[Hong Kong Cuisine] Celebrating a birthday at the one-Michelin-starred Sushi Tokami

For my birthday in 2019, as well as heading to Taipei to hunt for Michelin stars, I actually visited ‘Sushi Tokami’—which has held a ‘Hong Kong Michelin one-star’ rating since 2017—for a birthday meal before setting off. Anyone who has watched Kimura-san’s recent TV dramas will know that securing a ‘Tokyo Michelin’ star is by no means an easy feat. The flagship branch of ‘Sushi Tokami’ in Ginza began receiving the ‘Tokyo Michelin’ one-star accolade for four consecutive years, starting the year after it opened in 2013. The Harbour City branch in Tsim Sha Tsui is the first and only overseas branch, so I was naturally very much looking forward to it.

This place is always very busy, so we’d booked a table well in advance. ‘Sushi Tokami’ specialises in traditional Edomae-style sushi, with the chef devising the menu based on the day’s seasonal ingredients. The dinner Omakase (chef’s selection) features 12 pieces of sushi, a special tamago (omelette), starters, appetisers, sashimi, small bites, steamed or grilled dishes, a soup, and dessert (HK$2,200+). A glance at the menu reveals ingredients sourced from as far north as Hokkaido and as far south as Kyushu.

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‘Starters’

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To start, let’s have a tuna hand roll. The first owner of ‘Sushi Tokami’ was the founder of ‘Yama-Kou’, a long-established tuna specialist at Tsukiji Market in Japan; consequently, Tsukiji’s most famous bluefin tuna is also the restaurant’s signature dish. This is no ordinary hand roll: the crisp nori and sushi rice envelop the ‘tsukisaki’ cut of tuna—a rare cut from near the head. As this muscle is constantly in motion, the flesh is particularly springy and the flavour exceptionally rich.

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‘Starters, Sashimi, Snacks, Grilled Dishes’

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The starter is ‘Hokkaido Snow Crab’. It is first boiled in brine in Japan, then shelled in Hong Kong and served with crab vinegar. With its generous amount of crab roe and a fresh, slightly tangy flavour, it makes an excellent appetiser.

The sashimi consisted of ‘Yamaguchi Prefecture Red Sea Bream Sashimi’ and ‘Hokkaido Smoked Yellowtail’. The most important thing about sashimi is its fresh, sweet flavour; the sashimi we had that day was decent but unremarkable, falling short of being truly impressive. The yellowtail, however, had a slight smoky, savoury flavour.

The appetisers and grilled dishes were ‘Poached oysters, conch sashimi and seared garfish’ and ‘Hyogo-style West Kyoto-style grilled horse mackerel’ respectively; the combinations of ingredients and flavours were a little on the unremarkable side.

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‘Sushi and Speciality Tamagoyaki’

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A selection of 12 pieces of sushi, including flounder, prawns, baby cuttlefish, clams, skinless fish, sea urchin, red salmon, conger eel, lean tuna, medium-fatty tuna, fatty tuna and chum salmon.

I’d like to say a few words about ‘kobiki’ in particular. As it requires rather fiddly preparation, it isn’t very common, yet it is an indispensable component of authentic Edomae-style sushi. The proportions of vinegar and salt used to marinate the small horse mackerel are adjusted according to the thickness and size of each piece; the slightest miscalculation can result in a fishy taste. The Kogai from Nagasaki served at ‘Sushi Tokami’ is springy, crisp and perfectly seasoned.

I’ve heard that their sushi rice is made using Niigata Tanada rice, combined with red vinegar fermented from natural sake lees, and then cooked in a traditional earthenware pot. Niigata Tanada rice is supposed to be distinct and beautifully chewy, but I felt that the sushi rice on the day seemed a little too moist, though not quite to the point of falling apart. As for the ingredients and freshness, the toro was quite fresh and tasty, whilst the rest was, as mentioned previously, nothing to write home about.

The special omelette has a slightly sweet flavour, a rich eggy taste, and a texture somewhat reminiscent of cake.

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‘Bowls and Desserts’

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The ‘Tuna Collagen Soup’ echoes the first starter; it is slow-cooked using the tendons from the ‘tuxian’ cut, resulting in a soup that is delicately sweet yet rich in collagen.

The dessert consisted of rich matcha ice cream with a strong tea and milk flavour, served with sweet Japanese persimmons and strawberries. The simple yet elegant presentation was particularly noteworthy, and it even featured my name and a ‘Happy Birthday’ message.

Judging by our dining experience that day, it seemed that ‘Sushi Tokami’ wasn’t quite at its best; given its Michelin-starred reputation and the price tag, our expectations were naturally quite high. I look forward to visiting the flagship restaurant in Tokyo next time to sample the food there.

 

Address: Ocean Centre, L2, 216A. Telephone: 2771 3938
Opening hours: (Lunch) 12:00–15:00 (Dinner) 18:00–22:30 Monday to Sunday
Webpage. www.tokami.com.hk