Sushi Yoshitake Hong Kong

Currently, there are only 4 sushi restaurants in Tokyo that received the Red guide highest accolade and one of them is Sushi Yoshitake. It must have been a big deal in Hong Kong (HK) when Masahiro Yoshitake-san decided to open his first and only overseas establishment on the ground floor of Sheung Wan's Mercer hotel. The "humble" location is a bit surprising to some people as it's very contrast to his Tokyo's sushi bar at the elite Ginza. The new restaurant is lead by a veteran sous chef, Yoshiharu Kakinuma who used to work in Atlanta for 10 years, with the help of Masa-san from Tokyo. Finest ingredients, especially seafood, are brought almost daily from seaports all over Japan. Like many other top sushi places, the sushi counter, created from one slab of wood, can only accommodate eight guests daily. With comfortable lighting and atmosphere, dining here will be an intimate and pleasant experience that diners will remember for months to come. Yoshitake-san is very committed to his HK's branch as he usually comes nearly every month. There are 3 menu we can choose from and I opted the one below that's supposed to mimic the experience at Tokyo.  

Miyabi Dinner Menu

Appetizers

Baby squid served with Miso vinaigrette sauce and spring vegetable - The squid had fine flavor and good texture; I liked a little spicy kick coming from rich miso mustard
(Braised & marinated) Octopus - This Japanese tako had fantastic texture - not chewy at all; it was burst with flavor enhanced by the 'sweet' sauce. I didn't know that octopus can be this good ..

Kinmedai (Golden eye snapper) served with soy sauce made from the snapper’s bone - Good texture and clean taste
(Steamed) Abalone served with its liver sauce - The restaurant's signature dish and deservedly so. The thick cut of Chiba abalone, served cold, was succulent, naturally sweet and briny; it's perfectly complemented with the intense abalone's liver reduction. Then, the chef would give you sushi rice to mop up all the 'sauce' - an amazing dish!

(Lightly seared) Skipjack tuna served with grapefruit jelly sauce and mashed ginger scallions - The chef wanted to display a combination of Bonito's smoky & crispy skin and its oily raw flesh. The refreshing 'orange/citrus jelly', scallions and light soy sauce added a nice complexity to the dish   

Sushi

Ika (Squid) - firm and chewy but flavorful
Amadai (Tile fish) - tender and tasty
Sakura masu (Small sea Trout) - beautiful, striking and yummy; has similar texture and taste like arctic char

Chu-toro (Medium fatty tuna) - wonderful color with silky texture and of course, delicious
O-toro (Fatty tuna) - Very tender, oily and melting in the mouth; paired well with the warm sushi rice. Note that the shari at Sushi Yoshitake is prepared with red vinegar, which is more acidic but supposed to be healthier

Kohada (Gizzard shad) 'roll' - served with shiso leave and kampyo that nicely contrasted with the fish. An interesting presentation and it made the kohada firmer and more 'complex'
Murasaki Uni (Sea urchin) - Probably the most generous and creamiest (Hokkaido) uni I've ever had. Its sweetness swallowed the wasabi's flavor. Superb!

Kuruma ebi (Imperial prawn) - A lovely boiled morsel (marinated before wrapping the shari); it's sweet & succulent with wonderful texture though I was doubtful at first since the prawn had been cooked when I arrived
Torigai (Cockle clam) - A very fresh shellfish, meaty with mild flavor. I gotta pay extra for this clam

Anago (Saltwater conger eel) - the delicate eel, glazed with sweet sauce reduction, was slowly grilled with shiso leaves. The outcome was fragrant soft anago that's melting in my mouth. Well done
Tamago (Egg) - Sweet and spongy, it tasted more like a 'cake'. There was also miso soup made using wheat

Dessert: Japanese strawberry - with condensed milk. Sweet, light and refreshing  

The meal is really delicious. The Awabi with its liver sauce stood as the best abalone creation I've ever eaten - even better than the Crown brand Yoshihama dried abalone served at Sun Tung Lok. Additionally, the Tako with 'sweet' sauce was simply fabulous; perhaps the octopus was massaged before being cooked to produce this kind of texture. For the sushi part, it's been more than five years that I finally eat sushi that's almost as good as the one I had at Sukiyabashi Jiro Ginza. Sushi Yoshitake served generous portion of fish slices. My usual top 3 nigiri pieces: Otoro, Kuruma ebi and Uni are all excellent! The best surprised is probably the Sakura masu; I don't expect salmon-like fish at Edomae style zushi can be this good.   

The frequently asked question for the meal here: is it worth it? A very tough question indeed. It's easier to answer this question when you pay this kind of price complemented by impeccable service and dining ambiance like the ones at Robuchon luxurious restaurants or Ducasse palaces. Over a year ago, I thought that Omakase Shin at Shinji Singapore was insanely expensive; well, Yoshitake Hong Kong exceeds it. The same omakase menu at Yoshitake HK cost almost twice as expensive as the one served in Ginza; this makes my meal at Urasawa Beverly Hills looked very reasonably priced. Anyway, I don't regret dining here - possibly once in a lifetime experience. However, I don't intend to return here in the near future. Pictures are located at below link,
https://picasaweb.google.com/118237905546308956881/SushiYoshitakeHongKongChina 

Food (and Wine): 95 pts

Service (and Ambiance): 91 pts

Overall: 93.5/100