This sushi restaurant is located on Pottinger Street in Central, led by Chef Masaki Nakamoto. Coming alone tonight to try it out, I was surprised to see there were already four people sitting around the 12-seat sushi counter, even though it was not yet 6:30pm.
The interior design might seem typical for a nice sushi restaurant, but with closer look you will see the details, like the projection of the light onto the wall behind the chefs, the slanted ceiling to resemble the roof of a house.
Lucky to be served by Chef Nakamoto himself, after ordering the Omakase Course ($2680), I picked a bottle of sake, Shidaizumi Junmai Daiginjo from Shizuoka 志太泉 純米大吟醸 ($1500), with the label showing that this sake was made for the restaurant. Quality however was only so-so in my opinion.
The first course was Tarako 鱈子, or Pollock Roes. The chef had prepared three small pieces, and poached in a broth to cook through, infusing the roes with flavours while removing the fishy taste. The texture was interesting with a powdery feel.
The second course was Katsuo 鰹, or Skipjack Tuna. The chef cut from a large piece of fillet which had been smoked, then put on finely shredded myoga, and paired with a special sauce. The smoky note was quite light and not masking the taste of the fish, and the sauce giving a kick on flavours.
The third course was Shirako 白子, or Cod Milt. Cooked just right, the cod milt had a creamy texture and together with the chopped ezonegi and the sauce was another good example of how the chef used seasonal ingredients to the fullest extent.
The fourth course was Tako 章魚, or Octopus. Taking out a long tentacle from the bowl, the chef cut out two pieces before adding a bit of special paste on. The octopus was so tender you would not imagine it possible, and the flavours from the broth was fully infused as well. A very good one.
The chef then took out a large piece of Hotategai 帆立貝, or Scallop, and slicing a piece and sent to the kitchen to grill, before wrapping in a piece of nori and handed to me. After grilling the flavours of the scallop were more intense, but even with the thin slice the texture was a bit too rubbery.
The sixth course was Hirame sashimi 平目, or Flounder. The signature delicate taste with the good bite on the texture was unmistakable.
The seventh course was something I had anticipated, the seasonal Kobako-gani 香箱蟹, or Female Snow Crab. Only allowed to be caught during November and December, the unique taste of the roes together with the sweet meat was unforgettable. I like how the chef had used the roes to prepare a sauce which further enhanced the overall flavours.
Then the chef took out a number of Botan Ebi ボタンエビ, or Spot Prawn. After removing the head and the shell, the chef cut the large prawn into several sections, extracting the greenish blue roes to put on the side. He also used the yolk in the head to add to the sauce to increase the flavours. The prawn was so sweet and flavourful, it was really fantastic.
The ninth course was Grilled Akamutsu 赤鯥, or Rosy Seabass. The prized fish was grilled to an appealing golden colour, while the meat was still moist and tender. The purplish radish was a special breed, and after adding a bit of citrus it turned pink in colour. Certainly both visually appealing and tasty.
The last course before transitioning to sushi was Ankimo 鮟肝, or Monkfish Liver. One of my favourites in Japanese dining, the softness of texture, richness in flavours, but without the oiliness of foie gras made this a winner on all counts. This one was good, but I thought the flavours was a bit mild than I would expect. Not sure whether it was because it did not stewed sufficiently in the broth?
The first sushi was Kamasu 魳, or Barracuda. Some of the skin was left and then lightly seared. With the fish oil energized to give a mild but very enjoyable taste. A good one.
The second sushi was Suzuki 鱸, or Sea Bass. The firm texture has a good bite but in no way chewy, with wonderful umami flavours. Another good one.
The third sushi was Akami Zuke 赤身, or Lean Tuna. The chef had marinated the tuna in soy sauce for a while, to further bring forward the umami note. Quite a nice one.
Continuing on Tuna, next was Chutoro 中とろ, or Medium-Fatty Tuna. With a higher fat content the flavours were more intense, and personally I like this cut most as it gave a nice balance on the fat level. Soft and without tendon, another nice one.
The tuna trio ended with Otoro 大とろ , or Fatty Tuna. Even more fat than the last piece, I liked the cut because there was a wonderful proportion of meat and fat. Otoro was not always my favourite because it was just too fat in most servings, but this one did not put me off. A great one.
The sixth sushi was Kuruma Ebi 車海老, or Tiger Prawn. Taken immediately from the kitchen after poaching, the chef removed the shell while the prawn was apparently still very hot. The joy of putting the whole piece into the mouth was an experience one could not forget. The sweetness of the prawn and how everything was integrated in flavours was pure wonder.
The seventh sushi was Ikura 筋子, or Salted Salmon Roes. The whole piece of salmon roes was still intact, and the chef cut out a small section to prepare the sushi. Marinated well, it was not overly salty and the bursting texture was good and interesting too.
The eighth sushi was Uni, or Sea Urchin. The sea urchin was from Hokkaido, creamy in texture and without any weird taste, but not as sweet as I would hope. Decent in quality.
Then it was one of my all-time favourite ingredients, Kohada 小鰭, or Gizzard Shad. The silvery fish was salted and marinated with vinegar in edo-style, resulting in intense umami taste, with the sourness from the vinegar completely harmonized. A good one.
The tenth piece was Aji 鯵, or Horse Mackerel. With a bit of negi or scallion on top to bring out the flavours even more, it was sweet and tasty. Another good one.
The eleventh sushi was Ika 烏賊, or Squid. The chef had meticulously cut the squid to sever the tendon, and looking closely one would see the cut but it was not breaking to the surface, a true testimony of the amazing skill of the chef. It was tender and sweet, without any rubbery texture. Another wonderful one.
Nearing the end, the twelfth piece was Akagai 赤貝, or Ark Shell. The clam was cut to resemble a butterfly with a delicate sweet taste with a great bouncy bite. A very good sushi.
The last piece was Anago 穴子, or Sea Eel. After simmered in a broth with sake and soy sauce, it was brushed with a homemade sauce. The high fat contents, soft texture and flavours were true wonders and the whole piece essentially melted in the mouth. Very good indeed.
The chef provided two pieces of Tamago 卵焼き, or Egg. Each chef had his own unique way to make this, and Chef Nakamoto had created nice umami, with soft and a bit fluffy texture, which I believed was the result of long whisking. A nice wrap up on the sushi.
Serving the Miso Soup to warm the stomach, the chef then asked whether I was full or not. Decided that I could have a couple more, I ordered an extra piece of Iwasi ($80) and Shiroebi ($100).
The Iwashi, or Sardines, was close to the end of the season. The chef had made nice cuts on the silvery skin and put on some scallions on top, to help reduce the fishy note. The flavours were bold and to my liking.
The Shiroebi 白海老 or Baby White Shrimp, was another of my all-time favourites because of the wonderful sweet taste. This one did not disappoint and provided a rewarding and satisfactory conclusion to the sushi set.
Dessert was Pear and Grapes, which were sweet and juicy. The services were good, but there were very little interactions from Chef Nakamoto, not sure it was because of language barrier or other reasons. The bill was $4,796 which was a bit on the high side, but the food was fairly good so overall still worth a try.
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