Traditional Japanese cuisine prides itself in appreciating the seasonality of food. With the arrival of autumn and the harvest, many restaurants are incorporating a wide variety of fresh ingredients, paired with drinks that reflect not just distinct flavors but also autumn itself.
Sen-ryo presents a Hokkaido-themed seasonal menu, featuring rich seafood from the southeast sea of Hokkaido. "Hokkaido abounds with gifts of nature. Its catches during autumn and winter are some of the best in the world," said the sen-ryo culinary team. "The menu uses premium ingredients such as Akkeshi Bay oyster, righteye flounder and live surf clam to embrace the harvest."
Enjoy fresh dishes like the Hokkaido seasonal oyster (HK$98 for one; HK$188 for two), live surf clam sashimi (HK$148 a set), and seared saury sushi (HK$38 for two) accompanied by sake.
The team recommends Otokoyama Kita no Inaho Daiginjo (from HK$115). "This sake has a 40 percent rice polishing rate, brewed with a gorgeous aroma, a fruity and soft taste with an elegant finish. It is best tasted cold and paired with sashimi and a cold dish."
As the weather cools down, warm up with Hokkaido-style salmon and miso hotpot (HK$98) and creamy scallop croquette with mentaiko sauce (HK$42). Finish off with the seasonal Tokachi ruby potato roll cake (HK$58) or Hanabatake Bokujo Cream Catalana (HK$42).
Censu welcomes autumn with a new beverage list. The gin tonic highballs, such as the Sakurao Limited Gin Tonic (HK$148) which features locally sourced rose tea and ice cubes infused with oyster water, are all crafted with premium spirits and handmade ice cubes.
Each drink has its own unique characteristic to pair with chef Shun Sato's seasonal dishes. The menu features flathead lobster (HK$238) with yuzu miso hollandaise sauce and creamy kombu butter, charcoal grilled bonito (HK$218), and wagyu steak (HK$338) - sankaku bara (chuck rib steak) marinated in koji, topped with Japanese enoki and maitake mushrooms, and finished with smoked seaweed soy sauce.
"For the colder season, the dishes are a bit more robust," said Shun. "A favorite drink to pair would be the Kaze no More Sake. It's a refreshing pasteurized sake, with a tropical sweetness that works well with our autumn dishes such as bonito sashimi and, of course, our wagyu steak with our exclusive A5 wagyu beef."
One cannot face the autumn chill without the warmth from a Japanese barbecue. Yakiniku Ishidaya introduces its signature 12-course Kobe wagyu beef sake pairing menu (HK$1,080).
The set begins with the Houou Biden Akaban Junmai Daiginjo Sake. Mellow with a natural acidity, it brings out the freshness of the scallop sashimi or slow-cooked beef shoulder.
The Tatenokawa Honryu Junmai Daiginjo Karakuchi, on the other hand, has subtle sweet and spicy notes, making it an ideal companion to the intensely marbled Kobe wagyu sirloin and ribeye, and the beef tendon and wagyu beef shabu-shabu.
Okuharima Junmai Ginjo Super Dry was selected for the sake pairing due to its stronger mouthfeel. Well-rounded and balanced, it is best paired with tenderloin and extra thick-cut beef tongue.
If a 12-course set is too much, Yakiniku Ishidaya also offers a nine- and 10-course meal (from HK$580).
For those struggling to choose from the many options, head to Ikigai Concepts, which takes a multi-concept approach to incorporate different specialized Japanese culinary disciplines.
From kushiyaki-style skewers and teppanyaki to sushi and sashimi, it provides a wide range of food and sake pairing options.
Ikigai Concepts offers an interactive omakase experience (HK$380 for lunch and HK$780 for dinner). Guests can sit on the counter and chat with the chefs as they prepare seasonal catches such as mackerel pike ("autumn sword fish"), kinki, yellowtail buri and a wide variety of oysters from Nagasaki, Akkeshi, Kyassen Bay and Murotsu.
Elevate your dining experience with about 30 classic and seasonal sake labels hand-picked by professional sake sommeliers.
The choices include Hakurakusei Junmai Daiginko, an increasingly popular sake known as the ultimate food pairing sake, award-winning Daimon 35 Junmai Daiginjo and Sinsen Daiginjo, a sake from a brewery favored by the Japanese royal family.
