Sampling of Sushi Saito

The minimalist look of the dining area of Sushi Saito using natural wood

On Thursday I had my first bona fide omakase experience at Sushi Saito, the latest premium high-end Japanese restaurant to open in Hong Kong. Select media were given a sneak peek, but no free lunches here -- we all shelled out HK$1,480 plus 10 percent for the lunch.

A few days before we were reminded to arrive 15 minutes before the seating at noon -- if you don't show up you will be charged, and do not wear any perfume or have a cigarette or cigar smell.

The chef de cuisine has worked for Saito for several years

As a result, many of us worried about being late and arrived at least half an hour early to ride up to the 45th floor of the Four Seasons Hong Kong for the highly-anticipated meal.

Sushi Saito is a three Michelin-starred restaurant that is also number 26 on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurant list that's located in Tokyo. Chef Takashi Saito is known for being very particular with his ingredients and only serves eight guests at a time in his small restaurant that is near impossible to get a reservation.

So when there was an opportunity to try it here, I jumped at the chance.

We soon understood why it was important not to wear any scent -- Saito wants his guests to soak in the fresh wood smell in the small restaurant that seats in total 16 seats, but today it was only seven. The large dining table seating three on one side, four on the other, the two thick slabs of gorgeous wood from a 400-year-old Japanese cypress.

Apparently each time they wipe down the table top, the scent from the wood comes out. Once in a while they will sand it down with the finest sandpaper and then polish it. It was so smooth I couldn't help but keep stroking the table top throughout the meal.

Grilled sea perch (back) with pickled turnip

There is a ritualistic etiquette to the meal -- the chef makes a sushi for each person on their plate and it should be eaten practically right away because he has made it for you at that moment.

There is no wasabi or soy sauce to dip it in, so just pick it up with your hand and put it in your mouth. To cleanse the palate, there is a small mound of finely shaved pickled ginger and it is refilled as necessary.

He makes each piece per person and then goes around again making the next one using different seafood. We started with a slice of monkfish liver seasoned in light soy, some sugar and seasoned with grated yuzu.

I can't remember all the names of the other dishes, but they included grilled sea perch (divine), a small fish called kohada seasoned with lime juice, maguro or tuna, squid with a bit of lime juice, large prawn, and clam. This was followed by a slice from the futomaki roll with two cubes of tamago or sweet egg that is considered dessert, and miso soup.

Kohada with a touch of lime juice and shaved ginger

The whole meal was accompanied with Champagne -- Saito considers it the best pairing with sushi, even better than sake.

We were surprised to find that in the beginning the sushi rice was quite warm, and also when the chef de cuisine served uni or sea urchin, it was quite cold, having just literally been taken out of the refrigerator -- it should be around room temperature. But perhaps Saito prefers to keep the uni as fresh as possible and not sitting out too long.

Nevertheless we quite enjoyed the experience and weren't stuffed either.

We found out afterwards behind the bar is a cabinet that when opened reveals blocks of ice to keep the fish chilled. These are considered better than refrigerators that can dry the fish out. Saito wants the fish to be as fresh as possible.

The prized maguro that has been aged for seven days

Since reservations here will be difficult to secure, I won't be going back to Sushi Saito anytime soon, but appreciated the opportunity to try it!

Sushi Saito

45/F, Four Seasons Hong Kong

8 Finance Street

Central

Picture of the Day: Sushi

Cute pieces of sushi... made of sugar! Only from Japan...

Tonight I didn't have time to eat dinner -- I went to watch a documentary and thought it was about half an hour long and it turned out to be almost two hours long!

My friend YTSL went to the screening too with her mom. The two of them had just come back from Japan and gave me this present. I remarked I was hungry looking at it, but didn't realize it was made of candy until I opened it!

There are even thin slices of "ginger" and plastic grass underneath!

So I could have eaten my "sushi" for dinner, but they're too pretty to eat!

NY Commute a TurnStyle Experience

This way to shop and eat at TurnStyle in Columbus Circle

The subway system in New York is over 112 years old, and in serious need of a makeover if it had the money.

However, it's good to see some improvements made at Columbus Circle. One part of the station was empty for the longest time, and in March the space was revamped with US$14.5 million into a shopping/eating area with the clever name of TurnStyle.

A series of eateries and shops line the corridor

It's a funky area with coffee shops, boutiques, eateries selling take-out food from doughnuts to salads and sushi rolls, fresh juices and cute greeting cards.

The long narrow corridor is colourful and looks like a hit with the hipster crowd, and of course for those commuters looking for a bite to eat before or after work.

The vast majority of the shops are independents, with Starbucks thrown in for good measure, but it was not completely packed. The variety made wandering the area fun and inviting.

The space is colourful and fun to wander

Obviously the MTR Corporation in Hong Kong thought of this concept ages ago when it designed its stations 40 years ago, but it's good to see New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority offering more than just a hot and dull commute.

Review: Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Some of the mouth-watering sushi that Jiro Ono presents in the documentary

Another documentary I watched on the plane was Jiro Dreams of Sushi.

It was made in 2011 by David Gelb, and follows then 85-year-old Jiro Ono, who is considered to be the world's best sushi master, the first to receive three Michelin stars, and Japan has declared him a national treasure.

The octogenarian may look elderly, but he is still deftly making sushi, being a strict task master to his eldest son and apprentices, and constantly trying to perfect his sushi. He claims that he even dreams about it, and hence the title.

However, it is a tall order for his eldest son, 50-year-old Yoshikazu, who many think should be allowed to take over the restaurant called Sukiyabashi Jiro, but Jiro wants to keep going until he is physically unable to.

Jiro watches elder son Yoshikazu make sushi

Meanwhile the younger son, Takashi was given the opportunity to open another branch in Roppongi Hills, because traditionally it is the older son who inherits the restaurant, but how can he when his father is still making what many consider as the finest sushi in the world?

We find out about Jiro through a well-known Japanese food writer, how his sushi is out of this world. And we meet a former apprentice who knew he had no hope of being promoted further and opened his own place.

Jiro himself opens up, candidly talking about his father being a wayward man, not being there when he grew up, and how Jiro fell in love with making sushi and has continuously learned about the culinary craft. For him it is not about being innovative, but constantly improving on what he has done or known before.

For example a live octopus is massaged for 45 minutes to ensure the meat is as tender as possible at the last moment, and how Jiro observes his diners if they are left handed (like himself) or right handed, and how fast they eat, and their reactions to the taste of the sushi.

Interestingly Jiro did not want his sons to go to university and insisted they follow him into the business whether they liked it or not. They seem to have accepted this fate, and in particular viewers can see Yoshizaku is trying his best to follow in his father's footsteps because this is tradition; he admits he wished he was a race car driver or a pilot in his younger years, but knows this is the best route for him.

Jiro's restaurant is the first sushi place with 3 Michelin stars

Others speculate if he can even replicate his father's talent, but one may not know until he really has to step up to the plate.

The documentary hardly talks about Jiro's wife and one wonders if it is because she refused to be on camera or Gelb didn't think she was relevant to the story. However there is a nice scene of Jiro visiting his childhood classmates and they candidly joke around about how Jiro was such a mischievous boy, and how he has turned out into such a serious yet passionate chef.

Jiro really is an artisan to loves his work so much that he thinks about it all the time. Most of us these days want to shut off thinking about work, but for him this is his lifestyle, this is how he believes he will improve.

The film also visits Tsukji, the famed fish market where buyers head there in the early morning hours to buy tuna. The older son talks about how fish stocks are depleting and blames it on cheaper sushi places boosting demand for tuna that he observes is getting more expensive.

Jiro says he dreams about sushi a lot

Many friends had asked me if I had watched this film and I hadn't, but now I understand why they love this documentary so much. There are also mouth-watering scenes of them preparing sushi in such a loving way, one can't help but want to appreciate the food.

A friend recently went to Sukiyabashi Jiro and tried the now 89-year-old's food and said it was an amazing experience. My other friends seem tempted, but also worried Jiro will scrutinize them when they eat and worst still, make them eat fast since the sushi must be consumed as soon as it is placed on their plates.

The alternative is to visit his son's restaurant instead, though other Japanese foodies claim any sushi place is already very good, why pay over $300 for a 20-minute meal?

The debate continues and now I understand what all the fuss is about!

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Directed by David Gelb