SUSHI SAITO

HK$4000 per person

45/F, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong www.globallink.com.hk/ sushisaito

Tokyo’s Sushi Saito remains one of the toughest venues to get into, unless you’re a well connected gourmand. In Hong Kong, for the time being, it is marginally simpler. Housed on the quiet 45th club level of the Four Seasons hotel, the sushi bar is discreet—a sense of calm falls over you as you enter the warmly lit restaurant, which has the signature aroma of cedar wood and rice. Led by chef Ikuya Kobayashi, who worked as Takashi Saito’s second-in-command in Tokyo, the omakase experience is a nuanced journey through the season’s finest offerings—on our visit, this included small dishes featuring Japanese horsehair crab, monkfish liver, and shirako to kickstart the meal. At Sushi Saito, the shari—the ‘body’ of the sushi, i.e. rice—is of utmost importance, and Kobayashi works confidently and meticulously to shape each portion. Adhering to the traditions of Edo-mae sushi, the creations here steer clear from unnecessary embellishments, allowing the fish to speak for itself; the rice is warmed just-so, with a subtle vinegar note that enhances the umami of the various neta (toppings) without overwhelming them. While Sushi Saito may be austere in setting and understated in theatrics, it is truly a mecca for sushi aficionados.

Sushi Saito’s omakase experience is a nuanced journey through the season’s finest offerings