![]() Abalone, fish maw, and shark fin are among the most famous seafood delicacies in Hong Kong. He has since used this inspiration behind some of his dishes. When Chef Araki arrived in Hong Kong, he took time to "study" the local cuisine, dining at a number of different restaurants in Hong Kong to understand how Hong Kongers enjoyed the local seafood. This version was served cold, which is a bit different from my favorite way of eating bonito (seared it right before serving). Next a classic and one of my favorites, seared bonito (skipjack) from Kyushu topped with crushed crispy nori and katsuobushi soy sauce (not pictured). We began the meal with a piece of sea bream from the South China Sea that was lightly cooked in soy sauce, mirin, sake, and fish bone broth and a splash of yuzu zest. In some ways, it reminded us more of traditional restaurants, where the head chef is often seen inspecting and finalizing the plates that go out instead of actually cooking at any single station.Ĭhef Araki himself still made most of the actual nigiri sushi pieces, but his team was very involved in all of the other dishes. ![]() Instead of the sole sushi master (and possibly a second-in-command) making sushi piece-by-piece for the guests of honor, Chef Araki oversees a team of trainees who work under his close eye. When we went, the seating was socially distant, and therefore there were only 6 diners in the (spacious, by Japanese standards) 12-seat bar.Ĭhef Araki runs his sushi restaurants differently from other sushi places we've visited. The Araki has adapted as best as it can under these circumstances. Who could have expected how the world would change when The Araki first opened its doors in Hong Kong in December 2019, merely a month before COVID-19 first reared its ugly head in Wuhan, China. He set his eyes upon cosmopolitan Hong Kong, a place with a rich and abundant seafood culture, bountiful ingredients, and diners who would appreciate (and be able to afford) Chef Araki's art form. ![]() In 2019, Chef Araki decided it was time to explore yet another region's local ingredients. Chef Araki explored using seafood from Scotland, England, and elsewhere in Europe. The Araki in London was wildly successful, achieving three Michelin stars in 2018. There, he boldly went against Japanese edomae tradition (which exclusively sources fish from Tokyo Bay), and created high-end omakase sushi meals using Japanese techniques but applied to local European ingredients. He first opened The Araki in London in 2013. He's known for being the only Japanese chef to ever have Three-Michelin star restaurants in both Tokyo and London. Meet Mitsuhiro Araki, renowned Japanese sushi chef. I am very thankful that we were able to enjoy a lovely, socially-distanced dinner at The Araki, one of the most anticipated sushi restaurants to open in Hong Kong in the past couple years. Restaurants were forced to close for dinner soon after my birthday. My birthday in the latter half of November happened right before Hong Kong's longest and most serious "fourth wave" began. For example, even as our daily new cases hover around 30-50, restaurants are still forced to close at 6PM, which has been devastating for the industry. Here in Hong Kong, the government is quite strict when it comes to closures. ![]() ![]() On the other hand, it's virtually impossible to plan for anything far in advance, because you have no clue how good or bad the situation will be. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |