Newly opened: URA Japanese Delicacy in Sheung Wan
The name means hidden, but plenty have discovered this restaurant already. It's dark, funky, and the dishes come in a rush
You might think that with a name like (tel: 2111 9381), the Urban Renewal Authority was expanding into the restaurant business. But it's actually Japanese for "hidden", though it was obvious that many had already discovered this place when we went a few days after its opening. The restaurant in The Wellington, Sheung Wan, is dark, funky and very noisy.
We would have appreciated wet wipes after eating the spicy cod roe cheese toast (HK$78) as well as the tuna akami cutlet sandwich (HK$168) that was a messy mouthful with a round chunk of tuna in the centre.
Dishes came fast - the kitchens are spread out and don't communicate with each other regarding the pacing of the meal, so diners feel rushed. We had barely finished the above dishes when the A4 Miyazaki wagyu striploin yakiniku (HK$398) arrived.
We cooked strips of beef on a hotplate before combining it with lettuce, rice, kimchi, spring onions and nori. It was a good grade of beef, but lacked flavour. We had the same complaint about the A4 wagyu roll (HK$198) that had a thin slice of torched beef on top of the roll.
They were out of sea urchin by the time our order of udon noodle with crab miso and salmon roe cream sauce (HK$198) came. It was served instead with tuna sashimi; urchin would have given the dish more punch.
The Suntory draft whisky soda (HK$88) was a refreshing highball.
