KAPPOU MU, the serene Japanese gourmet haven in H Zentre, Tsim Sha Tsui reflecting the essence of traditional kappou cuisine, celebrates the beauty of Hanami – the season for contemplating the flowers particularly cherry blossoms – with luscious new dishes bursting with spring flavours and colours. Sakura-inspired dishes head the plethora of enticing seasonal treats on a daily omakase menu that blooms brightly throughout March and April 2023.
Opened in January 2023 and operated by dynamic hospitality management company Dining Art Group, KAPPOU MU attracts Japanese dining purists who relish the simplicity of kappou (‘to cut and to cook’) cuisine based upon the quality of the freshest seasonal ingredients from Japan and the world over. Following time-honoured rituals, the restaurant’s artistry is shaped by the 5 guiding principles of Japanese cuisine, which include incorporating the 5 key cooking methods (simmered, steamed, grilled/roasted, fried and raw), 5 colours (red, green, yellow, white and black) and 5 tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter and the all-important umami or savoury).
The culinary team also prides itself upon elevating the traditionally robust kappou experience into a more exquisite, elegant expression that soothes the soul while satisfying the palate. This emphasis on tranquillity through aesthetics is evident in a spring menu whose design and plating are inspired by the most picturesque locales in the country for cherry-blossom encounters, with their blaze of gorgeous colours and scents.
KAPPOU MU’s sakura-inspired spring dishes are particularly radiant manifestations of its kappou prowess, which flows seamlessly from appetiser sampler and sashimi selection to a succession of dishes highlighting the different cooking techniques, followed by tempura, a rice course and dessert.
This omakase adventure spans a lunchtime set menu priced at HK$780 per person for 9 courses or HK$1,080 for 12 courses, and a dinnertime parade of 15 courses at HK$2,180 per person.
Hanami festival colours grace Ezo Abalone, Spanish Red Prawn, Asparagus, Taro, a creative dish highlighting the best catches from Eastern and Western seas. Succulent abalone from Hokkaido is served in a sauce made with its liver, while the taro is cooked variously in wine, sugar and salt. Both provide delightful contrast to the famed vibrant carabineros – those large native Spanish crustaceans that retain their bite and texture when pan-fried. A brilliant rose hue reminiscent of cherry blossom makes Hokkaido Tokachi Wagyu teamed with Eggplant and Spring Bamboo Shoots the perfect seasonal dish. The tender meat, a product of Tokachi cattle’s high-quality, vitamin-enriched feed of pasture grass and straw, pairs beautifully with the crisp, juicy, strong-flavoured bamboo shoots and spring onions of Kyoto. Auspicious takenoko (young bamboo) heralds the arrival of spring in Japan since it sprouts around the same time as the sakura open.
Two sought-after spring fish from Japan show their resplendent cherry colours. A popular fish for celebrations, the rich and luminous light-pink meat of Sakuradai (red bream) is served as sashimi, while Sakura-masu (cherry trout) joins two types of premium rice – Sakaguchi Niigata Koshihikari and Hokkaido Nanatsuboshi cooked in French mineral water – in the Kamameshi rice claypot that concludes the procession of savoury dishes. This trout reaches fresh water just as spring breaks, and is prized for its pretty pink scales and refined yet fatty flavour.
Other prized seasonal seafood that diners can expect to savour are Noresore (conger eel) sashimi, distinguished by a white noodle-like appearance and fresh, smooth taste as they slip down; briny Hotaru Ika (firefly squid), which glow blue in the water as a signal of springtime spawning; and Mirugai (geoduck). Refreshingly sweet Oomizogai (large razor clam) from Hokkaido and firm, umami Tairagai (pen shell) complete the contingent of rare but beloved shellfish.
Sea urchin is a staple of the best omakase menus, and KAPPOU MU doubles this delicacy by preparing both Murasaki Uni and Bafun Uni. The large, mildly flavoured and exceptionally creamy Murasaki (purple) variety brings lovely pale yellow and mustard colours to the counter, while the smaller, more intense and dark orange shades of Bafun Uni impart bold umami and slightly bitter notes to fine textural pairings.
Ensconced at an intimate, minimalist dining counter crafted from Japanese cypress within KAPPOU MU’s 1,000 sq. ft of calming space, diners can bond with the culinary team during the preparation of new spring creations that vary daily according to the weather and the chef’s instinct.
Armed with extensive experience at the city’s leading Japanese restaurants – including Tenku RyuGin, Sushi Nakamoto and Kashiway – the KAPPOU MU team of culinary masters embraces the traditional kappou spirit, coaxing the best from simple but spectacular produce. The in-house sommelier, meanwhile, diligently selects sake from niche producers and limited-edition bottles from top breweries to complement the fresh wonders of the land and the sea.
The restaurant’s understated floor-to-ceiling wood décor spans 1,000 sq. ft and evokes the beauty of bamboo and nature. Minimalism and the wabi-sabi aesthetic combine in flowing lines and smooth curves created by award-winning interior design studio Minus Workshop. The kappou counter is canopied by an impressive wooden structure and illuminated by soft lighting for a mood of serenity and contemplation. Motifs of kabutomushi, the Japanese rhinoceros beetle named for the helmets worn by samurai, are symbolic of the strength and spirit of the team as they work to bring joy and satisfaction to each diner.
KAPPPOU MU is located at Shop UG01-03, UG/F, H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. This haven of kappou occupies one-third of a dual-concept Japanese dining-and-imbibing destination located within the stylish H Zentre, sharing an elegant entrance and reception area with lively contemporary gastrobar room 3.
It opens from 12 noon to 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Monday). Last booking for lunch is 1:45 p.m. and dinner begins promptly at 7 p.m. Diners are requested to arrive within 15 minutes of their reservation time, or their booking will have to be rescheduled.
