Our eventful Sunday (Taekwondo class, Putonghua exam for little nugget etc.) just got a little more eventful this evening with an unexpected visit to Shiawase (幸匠燒) at Harbour City. Inspired by an authentic and traditional robatayaki restaurant, Shiawase offers a modern izakaya experience featuring some of the finest ingredients imported directly from Japan.
Not having our regular visits to Japan during the pandemic really makes us appreciate these dining experience even more. But first thing first, I am obviously very curious of what type of grill they are using behind the scene (charcoal grill vs electric).
Shiawase boasts an unobstructed harbour view from the window seats. It's not a panoramic view but.
I really like these curtains providing a great deal of privacy yet not blocking our view of the harbour.
Some snacks to start off the meal and this is a very nice one to whet our appetite with.
Asparagus – Not bad.
Silken tofu – Not really pillowy enough. The bonito flakes did help the flavors a bit.
Chicken wing – Very juicy and nicely charred. Love the fact that they didn't over-sprinkle the wings with salt like most yakitori restaurants usually do.
Fukuoka pork roll with strawberry – Interestingly, they offer a list of Fukuoka pork rolls on the menu including this one with strawberries, presumably from Fukuoka Prefecture (There are options with other types of fruits). Never had these before, I don't think.
The fresh strawberry wrapped with slice of paper-thin pork was slightly charred and served with a condensed milk dip. I thought interesting was the right word to describe this dish but the combination of flavors and textures wasn't as appealing as I first hoped.
Tsukune – Not the most "meaty" tsukune I had in my life but it worked pretty well with the homemade sweet soy.
Portobello – Pretty decent and the dried chili strings made it a bit more exciting thanks to the extra kick.
Japanese oyster – The best dish so far by a country mile. The oyster was still pretty raw inside with a nice burst of briny flavors. Very fresh and delicious.
Diced wagyu – Right after the best dish of the afternoon, here comes the worst dish. Not that it was really bad but I didn't expect Japanese wagyu to be this rubbery. Could definitely do without it.
Chicken thigh – Like the firm texture and it got even better with the crispy skin.
Mini sweet potato – Crispy on the outside with a soft centre inside (I'd assume that they were from Fukuoka too.). The oyster, wings, thigh and this one (in no particular order) I won't mind having an extra one at all.
Okra – Quite decent.
Udon soup – This arrived when we were almost done. Little nugget had waited long enough so he wasn't particularly thrilled. Personally, I thought the broth was a bit too salty for my liking.
Sea urchin tempura – Didn't expect this to come with an assortment of vegetable tempura. The sea urchin tempura was pretty nice, though I won't mind a bit more uni there inside those shiso leaves!
Japanese fig tempura – The figs were absolutely huge, combining well with the thin batter. What a bargain at $48!
This was a much better experience than what we had encountered at its sister restaurant, Shiawase Yakitori (幸福鳥) at K11 Art Mall a few years ago. Food-wise, it was still an up and down affair for the majority of the night (thankfully more up than down), but both service and vibe more than made up for it.
We ended up finishing dinner a little early and had just enough daylight to enjoy the view from the observation deck (only through the windows as the deck was temporarily closed).
Food Rating: 5.5/10
Price: $$$$
Address: Shop OTE 402, 4/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3-27 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: +852 3611-3014
Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 6:00pm - 10:00pm (Mon - Fri), 11:30am - 3:30pm, 6:00pm - 10:00pm (Sat - Sun)
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