This Japanese restaurant is located in Repulse Bay, specializing in the grill dishes and using the binchotan, the 'long-lived' oak charcoal that didn't give out too much smoke and able to heat for much longer period, making it ideal for grilling to ensure good consistency and quality. The restaurant is facing the beach on the ground level, while not having much of the view with the public changing room right in front, still got a good glimpse of the nice ambiance of relaxation and fun.
On a normal Wednesday evening the restaurant is full and fortunately we have made reservation so didn't have to wait. The decor is nice and seated at the sofa it is comfortable and cozy. We ordered the Crispy Codfish Wafers ($50) to start, which are thin slices of toasted codfish, and pairing with the mayonnaise is really a great snack, particularly suitable to pair with beer or cold sake. We couldn't help but finishing one after another piece, and in no time the plate was emptied.
Next we had the Pot of Clam in Sake ($268). Served in a steaming casserole pot, there were plenty of leek on top to bring in a nice delicate fragrance. The sake soup is a bit too sweet however for my liking, but the restaurant has put in some seaweed to enhance the flavors. The biggest issue is the clam though, which are quite rubbery in texture. Not sure whether it is because the clams are not fresh but frozen ones? And considering the price this one I certainly won't recommend.
Trying the sushi next, we ordered the Deluxe Sushi Platter ($580). There are a total of nine pieces plus the roll, it offers a good assortment of different topping, from fatty tuna, toro, salmon, yellow tail, scallop, flounder fin, botan ebi, salmon roe and sea urchin, along with chopped fatty tuna roll. The ingredients are fresh and nice, and considering this is not a sushi restaurant the quality is
commendable, and help to rescue some of my lost faith from the earlier clam in sake.
Then comes the signature dishes from the grill. First we had the Grilled Chicken Thigh ($70) and Grilled Chicken Gizzard ($48). There are two skewers each, with the chicken thigh tender and grilled perfectly, maintaining the juiciness of the meat and a slight charred surface dipped in the sauce. The crunchy gizzard gives a good contrast in texture, seasoned well and tasty. Imagining sitting in a relaxed atmosphere, watching the sunset in the beach while enjoying a ice-cold beer with such would be anyone's dream.
Last is the Grilled Black Snapper ($580), the daily catch flying in from Japan. Taking a fair bit of time to prepare, the fish is seasoned with salt and grilled slowly by the binchotan, giving a crispy skin while keeping a moist, delicate meat underneath. With a yuzu vinegar as dipping sauce, the taste is great indeed. My only comment is that the fish might not be the best in quality as the meat texture lacks a bit of the firmness I expect from the best black snapper. But I mean it positively for the restaurant to excel.
The services are decent and maybe the staff can interact a bit more with the customers to make them feel more welcome, but overall they are still friendly. The bill on the night was $1,756 without any beverages. Fairly reasonable considering the location, and ingredients chosen and overall experience, and with the improvements I highlighted the restaurant can really move to another level.
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