This sushi restaurant is located on the 2/F of Modena by Fraser in TST, and while I did not have visited them before, I believe they have started in Yuen Long and have another branch in Hung Hom. Unfortunately, both are now closed.
The décor is neat, featuring all wooden set up with warm lighting. We are seated at the sushi counter, which can accommodate about 18 customers. In a big C-shape, there are two stations with sushi chef on both ends. We are served by Head Chef Larry Tang on the night.
Ordering the Omakase Set ($1,980 each) I also have a bottle of Tenbu Junmai Ginjo 天賦 純米吟醸 ($700) from Nishi Shuzo in Kagoshima. The nose has a nice white peach and melon note, while the off-dry palate has umami on top of the fruit. A nice sake.
Watari-Gani Chawanmushi 渡蟹 茶碗蒸 has sweet and delicate crab meat on top of steamed egg custard, which is rich in umami. The texture is silky soft, and not too watery or solid, showing a perfect proportion of egg and water plus steaming time.
Hiramasa 平政 is yellowtail kingfish, with the sashimi showing the signature texture of the fish, with a nice bite. The rich and subtle sweetness is pleasant with a balanced fattiness which has the right amount of fish oil too.
Kaki 牡蠣 comes from Hyogo. The raw oyster has a crunchy texture, sweet and meaty. With a bit of lemon juice to season and freshen it is very delicious. My wife does not want raw oysters, and she is served with Hokkaido Hotate-Gai instead.
Iwashi Isobe-Maki 鰯 磯辺巻 has sardines wrapped inside nori sheet, together with some myoga, shiso, and pickles. The secret recipe here is to add deep-fried whitebaits, for an extra crunchy texture, to the roll.
Shirako 白子 features the seasonal sea bream milt which are paired with ponzu and grated daikon with spices, plus plenty of finely chopped scallions. On the side is Mozuku 水雲 which has the same marinade vinegar to give a refreshing acidity.
Ankimo 鮟肝 is another specialty. After cooking the monkfish liver and cutting it into slices, they are served with plenty of scallions and some shichimi. Having rich and creamy texture, it is much better in flavors than foie gras.
Amadai 赤甘鯛 Roll uses the red tilefish meat to make a roll and on the surface is coated with the fish scales, before putting it to deep-fry. Interesting contrast with the crispy scales and tender meat, it is paired with some homemade tartar sauce.
As a transition to sushi, a piece of White Corn 白いとうもろこし is served. The kernels are very sweet and juicy, having thin skin too, with the chef sprinkling some rock salt to further highlight its sweetness.
Coming to the sushi section, the first piece is Shiro-Ebi 白海老. The baby white shrimps are very sweet in taste, enhanced further in taste by the yuzu zest on top.
The second piece is Hokkigai 北寄貝. The surf clam is very large in size, crunchy on the bite, with umami seeping out from the mouth when swallowing.
The third piece is Shima-Ebi 縞海老. The prized Morotoge shrimp has a sweet taste, like sweet shrimp but has a firmer texture.
The fourth piece is Aji 鯵, with the Japanese horse mackerel paired with a bit of grated ginger, with the chopped scallions underneath. One of my favorites on the night.
The fifth piece is Akamutsu 赤鯥, and the rosy seabass has good fattiness, with the skin slightly torched to vitalize the fish oil even more. Rich in taste.
The sixth piece is the seasonal Torigai 鳥貝. This Japanese cockle is softer and not as crunchy as others I have tried elsewhere. Not sure if it is because of end of season?
The seventh piece is Akami 赤身, with the tuna having gone through an ageing process to soften the sinew, with the chef also skillfully cutting to offer a tender bite.
The eighth piece is Chu-Toro 中とろ and apparently showing some similarity with the prior piece but dimmer color plus richer in fish oil. Well-balanced medium fatty cut.
The ninth piece is O-Toro 大とろ, clearly with more marble fat on the flesh. On the bite the fish oil seeps out and envelop the mouth with great flavors.
The tenth piece has the chef mixing different cuts of Maguro 鮪, together with onion, takuan, and scallion, with some crispy on top. Delicious.
The eleventh piece is Kuruma-Ebi 車海老 Roll. Inside are the tiger prawn with cucumber, and after cutting into serve size, the chef puts a few caviars on top to decorate.
The twelfth piece is Bafun-Uni 馬糞雲丹. The Hokkaido sea urchin has a sweet taste, without any weird notes, and serving on a nori sheet to facilitate eating.
Wrapping up is a Clear Soup, made with plenty of clams which got a rich umami taste, and helps to warm the stomach and digestion.
Dessert is a slide of Melon, juicy and sweet, together with a piece of Mango which are also nice. A complete and satisfying dinner overall.
Service is good, with the chef having interactions with us
throughout. The night is not too busy, and the pace is well-controlled as a
result. The bill on the night is $5,126 and considering the food quality and
overall experience, I would rate them a Good 70 points, worth trying.
