Tonkichi
Tonkichi Unit B, Basement FL Toy House, 100 Canton Rd Tsim Sha Tsui
Grub: Japanese-style deep-fried seafood and pork chops. Sashimi and traditional drinks are also on the menu.
Vibe: The basement location is spacious and comfortable, with soft lighting. It's generally packed, so expect to queue for at least 15 minutes.
Who to bring: Family and friends, especially those with low cholesterol. The restaurant offers sets for parties of two to four.
What's hot: One of the coolest things about Tonkichi is the sesame sauce, which you make yourself. Customers are given a bowl and a stick with sesame inside - you just grind the stick into the bowl and add sauce before adding it to your food.
The deep-fried pork chop is unmissable. Lightly covered in breadcrumbs, it freshly made to order. It is placed on top of a holder to avoid it getting soggy on the bottom. The pork is juicy, thick and delicious.
Another great item is the deep-fried shrimp, which is big, lightly battered and very fresh.
Last but not least is the shredded cabbage. Far from a garnish, it helps you digest the meat fest. It comes with a choice of yuzu or seaweed sauce.
An added bonus is that you can get free refills of vegetables and rice.
What's not: The deep-fried oysters were very disappointing. There was too much batter, and the shellfish was as fresh as expected.
Service is not great, as most of the servers are robotic and talk in a monotone voice.
Cost: Expect to spend about HK$200 to leave feeling very full.
