This Japanese restaurant is located in Lee Garden Two, with the name meaning bamboo in Japanese, and as you would imagine, the decors have many elements featuring bamboo, and in fact the design came from the unprecedented of three master designers, including the world famous Kengo Kuma. The overall ambiance is cozy, warm and comfortable, supplemented with soft lighting. I am particularly impressed with the use of bamboo on both the ceiling and partitions in different parts of the restaurant.
The restaurant is exceptionally large for a high-end Japanese restaurant, separated into five zones. We were seated at the sushi bar section Niwa, which can accommodate 17 diners and is also one of the largest I have seen in HK. Serving us on the day was Chef Kingsly, a friendly chef from HK.
We ordered the Chef's Special Omakase Menu ($1880 each), and was served the appetizer, beautifully plated, which comprised of a peanut tofu, whelk, and a mushroom that resembles more like bamboo shoot on texture. The tofu got a nice intense peanut taste and smooth on texture, while the whelk was cooked in broth to infuse with great flavors. The mushroom was crunchy and I would not believe it was mushroom if the staff did not tell me in advance. A good starter.
Next were the sashimi, with the first being Isaki. The chef had aged the fish overnight to make it more tender, and with a bit of vinaigrette and seaweed to add complexity to the flavors. Delicate in taste.
The second sashimi was Hokkigai. The chef cut a generous piece of the clam and then smashed it on the chopping board, with the fresh clam meat immediately retracted, showing how fresh they were. Seasoned with a bit of lime juice, it had a great umami note, a crunchy bite, and was really great.
Next the chef brought out from the chiller a wrapped crab shell, and then put the picked Crab meat on a piece of shiso, with a big piece of claw meat on the side. On top of the crab meat there were a few pieces of uni too. The crab meat had been pre-mixed with the crab yolk, creating an intense taste with also a creamy texture. The sea urchin was of a lighter note, so not masking any of the great flavors of the crab. Personally I would prefer skipping the sea urchin and focus on the crab, which on its own was already perfect in taste.
To ensure we were not feeling hungry, the chef started some sushi straight after, with the first being Tai, with a great sweet taste, supplemented by a bit of mashed radish and chives. Very tasty indeed.
The next was one of my all-time favorite, Shiraebi. The small shrimps were essentially melting in the mouth, with a nice soft mouthfeel that was simply irresistible.
The third sushi was Scallop with Uni, with the chef cutting in half a large, fresh scallop, then further cut in halves to spread it out. On top there was some sea urchin, and upon tasting this sea urchin was quite different than the earlier one, much more intense on the taste, and the overall complementary effect of the two was quite nice. Still I had to admit I am still more inclined to have just the scallop to have a pure taste of that.
The fourth sushi was Shima-aji, another premium fish that had a great crunchy texture, with a delicate and sweet flavor. The chef had added some seaweed on top which I found highly complementary on taste.
The fifth sushi was Chutoro, the portion of the tuna that is near the skin of back and belly. Personally I prefer this to Otoro as I always found the latter too fat and oily for my liking. The chutoro was great in the combination of having the intense note of the otoro but a leaner meat, and this piece also delivered that perfect blend.
Taking a break in the sushi, we were served two slices of the marinated and aged Buri, the fish that was best in winter season. Intense on flavors, I think it was not yet in the best time with the meat not sufficiently fat. Still very good however.
Next was the signature of the restaurant, the Monkfish Liver with Crispy Wafer. The liver was very nicely done, with a creamy and soft texture, very intense on flavors, and I would say it was a better option than foie gras. The wafer was shaped like a shell, and between the wafer and liver was a paste also made from monkfish liver. A very good and a must-try in this restaurant indeed.
Following was the Grilled Wagyu Beef with Maitake Mushroom. I was not a big fan of wagyu beef and generally think they were too fat and oily. This one was not too bad in that respect, but still would not be my favorite. The mushroom was a bit of a surprise because of the serving temperature, which was not even warm. Not sure that was the intent or the right way it should be done, but that would not be my preference.
Returning to the sushi, the Kinmedai was prepared specially, with the chef using two sheets of kombu and then aged for two days, infusing the flavors of the seaweed into the fish. On the initial bite I could not detect any noticeable difference, but on the aftertaste there was an interesting umami note which could be associated with the kombu. Interesting and tasty.
Next was a type of fish I craved for, Sanma. The silvery fish got many bones and was difficult to keep fresh, and so was seldom made into sushi because of those challenges. Near the end of the season, this one was still quite nice, with the fishy note not overpowering. But probably would still be better earlier.
Aji, which had nothing to do with the Shima-Aji served earlier, was the second last sushi served. The fish was torched to liven up the oil, making it more vibrant and intense. Pretty good.
The last sushi was Akami, the lean tuna, with the chef marinated the fish meat in soy sauce for a short while, and then adding a bit of chopped onion on top. The soy sauce helped to reduce the slight bitterness of the taste, and the onion was a good match, a nice finish on the sushi.
Then the chef prepared something extra for us, taking the muscle attaching the scallop to the shell, as well as the 'skirt' of the scallop, he skewered them and grilled for a short while, with the resulting became a nice side dish good for beer or sake. Another example of how the good chef would make use of all the ingredients to prepare food for customers, without leaving them to waste.
Next was another of the restaurant's signature, Abalone Risotto with Sea Urchin and Dried Mullet Roe. Prepared right on the spot, the chef took the mullet roe out from the fridge and then mixed with the sushi rice to form the risotto base. After blanching the abalone, he cut them open and then served together with some sea urchin. The abalone was very tender, without any chewy issue, and also very flavorful .
Then the Soup was served which was a clear soup, prepared with a fish meat ball. The broth was clear and very umami, plus extra fragrance from the coriander and lime juice. A comfortable and smoothing sensation while drinking the soup, it was a perfect finale for the meal before dessert.
Dessert was rather mediocre unfortunately on the idea, with pear and melon, plus a green tea pudding. The fruit was not too sweet and flavorful, but the pudding was quite good on the contrary.
Service was good, with the chef explaining the individual pieces to us, and striking some conversation especially after we showed interests on the seasonality of the seafood. The overall bill was $4,136 and a point to note was that the receipt also got a $500 coupon, good for the next dinner bill if it exceeds $1,000.
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