You ever get that feeling when you walk past a place and you're like "Whoa! I can't afford this!"…read more Kikusan is like that. First of all, it's in one of the most expensive malls in one of the most expensive districts in one of the most expensive places in the world (Landmark, Central, Hong Kong). Secondly, it's an amalgamation of some of the more pricey cuisines: Japanese and Tapas, or trendily known as Japas. Thirdly, it looks like a contemporary art museum.
But, never would I have imagined that here, I can not only have an affordable meal, but get one of the best valued dishes I've ever had! The signature Kikusan roll: 8 pieces of tuna filled sushi roll, topped with a whole slab of uni, green onions, and lots of salmon roe. All of my favourite things in a generous quantity for HKD $68. According to today's exchange rate, that's CAD $10.94. You usually get 8 pieces of California roll at that price (Kikusan's California Roll is actually $88). The same amount of uni at a supermarket easily costs 2-3x as much.
The roll itself is mild, but still flavourful. There aren't any crazy flavour bursts, but it all works together well. The uni didn't have as much uni flavour as I would've liked but hey...$68. Really. The green onions added sharpness to cut through the smooth tuna and the little exploding roe provided bursts of sweetness. The Kikusan Roll was all about balance. By contrast, the Chili Sesame & Peanut Soup Ramen with Minced Pork and Layered Pork Cutlet was very in-your-face flavour-wise, and delicious in a whole other way! The pork cutlet had a hint of sake and the spice was at a perfect level of heat.
My theory is that the Kikusan Roll is one of those loss leader things because it definitely drew me to this restaurant. The strategy seems to be working well. At 12:10pm, the queue was making an S in front of the entrance. Everyone was ordering things that range from sushi to dim sum in this Asian fusion restaurant, with dishes on average ranging from $60 to well above $100. It's much easier to get in as a group of 2, so my advice would be to split up your big group if you don't mind sitting apart. They've also got a dim sum takeout counter for those not willing to battle the line.
Would you come to Kikusan for the best Japanese food? No, not even close. But it's where you go when you want to impress your out-of-town, non-Japanese friends. It's where you go when you want to feel a little fancier without spending the kind of dollars you usually spend at Landmark. And most importantly, this is where you go if you want LOTS of uni for $68.
(69/100) - 2017
