Udatsu Hisashi, chef-owner of the eponymous Udatsu Sushi in Tokyo, has brought his acclaimed restaurant to Hong Kong—and it’s far from the usual omakase experience.
Blending music, contemporary art, and top-notch gastronomy to form a reimagined take on Japanese hospitality at the highest level, Udatsu Sushi breaks the mould. It’s a concept that the chef nurtured at his first restaurant in the Nakameguro district, opened in 2019 after years of honing his craft at a string of establishments, including one-Michelin-starred Sushi Ichi.
Udatsu’s goal is to create a space that is “not just about sushi.” Inspired by art, music, and delivering culinary excellence, the chef remarks, “My humble neighbourhood restaurant, nestled away in the residential backstreets of Nakameguro, brings together the finest ingredients, crafted in interiors which are immersed in art and the warmth of hospitality. I am bringing this same approach to Udatsu Sushi Hong Kong, serving art that you can eat.”
His Hong Kong outpost at FWD House 1881, housed in the rustic Stable Block and led by head chef Nakamura Hiroki, Udatsu’s long-time sous-chef and protégé, follows much the same philosophy, welcoming guests to an intimate 12-seat arrangement at a 150-year-old Yoshino cypress counter, the centrepiece of the restaurant. Instead of the ceramics, calligraphy scrolls, and ikebana flower arrangements often found at an omakase joint, the interiors are intentionally stark and swathed on all sides in bare concrete walls, reminiscent of a gallery. Rotating exhibitions replace the oft-seen wood-panelling accents; framed art, from the likes of photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto and more, add intrigue. It’s striking and modern, much like the food. Gentle jazz lulls you into a realm of comfort as you embark on this culinary journey.
Chefs Udatsu and Nakamura deftly integrate innovation and tradition into their ever-changing menu, designed around season-driven ingredients sourced locally as well as from Japan. Stepping away from the regular sushi-only format, Udatsu Sushi presents a stream of smaller plates, specials, and signatures as well as nigiri and maki rolls, such as the seasonal herb roll, omitting rice and using organic herbs to wrap the fish, and the double sea urchin with seaweed tempura nigiri, a layered, textural construction balancing warm rice, crunchy nori seaweed tempura, and soft, sweet sea urchin. Udatsu’s otoro kunsei sees slabs of marinated fatty tuna smoked over straw, a spectacle for the eyes and taste buds. Croquettes and fried fish cakes, not usually seen on omakase menus, also feature in the experience, and sipping on a shot of artisanal agave spirit or tequila alongside a sea urchin dish is, in fact, encouraged. Courses on the regularly refreshed tasting menu further include the likes of local eel nigiri, tuna futomaki, white-fish sashimi, abalone with dashi soup, and more.
Udatsu Sushi also champions sustainability and responsible sourcing. Using zero-waste techniques, all parts of the fish are used and repurposed into broths and sauces. Even tableware such as coasters are crafted from discarded stonemasonry fragments or moulded from melted plastic debris to tackle marine pollution. Organic herbs are obtained from the pesticide-free Kajiya Farm, and seafood from fishermen using controlled fishing methods to preserve the delicate nature of ocean ecosystems and prevent overfishing.
“I want people to use their five senses to enjoy sushi,” Udatsu affirms, reinforcing his vision. “Eating and drinking something delicious is the base, but people should enjoy the whole experience including the service, conversation, atmosphere, art, and music.”
G/F, Stable Block, FWD House 1881, 2A Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Tel: (+852) 5729 4188
All images courtesy of Udatsu Sushi.
