One of Hong Kong’s most iconic Japanese restaurants has reinvented itself at a coveted new location in Causeway Bay. Nick Walton goes to see what all the fuss is about.
When Sushi Ta-ke first opened its doors back in 2011, it helped bring the culinary concept of Omakase – Japan’s tradition of lingering, ingredient-driven chef’s menus – to the fast-paced dining scene of Hong Kong. With its crisp service and dedication to the very best quality ingredients possible, the restaurant quickly earned itself a cult-like following among sushi fiends.
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The next chapter for this culinary icon starts with a relocation to Causeway Bay’s Lee Gardens Two, one of Hong Kong’s premium luxury shopping and entertainment precincts, where Sushi Ta-ke has been re-envisioned as simply Ta-ke, where the sushi and sashimi menus are now complemented by teppanyaki and tempura Omakase selections that will open up the concept to a new generation of diners.
The first thing that will catch your eye when you arrive at the new venue is its striking design, the creation of three master designers – Kengo Kuma in his first Hong Kong project, internationally-recognized interior designer Steve Leung, and lighting specialist Tino Kwan.
Contemporary and timeless at once, the restaurant’s design persona takes its inspiration from Edo-era courtyards of 17th century Japan, with bamboo, wood, and adobe used to depict the ancient aesthetics of “wabi-sabi”, a worldview centred on the acceptance of transience and imperfection.
There are five distinct zones, each corresponding to a particular part of the courtyard concept, with intimate lighting and the use of white karesansui pebble gardens helping to define spaces dedicated to the teppanyaki grill and tempura. However, the best spot in the house has to be front and centre at the sushi bar, where Michelin-starred chefs maintain Ta-ke’s tradition of world-class sushi.
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Here we meet Sushi Head Chef Suzuki Masahiro, a surprisingly youthful-looking sushi guru with that quiet focus that you get with truly talented Japanese chefs. An obvious perfectionist, every movement he makes as he prepares individual pieces of sushi is measured and elegant as if it was choreographed. A graduate of Tokyo’s Culinary and Confectionary Arts Academy, Masahiro has worked at some of the region’s leading sushi counters, including stints at Kandaedogin and Sushi Ichi Ginza in the Japanese capital and Shoukouwa in Singapore, and regularly returns to Japan to travel in search of new and inspiring ingredients.
Our Sushi Omakase consists of a total of 20 ‘courses’ and is priced at HK$2,380 (US$300) per person. It features plenty of classic combinations as well as some more contemporary innovations, from bamboo with bonito flakes, succulent shoots contrasting with the tangy earthiness of the fish; and raw clams, hamachi and igawa with freshly grated wasabi and green tea oil; to aged jackfish topping perfectly packed sushi rice; and squid with lime and salt. The botan shrimp with egg yolk is silky, with a little bite from the sturgeon caviar, while the perfectly-aged fatty tuna is house-smoked and served with naturally sweet grated turnip.
Other highlights include South African abalone risotto with uni and dried mullet, a soul-warming dish for those that don’t mind the salty assault of the Hokkaido sea urchin; monkfish liver served on feather-light wafers; and savoury yet refreshing miso with delicate Asari clams. Each dish is a showcase of its elements, with individual ingredients allows to shine through as they fuse and complement each other to perfection.
Sushi is also the perfect cuisine to match with Ta-ke’s magnificent selection of Japanese sakes, including the house brew, the Juyondai Black Label Premium Junmai Daiginjo, which is served in your choice of vessel, from colourful Satsuma Kiriko cut glass from Kagoshima to an exquisite Arita porcelain cup from Saga Prefecture.
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However, if you’re feeling a little more adventurous you should definitely try one of the 60 Japanese liquors, umeshus, shochus, and world-class whiskies.
Ta-Ke, G/F, Lee Garden Two, 28 Yun Ping Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong; +852 2577 0611.
