Bean curd sushi, bento boxes and rice balls for less than US$7 at Hungry Dino in Causeway Bay
- Small, bright and cheerful shop serves inexpensive salmon, shrimp, scallop and truffle sushi and bento boxes
- The food comes in sets that include miso soup or tea and is mostly sold to take away, although there are a few seats
New fast food concept Hungry Dino is serving up inexpensive and filling Japanese bento boxes, bean curd sushi and onigiri (rice balls).
The tiny shop is cheerful and colourful, with bright walls, hanging plants, and a mosaic cartoon dinosaur. It’s more suitable for takeaway, although if you want to eat in, there are a few chairs at a shelf along the wall.
The menu offers a wide range of bento boxes, either as sets (with miso soup and sencha tea) or freestyle (where you get to choose the toppings). Prices are reasonable for Causeway Bay.
The grilled mackerel bento box with poached egg (HK$46, US$5.90), served with miso soup, has an optional upgrade of adding curry sauce andsoft-boiled egg, which costs an extra HK$4 to HK$7. The mackerel was lightly salted and a little plain without a squeeze of lemon. The rice came topped with furikake (“sprinkles”), which made it more interesting.
Our favourite dish of the day was the Dino bean curd sushi with scallop and black truffle (HK$22). The scallop was large, sweet and fatty – far better than you would expect at this price. The soy sauce mixed with wasabi added a spicy kick and went well with the sushi.
We also tried the Dino bean curd with mentaiko and salmon and the Dino bean curd with amaebi and crab roe (HK$20 each). The former – chopped fresh salmon mixed with mentaiko (salted fish roe) on top of the bean curd sushi – was unusual and delicious. We also liked the amabei – fresh, sweet shrimp.
Hungry Dino is a good option if you are in a hurry and want an inexpensive meal. Our food came about 10 minutes after we placed our orders. The restaurant accepts cash only.
Hungry Dino, Bartlock Centre, 3 Yiu Wa Street, Causeway Bay, tel: 3580 2874.
Open: noon to 8pm
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