This sushi restaurant is located on Wing Hing Street and is one of those ‘difficult to book’ sushiya in town. Chef Lung has accumulated a large group of loyal customers, from his days in Yuen Long, then Causeway Bay, before opening his own restaurant in Tin Hau.
On this Tuesday evening, it is full house with all 13 seats occupied. Placed at the end of the L-shaped counter, we cannot see much of the actions from the chef, his cutting and sushi kneading, but do enjoy a more spacious setting.
I order a bottle of 飛露喜 純米大吟釀 ($1,280) to go with the Omakase Menu ($2,080 each). The sake is very nice, all-round with a balanced palate, light and crisp mouthfeel that makes it refreshing and good pairing with even the more delicate seafood on the night.
The first course features Isaki (伊佐木, or Chicken Grunt). A summer fish with a pinkish flesh, the texture is very nice with a firm bite, while the taste is mild and delicate. With some yuzu shavings and shiso flowers as condiments, it is a really good starter and set up a high expectation for the upcoming courses.
The second course is Aori-ika (障泥烏賊, or Bigfin Reef Squid) Sushi. Renowned as the tastiest type of squid, it is very sweet and with a much softer texture than others. The chef has further cut meticulously on the squid to hold the shoyu brushed on top, with the shari having the perfect temperature and acidity. I can see how Chef Lung paid a lot of attention to the rice, changing every time when serving another round of sushi. Very delicious.
The third course features Iwashi (鰯, or Sardines). To ensure the best experience, the chef lightly toasted the nori sheet before wrapping the fileted sardines inside, with some takuan, myoga and menegi. Beautifully presented, the rich umami flavours of the sardines are enhanced by the other ingredients to the full, very good indeed and one of those dishes I would encore if available.
The fourth course is Donchichi-aji (鯵, or Japanese Horse Mackerel) Sushi. A specialty in Shimane, its name signifies that the fish has a much higher fat content, exceeding 10% vs. the normal ones at 3.5%. Its richer taste is memorable, and because of its fat it cannot keep its freshness well, meaning this one has to be extremely fresh to be served. A must try.
The fifth course is Torigai (鳥貝, or Japanese Cockle) Sushi. The seasonal shellfish is only available for a short period in April and May, with the chef having briefly blanched it to extract the wonderful sweetness flavors. It is one of the tastiest shellfish in my opinion and happy to enjoy it on the night.
The sixth course is another specialty. The raw Watari-gani (渡蟹, or Swimming Crab) has been marinated in a sauce made from Chinese yellow wine, different herbs, ginger, garlic and spring onion, to infuse the crab with the signature complex flavors, and the slight bitterness of the wine further enhancing the very sweet taste of the meat. The kanimiso is also creamy and flavorful. While for some people they might worry about eating raw crab, if handle properly there is no issue, like my wife who has a very weak stomach, she has no problem at all. Another must try.
The seventh course features Tokishirazu (時不知, or Chum Salmon). The name means ‘unaware of time’ and is referring to the salmon caught in the ocean between spring and summer, getting fat and preparing to swim upriver to spawn. Because of that, the taste is much more flavorful, glistening with an appealing sheen. Very delicious.
The eighth course is Hokkigai (北寄貝, or Surf Clam), with the poached clam served with junsai in a clear broth made from kombu and winter gourd. The clam has a nice crunchy bite, sweet in taste, with the yuzu shavings adding fragrance and refreshing note. The watershield has its unique slimy texture in a pleasant way. The winter gourd has fully absorbed the umami of the broth and is another highlight.
The ninth course is Shima-ebi (縞海老, or Grey Prawn) Sushi. The prawn comes from Hokkaido, with a soft juicy flesh of very sweet taste. The best time for this ingredient is in spring, and again this shows how the chef has been focusing on the most seasonal produce in his menu. Very good.
The tenth course features Kinki (喜知次, or Channel Rockfish). The prized deep-water fish is charcoal grilled on the spot, with the heavy fish oil creating heavy fume that the exhaust system can barely catch up. Paired with a red wine marinated bayberry and mashed daikon to freshen and balance with the fish oil, its sweet taste and tender texture are memorable.
The eleventh course is Kinmedai (金目鯛, or Splendid Alfonsino) Sushi. Caught in Chiba, the skin of the fish is slightly seared to release the wonderful umami from the fish oil. Mild in taste with a good tender texture, another very nice piece which I would choose to encore.
The twelfth course is a creative dish. The chef has used the western cooking techniques to bake the Hamaguri (蛤, or Asian Hard Clam) with mashed cauliflower and small bacon pieces, plus some finely chopped menegi on top. The creamy cauliflower is not as heavy as mashed potato, and is a better match with the more delicate taste of the clam meat. A thoughtful creative dish.
The thirteenth course features Maguro (鮪, or Tuna) Sushi. Caught in Okinawa, the tuna has been aged for five days, and the chef has marinated the Akami (赤身, or Lean Tuna) in shoyu briefly, bringing forward the umami to good effect. The soft and silky texture is so delicious.
The fourteenth course continues with the Maguro, but this time serving O-toro (大とろ, or Fatty Tuna). The fatty belly has a very rich and flavorful taste, without any tendon, and every bite just coating the mouth with the wonderful taste of the fish oil. Very good in quality.
The fifteenth course is my favorite in this dinner. Opening the kamameshi claypot the great aromas already start my mouth watering. Inside are the meat removed from the Kegani (毛蟹, or Horsehair Crab), with abundant menegi and Sakura shrimps cooked with the rice. Great in taste, the crunchy rice crisps further adds to the fantastic enjoyment and immediately I want to ask for another serving if possible.
The sixteenth course is Shiro-uni (白海胆, or White Sea Urchin) Sushi. The skillful kneading again comes into play, and Chef Lung did not need to use the nori sheet to wrap the fragile sea urchin in gunkan, with the sushi holding its shape well. The sea urchin has intense flavors and creamy texture. Very nice.
The seventeenth course features Fukahire (魚翅, or Shark’s Fin), served in a very delicious fish soup. Nowadays it is quite rare to eat shark’s fin, with us missing the signature crunchy texture. The soup itself is the true highlight though, intense in taste and probably made from a lot of fish heads and bones, with an appetizing sour and spiciness. Truly phenomenal.
The eighteenth course is Anago (穴子, or Conger Eel) Sushi. With the thick sauce giving a nice sweetness and umami, the eel is so soft in texture it is essentially melting in the mouth without any need to chew. A highly satisfying experience.
The nineteenth course is Futomaki (太巻, or Fat Rolled Sushi). There are many different ingredients, including scallop, prawn, kanpyu, egg, cucumber, shiitake, placed on the shari and nori sheet before rolling it up. Each bite is a feast of flavors and texture, and this is one of the best futomaki I have tried. Really nice.
Completing the menu is Tamago (玉子, or Egg Custard). Very soft and having a cake like texture, the egg custard has a rich umami note apart from the sweetness, from the scallops and shrimps added in the egg mixture before baking.
The Miso Soup has some seaweed in a tasty, umami dashi, bringing warmth to the stomach and finishing the dinner with satisfaction and comfort. The dessert is Apple Lime Panna Cotta, with the sour of the lime juice surprisingly harmonious with the slight sweetness of the apple puree, and the panna cotta underneath not too sweet to our liking.
The service is good, with the staff attentive and friendly, and Chef Lung also mingles well with the customers, not only focusing on the frequent visitors but also looking after new ones like us equally. However, serving thirteen customers all by himself is just too much, and that affects the speed of service, inevitably meaning the dinner finishes quite late. The bill on the night is $5,984 and on the overall experience, it is one of the sushiya I would recommend trying, but first you will need to be able to make your reservation first.
