Despite there being so many restaurants in Hong Kong, it’s remarkable how, when it comes to choosing somewhere to go for dinner, one forgets about all the choices. Determined not to let this happen and eager to add something new to the list, I wandered down to High Street to try Fuku Robatayaki & Kaki.
Fuku is a cosy little Japanese joint specialising in robatayaki (obviously) and apparently kaki, although I’m still not entirely sure what exactly kaki is… There’s nothing really special about the décor, with its bare dark wooden tables and stools, and an open kitchen where all the magic happens, but there is something welcoming and comforting about it, perfect for a relaxed Monday night dinner.
The menu is fairly vast, comprising of sushi, sashimi, skewers, rice, noodles and other interesting goodies. In case you’re confused about where to start and what to order, the friendly waiter is there to offer suggestions throughout the meal.
Our meal began with a rather interesting complimentary salad consisting of lettuce leaves, Japanese mayonnaise and tiny crispy fish. I couldn’t work out my feelings towards it, as I loved the mayo but found the fish overwhelmingly pungent.
The following dish of salmon rice paper rolls, although a little messily put together, was wonderful. The thin rice paper was stuffed with finely sliced lettuce, melt-in-the-mouth salmon sashimi and juicy cherry tomatoes, all bathed in an amazing grapefruity dressing.
The first of the robatayaki to arrive was the tofu. It had a fabulous texture, yet it was somewhat lacking in flavour and could have benefitted from a dribble of sauce to jazz it up a bit.
Next up, the pork with asparagus, or rather bacon-wrapped asparagus was delicious. The bacon was the right level of crispy without stealing the tender asparagus’ thunder, and the delicate versus saline flavours worked perfectly together.
The New Zealand beef tenderloin was exactly that: wonderfully tender. Sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper whilst still on the grill, it needed nothing whatsoever to enhance its already divine flavour.
The lamb tenderloin was equally as tender. Although to look at, there were a few fatty bits, these weren’t tough in the slightest and in fact added to the delicious taste.
Our only vegetable dish was grilled corn, offering a lovely buttery, sweet contrast to the savoury meats. For some reason, eating corn on the cob will always remind me of blissful childhood days in the sunshine, needless to say I happily chowed mine down in seconds.
Last of the robatayaki was chicken with leeks. I didn’t think it was possible to outdo the lamb and the beef, yet somehow, with incredibly succulent chicken and so-tender-they-were-almost-caramelised leeks, the chef managed to wow me even more.
Moving away from the skewers, we thought it only fitting for a cosy Monday night dinner, to try the inaniwa hot udon noodles – the ideal comfort food. The thin noodles had the perfect chewy consistency that paired well with the delicately flavoured (perhaps a little too much so) broth.
As every meal must end with something sweet, we asked our friendly waiter to recommend a dessert for us. He swiftly returned with two bite-sized grilled rice cakes with peanut sauce. Crispy on the outside with a marshmallow-like chewiness inside, these would have been nothing on their own, yet with the peanut ‘sauce’ (which as it turned out was chunky Skippy peanut butter straight from the jar – who’s complaining?!) they were rather marvelous and the perfect end to a lovely meal.
Leaving comfortably satisfied, we paid a mere $200 each for lovely, tasty food and excellent service. It’s good to know there are cute neighbourhood restaurants like this for cosy dinners away from all the crowds.
Fuku Robatayaki & Kaki
69 High Street
Sai Ying Pun
Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2540 9961
