Nishiki Yakitori 錦 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

I had Friday afternoon off to catch little nugget's live performance at his school play. It's his last performance and I was all too happy to attend it following a turbulent week at work.



With an hour and a half left before the show, I decided to come back to Nishiki Yakitori (錦) for lunch just for nostalgia's sake. Nishiki Yakitori came to the rescue of Hongkongers when the city was without an authentic Japanese yakitori restaurants decades ago. There has been some staff turnover in their kitchen over the past years and as seen today, it is now run by a couple of Asian chefs.

I was first started off with a small salad and pickled burdock.

As I often like to do here, I ordered a bowl of udon soup with seaweed and egg. This always mesh well with the skewers.

Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs) – A little smaller in size comparing to the hay days but the flavors remained the same. The meatball was very delicate and I could still taste the soft bones inside which was a very nice touch.

Chicken wing – I've always enjoyed the wings here. This was very tender with some nice smoky flavors. 

Bacon oyster roll – My last skewer before settling the bill. 

This was again nicely executed with the crispy bacon hugging around the oyster that was slightly charred outside but remained soft and fresh in the middle. The briny flavors were well matched with the savory bacon and salt. Having tried three of my favorite skewers here, I can honestly say that they are still a very reliable option when it comes to Japanese skewers in Hong Kong, despite all the changes personnel-wise.

I managed to arrive at the play a little ahead of schedule. What I like most about this theatre was that we couldn't get any phone signals around. That means no phone calls or messages from my office! I could finally sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

Little nugget didn't expect to see me this afternoon. In fact, he rarely saw me this past two weeks with all the trouble from work so he was overjoyed to find me in attendance. That moment when he ran up to me and gave me a bug hug, it was priceless! Of course, I was proud of the little kid who used to have butterflies in his stomach whenever he stepped on the stage. Now, he looks like a seasoned veteran to me.

The last two weeks of work had me thinking a lot. Maybe I've worked this job well too long that I have worn out my welcome. Yes, I have high expectations on myself so naturally, I have the same hefty expectations for people surrounding me. With all the things happening in the office, I expected everyone to step their work up a notch (maybe two). I don't exactly know what happens after this year. I really don't. There are a lot of sacrifices that comes with our duties. I don't really get to see my son much. I don't get to celebrate my birthday cuz it's always in the middle of our peak season. And I don't get to spend a long summer holiday with my family except the last two weeks in August. At this moment, I'm just confused. 

Food Rating: 6/10
Price: $$$
Address: 1/F, Regal Kowloon Hotel, 71 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: East Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: +852 2723-8660

Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 2:30 pm, 6:00pm – 10:30 pm daily