What can you get for HKD $350 in Hong Kong for lunch? Tons of stuff. But can you get an Omakase 12 piece sushi lunch with appetizers and dessert for that price? Along with impeccable service and an intimate atmosphere where the chef makes you feel like a friend? I'm gonna say no (but I welcome anyone that disagrees).
Sushitsuru is a hidden little shop on the second floor of an old building in crowded Wan Chai. You walk up the muggy stairs and turn to one side to see a dirty hallway, then you turn to the other side and are greeted with a Japanese-themed, wood-decorated oasis. It's a complete escape from the hustle and bustle downstairs.
HKD $350 (after service charge) will get you the 12 piece sushi set, at the chef's discretion. It also comes with a salad, a hand roll, udon, miso soup, and homemade ice cream/coffee, just in case you were worried you won't be full. Now, I can't tell you exactly what I ate because I was too intoxicated by the deliciousness to translate the chef's Chinese descriptions into English (plus, fish names are just confusing). However, there were some that really stuck out to me:
Bonito(?) With Uni - I think the Chef said this was bonito, but I don't really remember. The texture was pleasingly squishy and the flavour with the uni on top was nice and strong.
Sweet Shrimp with Crab Roe - The shrimp was so incredibly sweet and the crab roe had a perfect hint of that sea creature savouriness. It's like an oceanic flavour explosion.
O-Toro - Can't deny a slab of good old tuna belly. The natural fattiness found its ideal place towards the end of the sushi set.
Uni - They are not stingy with their sea urchin! You get a good 4-5 pieces piled up on a carefully rounded mound of rice. Pretty much when the Uni starts falling, he stops putting it on. The sea urchin was sweet and fresh, yellow creamy perfection.
Flounder - Pieces of flounder were soaked in a soy sauce mixture, torched and then set on a piece of rice. I've never had fish like this before. It literally disintegrated in my mouth, making me panic because I thought I swallowed too quickly.
As with all Omakase, it is best experienced at the bar, where you can watch the Chef craft his masterpieces, place the sushi gently in front of you, and quietly interact on a more personal level. The Chef in question, Mr. Ken Fung, is an undeniably great sushi chef and a wonderful person overall. He clearly has many regulars and they are all clearly fond of him as a person. I can see why! After hearing that I've never seen flounder sushi before and was leaving the country, he gifted me with a piece on the house, and asked that I hopefully return next time I'm in HK. Now that is how you get a repeat customer!
As with most gems in HK, Sushitsuru is quietly hidden but a complete surprise when discovered. It's one of those places where you can celebrate an intimate special occasion, but as seen with the many regulars that visited, it makes for a very viable lunch option (they have cheaper but quality lunchboxes). Make a reservation, set aside 2 hours, and be prepared to experience some amazing food at a reasonable price, with staff that are very good at convincing you to come back again.
(71/100) - 2017 read more