Minato opened last summer as an alternative to the many fine-dining Japanese restaurants peppering our city by offering a versatile layout to accommodate all Japanophilia tastes.
Teppanyaki is at the core of Minato, and there are five teppanyaki rooms with flexible partitions that can accommodate a range of party sizes, up to 12 diners. In addition, the restaurant features a dedicated eight-seater sushi bar, à-la-carte dining area, and private dining room.
We ventured to Minato to try the newly launched Tsubaki weekend teppanyaki dinner menu (HKD738 pp), available on Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays – nine courses that deliver solid value for money.
The appetiser assortment, standard on an omakase menu, kicks off the proceedings – in our case, plum wine jelly with fruit tomato, persimmon in tofu sauce, steamed sweet potato, and glazed walnuts with tiny, salty fish. The flavours here are gentle and mild; they don’t stand out, but they don’t offend either.
The sashimi (tuna, amberjack, and sweet shrimp) course follows, covering the Japanese raw fish base. The quality of the sashimi, jewel-like in appearance, is of a high standard at Minato.
Turning to the teppan portion of the menu, the king prawn was the first course to make us stand up and take notice. This is a big, meaty black tiger prawn from Thailand, delightfully firm and crunchy in texture with a flavour that sings of the sea. Save the rich prawn head for last!
South African abalone, revered for its tender texture, is up next on the teppan, still alive and twitching a bit as it hits the grill, which could be a bit off-putting for some. Nevertheless, the mollusc’s delicate natural sea flavour shines through; there’s no need for Minato’s young and capable teppanyaki chef to use even a pinch of salt, simply basting the sliced abalone in butter.
Our favourite of the menu was the A5 Miyazaki sliced Wagyu beef, tender, fine slices of luscious, fatty Wagyu wrapped around a heavily salted mix of onion, scallion, and garlic caramelised on the teppan. We would have wolfed down another plate of this if not for the beef’s extreme richness.
A Minato signature, the Japanese pepper with whitebait fried rice is moreish, holding peppery and umami flavours beyond the obligatory additions of soy sauce and garlic.
Teppan vegetables, miso soup, and pickles are Minato’s classic omakase closures, culminating with a benign dessert course of red bean mochi and matcha roll cake.
Our verdict of Minato
Whilst not mind-blow-blowing, we can recommend Minato for an upscale Japanese dining experience to please one and all, with good-value prices considering the premium ingredients used and the restaurant’s elegant design. We’ll be back to try the weekday lunch sets (from HKD348 pp) and Torio Bento weekend brunch (HKD438 pp).
Minato, Shop G4–G6, G/F, Great Eagle Centre, 23 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, 2345 0663, WhatsApp 6365 3696, book here
| Order this: Tsubaki weekend teppanyaki dinner menu Menu: Minato menus Price for two: from HKD1,500 | Atmosphere: peaceful, minimalist, and zen-like, offering a dining space to suit every need Perfect for: from formal business meetings, to small group celebrations, to intimate dates, Minato’s versatility is its key advantage |
This review is intended to offer an individual perspective on the dining experience and should not be considered as a definitive judgement of the restaurant’s overall quality or reputation. The views expressed in this review are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions of Foodie.
