Elevating the izakaya
Denis Fahy checks into the Aubrey at the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, an eccentric Japanese izakaya that channels those high-end Ginza vibes
An eccentric Japanese izakaya located on the 25th floor of the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, The Aubrey features a drawing room curio lounge and three distinctive bar experiences. Designed by Maximal Concepts and Silverfox Studios, The Aubrey’s design was inspired by Japanism, a 19th century European movement influenced by Japanese art while also embracing the cool vibes of izakayas in Ginza. This highly creative theme is atypically untethered to the usual style of Japanese restaurants and first impressions are a design-conscious space that’s deliciously unconventional.
While the cutting-edge design will win over styleconscious designers, sustainability is another key component of the restaurant’s DNA. It utilises the world’s first viable compostable clingwrap along with bamboo and paper products from sustainable sources, with an ultimate goal to remove single-use plastic from all operations and embrace the zero waste philosophy.
Leading The Aubrey’s bar programme is Devender Sehgal, most recently bar manager at Otto e Mezzo Bombana. At the first of The Aubrey’s three bars, known as The Main Bar, Devender and his team shake up a core selection of Highball and Chuhai cocktails, a signature cocktail menu inspired by the game of chess and a rotating selection of three seasonal cocktails based off a singular Japanese ingredient. I order the Two Bishops, an aged, very smooth rum blended with whiskey, citrus and matcha clarified milk, which is eminently drinkable, the time spent clarifying the milk really elevating the cocktail’s flavour profile.
The second bar is the four-person Omakase Cocktail Bar, where resident bartenders take guests on a drinks journey across Japanese spirits and flavours. Feeling decadent? Then head to the Champagne and Sake Bar, which celebrates the age-old tradition of oysters and champagne and also serves up sparkling sakes should you prefer to toast your good fortune with something Japanese and fizzy.
Dining at The Aubrey is overseen by chef Yukihito Tomiyama, who most recently helmed the one Michelin-starred Shinji by Kanaseka in Macau. At lunch, the Aubrey elevates the humble bento, serving guests their meal in beautiful hand-crafted wooden boxes, the layers revealing exquisite bites from the restaurant’s raw, tempura and robata menus.
Jetsetter is here for a media tasting to dig into a specially prepared menu. First up, we sample a scallop jelly tobiko, a dish that seems to capture the essence of Japan in one sweet shot, the eggs from this flying fish being deliciously crunchy, sweet and smooth. Next it’s the monkfish liver maki with shiso, and this foie gras of the ocean could not be more fresh.
You can’t have a Japanese tasting menu without sushi, and it dutifully arrives in the form of the omakase nigiri platter, an artful preparation of creatively arranged speciality sushi. Served on a traditional platter, it’s so delicious I’m left wanting more. Next to appear is a seaweed salad, which has to be the most refined palette cleanser I’ve ever experienced: you can’t help feeling this one is doing you lots of good. Guests can really get to know their seaweed when they sample this combination of wakame, ao tosaka, aka tosaka and kaiso crystals.
Palate fully cleansed, it’s time to dig into the saikyo miso sablefish. The saikyo miso is distinguished by being slightly less salty than regular miso and gently seeps in to the gently flavoured sablefish, which is perfectly creamy and oh-so smooth.
Next it’s the main event, Wagyu oxtail and bone marrow fried rice. With all the effort that goes into breeding wagyu it’s wonderful to eat dishes that do it real justice like this one. The media table I’m seated at falls into a respectful silence when this dish arrives as all attention is focused on savouring the flavours of this gorgeous main, the bone marrow a perfect complement to the oxtail.
The meal bows out with a white miso souffle, an intriguing take on a classic dessert that’s a truly melt in the mouth experience with very subtle overtones of soy and seaweed. It’s a deliciously light and flavoursome way to end what’s been an enlightening and immensely enjoyable dining experience. mandarinoriental.com