After conquering Tokyo and London, master sushi chef Mitsuhiro Araki landed in Tsim Sha Tsui—where he’s not afraid to explore the unknown
Chef Mitsuhiro Araki is the only Japanese chef to attain three Michelin stars in both Tokyo and London with his hyper-local approach to sushi making. Since his 12-seat counter The Araki arrived at Hong Kong’s House 1881 in December, he’s become the city’s most in-demand dinner date for all the dish on fish.
What are some dishes you have created with local ingredients?
A starter of slow-cooked fish maw and bird’s nest with Japanese dashi, full of collagen and unctuous umami, topped with tender slices of succulent abalone. We kombu-jime (press in slices of umami-rich kelp) the hata (yellow skin tiger grouper) for a couple of hours and serve as sashimi. We also serve local red snapper as either sushi or sashimi, depending on their size. We’ll scald its skin with hot sake, then marinate it in red vinegar.
How well does Hong Kong seafood fare on a sushi menu?
Hong Kong used to be a fishing village, so these traditions are still deeply embedded in the cultural DNA. If you pay attention and look around, you’ll find gems. And it’s not like the catch is from Victoria Harbour. They’re mostly sourced from the South China Sea, 14 miles offshore, where it’s super clear and clean. The wet markets here are most impressive with their array of live seafood. I mean, it’s all just frozen dead fish in London’s seafood markets.
I was rather excited to find so much live shako (mantis shrimp) around. You won’t find live mantis shrimp in Tokyo anymore, even though it’s a traditional edomae topping. I’m also pleasantly surprised to find kasugo (young sea bream) all year round here, as it’s only available in Japan during springtime. It’s got such a delicate texture, with good umami from the sea, it only requires slight salting and curing for its fat content. Same with sardines. They have so much flavour—not to compare but it’s better than Japan’s. Twenty years ago, dolphins used to come around, and sardines are their favourite food, so you know the sardines here are of good quality.