Huge prices are charged for the wines and the volume of the carafes is unspecified.

The extras The white cloth napkins are enormous.

Sagano 1/F, Hotel Nikko Hong Kong, 72 Mody Road,

Tsim Sha Tsui

2313 4215

The fare A diverse selection of Japanese food.

The ambience Clean and bright, if a bit cold.

The cost About $500 a person without wine.

Who to bring Japanese clients, any friends or family members.

Turn-ons The shabu shabu, presented in a hexagonal pot, is served with slices of fresh beef with two delicious dipping sauces ? one a light, slightly tart soya-based sauce and the other a thicker sesame sauce. There is also an adequate selection of sake, with Hakkaisan, a complex and colourfully flavoured daiginjo from Niigata, being the best value at $490 for 720ml.

Turn-offs With the exception of the snapper, the fish in the sushi is a little weak.

The extras There?s comfortable seating at the teppanyaki and sushi bar.

Kaetsu

Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai

2588 1234 ext7088

The fare One of Hong Kong?s wow restaurants. Expensive but often sublime Japanese

food in all its varieties. Sushi and shabu shabu (hotpot) dishes are its strength, although its

dish of two small tiles of grilled butterfish with a light soy sauce

is brilliant.

The ambience Medium-sized, sleek and luxurious, Kaetsu is clad in a forest of dark hardwood timbers foiled by columns of black polished granite. Differing levels and the lighting give it a theatrical quality. You use delicate and grainy dark-pine chopsticks.

The cost Let?s say $400 to $500 a person for a filling dinner.

Who to bring Take your best Japanese business clients.

Turn-ons Sea urchin sushi, the biggest available, like a frothy, bright-orange cloud of foam. The toro sushi is so fatty it cloys.

Turn-offs Knowing you have to pay so much for this kind of quality.

The extras Attentive and restrained service.



In the raw