GODENYA

If you do not like sake, you have two options: avoid Godenya completely, or go straight there to recalibrate your palate and kickstart an appreciation for it. This understated temple to Japan’s famed rice wine is one of Hong Kong’s most intriguing culinary destinations, hidden in a mysterious alleyway off Kau U Fong. The interiors are dominated by industrial concrete contrasting with Japanese woods, and the best seats in the (small) house are most certainly at the counter where dishes are served directly from chef to diner. Helmed by Shinya Goshima, who used to run the original in Tokyo before closing it to launch Godenya in Hong Kong, the experience involves a multifaceted eight-course omakase featuring a masterful blend of Japanese ingredients and techniques with the odd influence from around the globe. Goshima’s take on tom yum kung, for example, is transcendent. Each course is carefully matched with a unique sake that is served at the precise temperature at which Goshima feels will bring out the best of both food and wine—lighter starters such as Nagoya figs with fennel fronds, for example, are paired with crisp, cool (10C) Mansaku-no-hana junmai daiginjo that brought out the aniseed quality of the dish. A truly unique and enlightening experience that needs to be tried at least once.