Mugen Ramen Tsim Sha Tsui 無限ラーメン 尖沙咀店 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

I was seeing my hairstylist on the National Day holiday to get my hair done this morning. Things got off to an early start, and I was finished by around 2pm just before most restaurants closed for lunch.

I decided to take a short walk to Hook Fook Street to check out the dining options and found exactly what I was looking for — Mugen Ramen (無限ラーメン). Just a simple, satisfying bowl of ramen.

Mugen Ramen is an incredibly popular ramen brand from Osaka, famous for its unique, ultra-creamy beef-bone paitan broth (牛骨白湯). Much like my favorite chicken paitan ramen, Mugen’s rich, collagen-packed beef broth is whipped until the surface becomes smooth, airy, and velvety white, almost like cappuccino foam.

Rich beef broth ramen (牛骨白湯) ($98) — This came with spring onions, green onions, bamboo shoots, aburi belly and thin sliced wagyu sirloin.

The broth was the obvious star here. It was absolutely packed with collagen making it thick and creamy without feeling overly oily. 

The rich, velvety beef broth coated the noodles perfectly.

Aburi pork belly (火炙叉燒) — Succulent and full of flavors.

Thinly sliced wagyu sirloin — It wasn’t as well-marbled or as generously portioned as it looked in the photo. Nevertheless, the beef was pretty soft and tender.

Marinated soft-boiled egg — This was extra but it was well worth the price tag. Just beautifully done.

Now I’m really regretting all those times I walked past their Shinsaibashi store on Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street without stopping in.

Food Rating: 6.9/10

Price: $$$

Address: G/F, 2 Hau Fook Street, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Tsim Sha Tsui

Tel: +852 5528-3469

Opening Hours: 11:30am - 11:00pm daily 

GYU + bar by Miyoshi (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

I first noticed GYU + bar by Miyoshi during its soft opening at Hysan Place a few months ago. Now that the Kyoto-based wood-fire-grilled wagyu specialist has officially opened doors in September, I thought it was time to pay it a long-overdue visit.

With its open kitchen and charcoal grills right at the heart of the action, I asked for a seat at the bar so I could get a closer look behind the scenes. 

Interestingly, my neighbors who were initially seated right next to me, found it too hot near the grill and asked to move elsewhere.

Wagyu tartare, egg yolk, smoked mayo, burdock — The three-course set started off with a small serving of wagyu tartare topped with egg yolk gel, smoked mayo and crispy burdock. I was instructed to mix everything together so that each bite would include a bit of every ingredient.

This wasn’t bad at all. The crispy burdock noodles paired reasonably well with the raw wagyu, but a little more smoked mayo (or perhaps some sort of jelly?) to bring it all together would have made it even more delicious.

A5 Wagyu rump, mashed potato, baby spinach — This was the sole reason I came here, baby! As always, the aroma of charred beef smelt so good.

My server didn’t even ask how I wanted my A5 wagyu rump cooked, so I trusted that they knew exactly what they were doing. And they sure did.

The four slices of well-marbled wagyu were charcoal-grilled to perfection (around medium) giving them a lovely smoky finish. The juicy, meltingly tender beef was served on a bed of baby spinach, alongside a thick slab of silky-smooth mashed potatoes, with a spiced sauce au poivre providing the finishing touch. For me, the succulent chargrilled wagyu alone was well worth the price tag.

Pain perdu — Dessert was brioche French toast served with a little black sugar and strawberry sorbet. A lovely sweet ending to lunch.

I’ve got some catching up to do at work this afternoon, so it’s time to head back to the office and suck it up.

Food Rating: 7/10

Price: $$$$

Address: Shop 401-404, 4/F, Lee Garden One, 33 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Causeway Bay

Tel: +852 2116-0593

Website: https://www.gyubar.com.hk/

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:30pm, 5:00pm - 11:00pm (Sun - Thu), 11:30am - 3:30pm, 5:00pm - 11:30pm (Fri - Sat)

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

Patt Patt 日式蛋糕 One Avenue 卓悦中心店 (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

With my long absence from Shenzhen’s café scene since early August, I’ve been trying to catch up on the latest news from social media. There have been several new openings of late, and many online discussions seem to point to Patt Patt Japanese-style Cakes as one of the most promising, up-and-coming tea spots thanks to its cozy atmosphere and delicious offerings.

Originally from Guangzhou, Patt Patt has a few locations in the city centre. They’ve just opened their first café in Shenzhen, choosing One Avenue (卓悦中心) as its debut location. Since we were having Japanese food at the mall this afternoon, I decided to swing by for a quick dessert right before lunch.

I have to admit, the space here is pretty nice and cozy — somewhere you could easily spend an entire lazy afternoon. But were the desserts as good as advertised?

Thai milk pudding combo (¥55) — This came with a Thai milk tea pudding and a Mont-Blanc–style cake also flavored with Thai milk tea. The dish was decorated with cookies and fresh fruits.

I thought the pudding itself was okay, but it wasn’t especially memorable. I had higher expectations for the cake, but the sponge cake with a hint of Thai milk tea didn’t really surprise me in either flavor or texture. If it weren’t for the vibe, I’m not sure it would attract much attention.

We don’t really have a plan for the rest of the afternoon after lunch. I guess we’re just happy to be back in Shenzhen and enjoying some time to chill.

Food Rating: 5/10

Price: ¥¥¥

Address: Shop L201, West Zone, Level 2 One Avenue, Fuhua Road, Futian, Guangzhou, China

深圳市福田区福华路卓悦中心商场西区2楼L201号铺

Closest Metro Station: Gangxia (岗厦)

Tel: +86 18124686075

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 10:00pm daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/2f/639M

Torikaze 鳥かぜ (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

For months, I have been waiting for a call on my waitlist from the team behind Torikaze (鳥かぜ), an acclaimed Japanese Yakitori restaurant on the 45th floor of Gloucester Tower at the Landmark Building under the direction of Tokyo master chef Yoshiteru Ikegawa. It shares the same floor with other prestigious eateries including two-Michelin-starred Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic. But as many friends pointed out, the wait could drag on for a few months so I wasn’t holding my breath.

But there was light at the end of the tunnel at last. Back in July before we took off for Europe, I was randomly browsing the internet — one of my habits, like I always do and decided to check whether any seats had opened up at Torikaze. And there it was, one single seat available for a Wednesday afternoon lunch. It meant taking time off work, but if that’s what it takes, then it’s worth it.

I was still feeling the effects of jet lag after returning from our long holidays. As I walked gingerly through the labyrinth of narrow corridors, I finally arrived at Torikaze.

I’m not dreaming. Seriously, it’s real. I can tell the moment I step in, with the smokiness and that unmistakable aroma in the air.

One thing that stood out immediately from the lunch menu: there really wasn’t much to choose from. Altogether, there were four lunch sets, each including a different number of skewers and a main. There was no à la carte option so if you wanted extra skewers, you couldn’t simply add them on.

The set I chose was the most expensive one ($498) with five kinds of yakitori and two kinds of kushiyaki. It was served in an omakase-style format (no choice), with no main dish. Just an unlimited supply of steamed rice. I thought it was an easy pick for me since the other sets only offered up to three skewers at most, and I came here for their skewers.

First up, a small salad to whet my appetizer.

Okra — Topped nicely with bonito flakes but I thought it could be more charred on the surface.

Knee — Obviously from the local three yellow chicken (三黃雞). My server told me it was the meat extracted specifically from the knee-cap area. Not surprisingly, it was very meaty (啖啖肉), with a lovely smokiness from the charcoal grill.

Neck — Firm, slightly chewy in a good way with the occasional crunch. Again wonderfully smoky.

Breast — My server pointed out that this was near the organ area (exactly what he said) so there was a fair amount of fat attached. It was very tender.

Wing — Not bad.

Asparagus — Surprisingly tender.

Chicken meatball — This skewer of chicken meatballs was pretty tasty. The smokiness was clearly front and centre again. I was slightly surprised it didn’t include some hidden crunch from soft bones. Those are always a joy.

Dessert was a simple lemon sorbet, finished with lemon zest and a touch of sea salt. I was one of the last batches of customers, trying to enjoy things slowly but they kind of wanted to clean the place up for dinner service and rushed us out a bit.

To be honest, it’s hard to assess the meal properly, because it was so short. Everything was served in less than an hour (I didn’t time it, but it felt like about 40–45 minutes maximum). I didn’t really get time to reflect on the last skewer before the next one came out.

All in all, it wasn’t quite the culinary experience I was hoping for although yes, the chicken skewers were really delicious.

Food Rating: 6.4/10

Price: $$$$$

Address: Forty-Five, 43-45/F, Gloucester Tower, LANDMARK ATRIUM, 15 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Central

Tel: +852 3501-8585

Website: https://www.torikaze.hk/

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 6:00pm - 11:00pm (Mon - Sat)