Zuma Hong Kong turns 17 years old this June and celebrates its teenagehood with maturity, understanding its great position in the city’s dining scene dissecting three decades.
When the restaurant group’s co-founder Rainer Becker imported the classy izakaya concept to Hong Kong from London, the dimly lit dining hall was a place to see and be seen, sharing cool glances over Japanese-infused tipples, snacks, robata, sushi, sashimi, and signature dishes.
Zuma’s latest innovation comes this winter in a revival of their izakaya spirit with a new order-per-piece grilled skewer menu, along with accompanying highballs and canned sake drinks.
The skewer menu, working alongside the original classics to sweet-talk diners, stands to rival Michelin-loved Yardbird. Ten skewers sit on the menu, each with quirky elements to wow your palate.
The shishito pepper with goma ponzu (HKD38) is a cool bite, offering a bitter touch from the pepper with sweetness from the caramel char and lemony ponzu sauce. This vegetable will impress.
If you regularly vacation in Japan or are a fan of izakayas, the tsukune chicken with onsen tamago and soy sauce (HKD55) is a must-order. Zuma’s rendition pairs a silky concoction of egg yolk and light soy sauce with woody, herby chicken mince. Words don’t do justice here, so just order this one!
Next, I manned my hands with both the sweetcorn with shiso butter (HKD38) and Angus beef with soy, garlic, ginger, and chilli (HKD60). Both skewers excel in playing with texture and evoking rich tones of umami. I favoured the sweet kernels of the corn drenched in salty butter and a smoky dusting of nori.
With a break from the salty meat skewers, we ordered the elegant salmon and tuna tartare with rice crackers (HKD330). Paired with nori and dried daikon crackers, the tartare glistened underneath the lighting above.
Fine textures are at play with both fish dips, ground to a paste that can be applied to the accompanying crackers. The salmon is robust with a slight iron-rich and oily taste, however, the tuna’s subtle flavours are overwhelmed by the sea-strong nori.
Local gourmands might be familiar with the miso-marinated black cod (HKD380), a staple found at Tsim Sha Tsui’s Aqua. In comparison to Aqua’s version, Zuma’s fish dish is prepared with hoba leaf and edible ginger root, infusing the exterior of the cod with a herby smokiness.
The texture of the black cod crumbles on the tongue, offering a good mouthfeel, as opposed to Aqua’s version, which holds firm. The miso sauce is marinated longer here at Zuma, affecting a deep honey-umami base that hangs on the tongue. It is a classic, after all.
We ended dinner with the quartet of Wagyu gyoza (HKD180), plump handmade dumplings served with a delicate ponzu sauce for dipping. The Wagyu insides are pleasant to savour, however, I expected to be wowed with either spice, salt, or umami as per the general theme of our meal thus far.
Our verdict of Zuma Hong Kong
In an attempt to capture a younger crowd at Zuma, the new skewer menu has the power to turn customers from familiar yakitori joints to the restaurant for exciting bites. Pair the meat skewers with classics on the Zuma menu, unchanged in some two decades, and you’ve got yourself a night to remember.
Zuma, 5–6/F, LANDMARK ATRIUM, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 3657 6388, book here
| Order this: tsukune chicken, chicken yakitori, sweetcorn, marinated miso cod, salmon and tuna tartare Menu: Zuma’s à-la-carte menu Price for two: HKD750–1000 | Atmosphere: house and tech music is thumping from DJ Hallex M’s tunes under dim lighting to facilitate Zuma’s signature cool vibe Perfect for: sake-fuelled group dinners and intimate nights with fine izakaya bites |
This review is intended to offer an individual perspective on the dining experience and should not be considered as a definitive judgement of the restaurant’s overall quality or reputation. The views expressed in this review are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions of Foodie.
