Sushi Zinc (Shau Kei Wan)

Arriving right on time we greeted Chef Zinc and were seated in the middle of the 10-seat hinoki counter. The décor has a contemporary industrial vibe, with rough concrete walls and floors, but intertwined with refined elements. A glass wall allows diners to see into the activities of the kitchen as well. The omakase menu costs $2,400 per person.

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Following the recommendation of Chef Zinc, I started with a serving of くどき上手Jr.の超高精白株式會社出羽の里29 純米大吟釀 ($200). Made using local Yamagata rice, with a polishing ratio of 29%, this sake has a delicate, refreshing and very clean palate, lighter in taste. Very good start.

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Chef Zinc began by cutting two pieces of the triangular Kuchiko 海鼠子 into very small pieces, and then took the vinegared Aka-Namako 赤海鼠 into the serving bowl, sprinkled with some kuchiko on top. The crunchy texture of the sea cucumber, with a touch of sourness, adding with the umami of the dried sea cucumber ovaries, is a perfect match. The latter is known as Japan’s top three umami delicacies.

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Taken out from the steamer were the Shako 蝦蛄 that had been bundled together. The mantis shrimps were caught in Lamma Islands, each with plenty of orange-colored roes inside. Pouring a thick sauce made from radish, with some yuzu shavings on top, the pure joy of eating the sweet mantis shrimp without having the trouble of taking the shell off, is memorable and luxurious.

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One of the seasonal seafoods in Japan right now is Torigai 鳥貝. The Japanese cockle was really fresh, with Chef Zinc telling us these arrived just before they opened on the night. He removed the bottom part, before serving the body to us with a bit of shoyu and wasabi. The freshness was apparent with the muscle quickly contracted when getting hit, and its sweetness and umami were truly unbeatable.

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The bottom part of the Torigai 鳥貝 was not just being discarded. Chef Zinc put it in a cup and added plenty of menegi in. Pouring some hot broth, each seep of the soup brought a comfortable, warming feeling to the stomach, satisfying not just on the palate in terms of flavors but also the wellness of the body. An example of showcasing the ingredients to their best. Amazing.

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Taking a tartlet shell from the kitchen, Chef Zinc retrieved three boxes from the fridge, which contained Kobashira 小柱, the adductor muscle of round clam, candied mandarin, and sweet peas. With some lemon sour cream underneath, he carefully put together the ingredients in the tartlet, then sprinkled with some salt flakes on top. Complex in taste and texture, a fusion course with western techniques.

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Next, Chef Zinc showed us the Seki-Aji 関池魚, a specialty Japanese horse mackerel from Oita. Meticulously cutting on the surface to allow the shoyu to seep in, the sushi was phenomenal, with the fish having a slightly firmer texture versus the other horse mackerel we had tried, but still being soft on the bite. The chef had added a bit of young ginger too to subtly add to its taste.

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The second sake serving was くどき上手Jr.のヒ蜜 The Nectar 純米大吟釀 ($200). One of Chef Zinc’s personal favorites, with a stronger fruity note, shows much more apparent tropical fruit and ripe characters than the first sake. A perfect match with sushi and dishes with a richer taste.

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The salad was another example of Chef Zinc’s mastery in flavors. Using Hotaru-Ika 蛍烏賊 from Toyama, he toasted some of the firefly squid before grinding them to make a dressing with olive oil, replacing the original recipe using anchovy. The flavors were very similar but better, with more savory taste and less salty. Together with shredded puntarelle and firefly squid, the salad was really delicious.

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When we arrived, Chef Zinc was busy preparing a Threadfin, and he used it to prepare the next sushi. The fish was caught in local waters, weighing over five-catty. Even though the fish is supposed to be off-season now, this one still had rich fatty oil and full of flavors. No doubt also helped by the chef cleverly searing the skin lightly to vitalize the fatty layer underneath to make it even stronger in taste.

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Taking the lid off the Chawanmushi 茶碗蒸 revealed the beautiful orangish Bafun-Uni 馬糞雲丹. The sea urchin from Hokkaido was sweet in taste, mixing well with the silky soft egg custard, which had been added with a bit of chrysanthemum and yuzu to give extra fragrance. The sea urchin was shipped in brine, only having a very short shelf life, but able to avoid preservatives to keep original taste.

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Next came Kasugo 春子鯛. The young seabream had a very tender texture, best in quality in the spring season, as the larger seabream would have roes, so a lot of fat and nutrients would be channeled there, making the flesh less delicious. Chef Zinc marinated it on a Sakura leaf and then added a bit of Sakura petals in the sushi to bring forward the taste of spring even further.

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The third sake serving was くどき上手白ばくれん山田穗55 超辛口吟釀生詰 ($160). This series of sake had a crisp and more subtle aroma, using the special rice 山田穗 to brew, and was ideal to pair with foods of stronger flavors.

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When the sous chef heated some kombu broth, I had been wondering what food would be cooked there. It was the famous Karen Kaki 華漣牡蠣 from Nagasaki, plump and with a sweet taste. Chef Zinc also used a spring wild vegetable called Gyoja Ninniku 行者葫 to prepare the sauce and some tempura on the side. The Siberian onion did not taste like leek but similar to spring onion with better sweetness.

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Chef Zinc then showed us the box of Aomori Shiro-Uni 白雲丹 from the famous brand 大千. The white sea urchin has a lighter color than the Bafun-Uni tasted earlier, but much bigger in size. The skill in kneading the sushi with the very soft sea urchin was a test of the chef, but not any problem for Chef Zinc. Seasoned with some rock salt, it was truly delicious, with a great umami taste.

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The chef then went into the kitchen for some time, before coming back with some pan-fried Hotategai 帆立貝. The scallops were very large in size, wrapped in guanciale to supplement with savory flavors, with each bite offering pure joy and wonder. Together with a Kumquat Kanroni 甘露煮 and a sauce made from dried scallop, Parma ham, and aged vinegar, another Western-style dish inserted to good effect.

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Taking a large slab of Akami 赤身, Chef Zinc carved out pieces of the lean tuna to make the sushi. He told us that the tuna was caught in Shizuoka, with the meat without going through any aging. The acidity of the flesh was appetizing, with the shoyu a perfect complement. Seeing how we liked them, Chef Zinc kindly served us another piece, seasoned with salt flakes instead, to bring a different taste.

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The fourth sake serving was くどき上手赤ばくれん超辛口吟醸. Using a different rice to brew, compared with the last one, although both were super dry, this sake was less spicy, with a rounder palate and more umami notes, and I found that it might be easier to pair with food.

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Chef Zinc also took out a slab of beautifully marbled O-Toro 大とろ which could be easily mistaken for wagyu. Cutting thin slices of the fatty tuna, he took it back to the kitchen to prepare in sukiyaki style, then served with grilled eggplant, paired with a miso egg yolk sauce. The taste and texture were similar to wagyu, but also had an umami taste and less fibrous on the bite, fantastic.

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Seeing the Unagi 鰻, we knew that it was near the end of the meal. Chef Zinc had braised the eel to a wonderfully soft and melt-in-mouth texture, with another highlight being the use of sansho flowers as condiments, which are only available for a very short period of the year and very expensive. Unlike the sansho peppers, the flowers had the same fragrance but not the spiciness.

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As we enjoyed the Seki-Aji 関池魚 very much, we asked Chef Zinc for an encore. He generously prepared a tail of the fish for us to share, making into four pieces of sushi. To be honest, we felt a bit uneasy eating so much in front of the other customers, but the fish was so good that I knew I would certainly regret if I did not. It was a lucky day and truly recommend trying it out when there is the chance.

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In the conversation, Chef Zinc shared he had tasted one of the best sakes, and knowing it was available, I could not resist having my fifth sake serving. 十四代龍之落子大極上諸白純米大吟釀 ($480) has nice fruit notes, a delicate sweetness, well-balanced and delicious. Definitely a must-try.

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Knowing we loved silver-skinned fish Chef Zinc asked whether we were interested to have Iwashi 鰯 as well. With the sardine season just about to start, he only ordered a small quantity to try out its quality, and we were lucky to be able to enjoy it. While it might not be very fat yet, it was flavorful, and we really look forward to the full season.

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The soup featured Sansai 山菜, with six seasonal spring wild vegetables, many of which were foreign and new to me. Two of these I recognized as Junsai 蓴菜 and Kogomi こごみ, which are watershield and ostrich ferns. The unique taste of the vegetables, mixing with the flavors of the broth made from toasted kombu, was harmonious. A healthy soup good for wellness and taste buds.

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The circular Tamagoyaki 玉子焼, made according to the traditional style from a mixture of fish, shrimp and egg without any flour added, had a wonderful fluffy texture and permeating sweetness from the seafood. Paired with butter and some sugarcane syrup, it reminded me a lot of pancakes, but with the flavors at an extra mile.

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The dessert was Hojicha 焙茶 Pannacotta, with the creamy and silky pannacotta just perfect at its sweetness level. The roasted tea flavors were appetizing as well, and the overall experience was smooth and comfortable. Perfect finale to a fantastic meal.

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But Chef Zinc told us he prepared a secret additional dessert as well. The homemade Milk Ice-Cream had been infused with smoke to give special flavors, surprisingly with some meaty, roasted animal fat fragrance. The creamy softness of the texture was also impeccable.

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