Hongen Shokushu 本源食集 (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★★★★☆

A few weeks ago, I saw a friend of mine posting pictures of her meal at Hongen Shokushu (本源食集) on social media. I had never heard of the upscale Japanese restaurant before, but judging from the décor and the way the dishes were presented, I immediately knew it was a place we would enjoy dining at. So, I decided to do a little deeper research on it.

Hongen Shokushu is located on the top floor of upmarket One Avenue (卓悅中心), right on the terrace level.

The interior features rich, dark wood elements, with warm spotlights focused mainly on the food and the chefs, and traditional sake barrels lining the walls. 

The venue is split into dedicated zones for robatayaki, and sushi/sashimi dining.

One of the highlights is the traditional robatayaki counter, famous for its interactive fireside cooking where chefs grill seasonal seafood, meats, and vegetables over charcoal. The chefs then serve the food directly to guests using long wooden paddles.

The vibe is high-energy, and almost theatrical striking a balance between a premium Japanese izakaya and an immersive culinary show. Signature dishes include crispy-scaled amadai, charcoal-grilled mackerel, and a selection of high-quality meats (beef and pork).

Soft-shell crab tempura (軟殼蟹天婦羅) (¥58) — The soft-shell crab was sliced fairly thin. Personally, I found nothing particularly special about this dish. Whenever I crave tempura these days, I usually wait until I’m in Japan.

Grilled South African abalone (炭烤南非鮑魚) (¥88) — Really tender and succulent, with lovely smoky flavors from the charcoal grill. The sauce, made with abalone liver, was a beautiful touch. This is definitely one of the must-try dishes here.

Grilled king oyster mushroom (炭烤杏鮑菇) (¥28) — Tasty and meaty, with nice smokiness as well. Not bad.

Grilled conch with pepper sauce (辛味燒大海螺) (¥58) — Really fresh, with lovely sweetness. The intense sauce also came with an extra kick. This was my second favorite dish, just behind the abalone.

Grilled pineapple (炭烤鳳梨) (¥38) — Nicely charred on the outside while keeping the interior moist and juicy.

Interestingly, it was paired with an earthy coriander, parsley dip.

Fried rice with diced wagyu beef (和牛炒飯) (¥58) — Pretty decent wok hei.

Omusubi soaked in fish maw and chicken soup (石鍋花膠五目燒飯團) (¥48) — The fish maw broth was really nice and heart-warming, but I wasn’t sure it was the right match for the Japanese rice roll.

Grilled aged chicken wing and drumstick (炭烤熟成雞翼) (¥38) — The wing and drumstick had been aged, so there was a stronger, more pronounced flavor. Not bad, but the flavors were a little too rich for me.

Grilled asparagus (炭烤露筍) (¥48) — Pretty decent.

Pumpkin crème brûlée (南瓜燉蛋) — A complimentary dessert from the kitchen. That was a very nice gesture.

From the moment we stepped into the dining room, we immediately felt the electrifying atmosphere. Service was top-notch. While there were some hits (abalone, conch) and some misses (aged chicken, soft-shell crab) on the menu, there’s no denying that it has the makings of a prestigious dining experience — one that doesn’t burn a hole in your wallet. We especially missed the chance to sit at the robatayaki counter, watch the flames flare up, see the smoke rise, and enjoy the chefs serving dishes dynamically across the counter using long wooden paddles.

This place definitely warrants a return trip.

Food Rating: 6.5/10

Price: ¥¥¥¥

Address: Shop L505, West Zone, Level 5 One Avenue, Fuhua Road, Futian, Guangzhou, China

深圳市福田区福华路卓悦中心商场西区5楼L505号铺

Closest Metro Station: Gangxia (岗厦)

Tel: +86 (0755) 8326-5220

Opening Hours: 11:30am - 2:00pm, 5:30pm - 10:00pm daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/e9/l0z