This autumn, Kishoku celebrates its seventh year with a special themed omakase menu entitled “A Tale of Two Cities” ($1,680/person, Sunday–Thursday; $1,850/person, Friday–Saturday). The limited-time menu, created by Executive Sushi Chef Match Ip, compares similar ingredients from different Japanese prefectures, offering diners a uniquely luxurious way to sample the differences in taste with side-by-side comparisons.
This omakase menu runs from now until 8 December 2019 and consists of eight sets of seafood pairings alongside appetiser, soup and hot dishes.
Our omakase started with an edible garden, ranging from steamed okra, to cold noodles topped with caviar, to marinated Japanese fruit tomato.
Next came a duet of Konagai oyster from Kyushu and Akkeshi oyster from Hokkaido, of which the latter had a creamier texture.
The wild kanburi (amberjack) from Hokkaido was much fattier than the kanpachi (yellowtail) from Kyushu in the sashimi duo.
Akagai (ark shell) from Miyagi was served alongside tsubugai (whelk) from Hokkaido – both shellfish sashimi. We preferred the crisp, clean, melon-like taste of the akagai.
Watari crab from Aichi was given a Korean twist, marinated in a garlicky soy broth and served raw. This was our first time tasting raw crab, and we were a bit apprehensive but were rewarded with a delicate texture and a taste that was subtly sweet.
In stark contrast, the matsuba (snow) crab from Hyogo was simmered in crab roe. The cooked leg, coated in luxurious fat, was simply heavenly.
Kishoku’s famed toro’wich, composed of two thick slices of fatty tuna and a crisp wafer between crunchy seaweed, was euphoria-inducingly delicious.
In contrast, another cut of fatty tuna was marinated, then grilled over hot coals. The result was equally mouth-watering.
Customers have a choice between the shirako (cod sperm) (+$60) or white truffle chawanmushi. On the day of our tasting, white truffles were not yet in stock, but the chawanmushi was nonetheless delicious with a selection of mushrooms.
Just in case we were still hungry, six pieces of sushi followed, starting with the kinki (rockfish) from Hokkaido in contrast to the akamutsu (rosy sea bass) from Tsushima, followed by the kuruma ebi (tiger prawn) from Okinawa in contrast to the cooked botan ebi (botan shrimp) from Hokkaido, ending with the uni (sea urchin) duet.
Our waistline told us to skip the accompanying soup and peck at the fresh persimmon and warabi-mochi dessert.
Verdict
A feast that would pacify even the most finicky of sushi connoisseurs. We like how this omakase experience at Kishoku allows diners to directly compare very similar ingredients, and each ingredient really tells its own origin story using its own unique flavours.
5/F, Zing!, 38 Yiu Wa Street, Causeway Bay, 2893 033, book online
This write-up is based on a complimentary media tasting provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
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