Fussing over the food

The sensation of walking off the frenetic streets of Tsim Sha Tsui into Nishimura in the Hongkong Hotel is almost that of descending at high speed in an elevator. You don't quite feel the need to pop your ears but certainly you experience a vacuum-like calm.

The tranquillity, however, is transient. Once you are whisked past the sushi chefs sharpening their scalpels and teppanyaki cooks scraping their skillets, the Hong Kong groove returns. With waitresses hovering about like bees around honey, you are made to feel hassled and a bit harassed.

But maybe it was just that my companion and I were dining on a slow night when there seemed to be more staff than diners. And probably it had something to do with the fact that the simplest questions proved difficult to answer.

'What's this?' my guest asked a waitress, pointing to a tasty - but unidentifiable - morsel that was part of his seafood set. Unable to answer, she dispatched a colleague to our table, who, lost for the English equivalent, promptly announced 'ebi' (Japanese for prawn). So much for being in a top-notch hotel in an area supposedly geared towards tourists.

To be fair, however, the waitresses tried hard to please - so much so that when one spied something strange in my tea, she grabbed the cup, eyeballed the offensive item and then decided it was not fit for consumption. I chose not to ask questions when my replacement drink arrived.

With so many distractions - including a sparkling view of the harbour - it was difficult to keep track of the food, especially as one dish after another arrived in quick succession. After a pedestrian salad of lettuce, tomato and peppers topped with a dressing not unlike Thousand Island (one of six dishes that made up the $600 set), we were prepared to be disappointed.

But then the scrumptious salmon steak arrived. Cooked on the teppan (iron grill), which sealed in the flavour and moisture, it was perfection. There were no complaints either about the scallops, which, like the prawns and lobster, tasted fresh, light and subtle. Just as all good seafood should.

The cuttlefish, however, was a let-down, not only in taste but also in presentation. Flat and slightly overcooked, it was saved only by a dollop of tangy mayonnaise - not the type that comes straight from a bottle.

To accompany the set, we ordered a selection of non-meat dishes, including 'country-style' miso soup ($20), wakame salad ($80), mixed vegetables grilled on the teppan ($60) and sushi stuffed with a variety of fillings such as natto (fermented soy bean), kampyo (gourd) and ume-shisso (sour plum and beefsteak leaf), which cost $30 each.

Considered a gift of the gods, miso makes an appearance in soup form at many breakfast tables in Japan. The Japanese so love this liquid meal they often consume it several times a day with a variety of ingredients. Mine came with prawns, adding oomph to the salty concoction.

Another winner was the salad, which consisted of paper-thin slices of cucumber and wakame (lobe leaf) drenched in a soy dressing with a citrus edge. Rich in iron and vitamin A, this sea vegetable is also low in calories and, I am told, a hair tonic. Perhaps that explains the lustrous locks of both men and women in that country.

The mixed vegetables, which consisted mainly of bean sprouts, were the low point of the evening. Beyond al dente, they were uninspiring to the point of being bland. Presentation was also lacking. This dish could have come from any street stall in Hong Kong. Not that anyone would dare charge $60 for this simple offering.

We wouldn't write home about the sushi either. The rice was not as moist as we would have liked and the kampyo not as tender. The ume-shisso, too, was, as the Japanese would say, maa-maa (so-so) - definitely not worth the effort of having to summon the kimono-clad maitre d' to make the order. Our waitress had apparently not heard of this combination of fillings and, by mistake, brought us a glass of umeshu (plum wine).

Despite the uneven quality of the food and service, overall, it was a pleasant dining experience - but only after we had told the waitresses to leave us alone for half an hour. After all, constant attention, like constant scratching, can end up aggravating rather than soothing.

Without drinks and with tax included, the meal for two cost $968. For that kind of money you could probably do better at one of Hong Kong's other mid-range Japanese restaurants.

Nishimura, 6/F Hongkong Hotel, 3 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Tel: 2735 6899, Open: noon-2.30pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm