Zuma, the silkiest Japanese restaurant, bar and lounge in Central.
It’s no secret that Hong Kong has a reputation for chewing up and spitting out new restaurants and lounges at an alarming rate and yesterday’s hot opening can turn into today’s failure irrespective of the name or concept.
In fact, any restaurant that survives the platitudes of the city’s gastronomes and unyielding attention of social media generally does so on merit and merit alone. On the back of this, Zuma’s 15 years of attracting the dine and lounge set is an achievement well worth celebrating. But what’s the secret?
Designed by Noriyoshi Muramatsu of Studio Glitt in collaboration with Tokyo based design firm Super Potato, Zuma Restaurant can be found on level 5 of The Landmark in Central, while on the floor above and connected by a spiral staircase diners can discover the spacious lounge and bar.
The restaurant’s design and décor is reminiscent of a minimalist Japanese garden and features an open plan natural stone kitchen, paint-raked walls and an impressive glass-walled wine cellar with over 2,000 bottles. There’s a selection of seating choices to suit your mood and group size from the outdoor terrace with its patio furniture to the bar-style robata and sushi counter alongside a comfortable main dining space and private rooms.
It’s an easy space to unwind and the service is sharp. But when you strip away the niceties the reason it’s endured is simply down to the food. With an excellent and extensive menu, to quote an over-used cliché – there really is something to suit everyone’s tastes and appetites at Zuma.
Once seated, diners can choose from the small dishes like Suzuki no Ozashimi, thinly sliced sea bass with yuzu, truffle oil topped salmon roe, or Zuma nama yasai salad with asparagus, sweet tomatoes and barley miso dressing. The sushi and sashimi is equally as delicious and highly recommended, as is the spicy yuzu scallop roll with chopped scallop, yuzu pepper mayonnaise and yuzu tobiko. Ideal for sharing is the sashimi platter with succulent bite sized chunks served in a bowl of decorated ice.
For more hearty dishes the selection is equally as impressive. From the robata grill check out the spicy beef tenderloin with chili sesame sauce or the thinly sliced Wagyu sirloin steak with creamy ponzu sauce. For seafood lovers the Karei no Karaage, a dish of crispy fried lemon sole, is sensational.
A fairly recent development is the Baikingu Brunch, a novel take on the popular set menu. Start with a choice of wine, champagne or sake before selecting a starter from the counter. Follow this with a dish from the robata grill or open kitchen before rounding off with a Zuma dessert platter. For those who like degustation, Zuma offers a sublime seasonal choice as well as omakase – the chef’s choice.
For pre or post-dinner drink’s the relaxed vibe of the upstairs lounge is one of The Landmark’s jewels. With nightly music and a comfortable laid-back charm the lounge offers an extensive range of wines, spirits and beers enhanced with a selection of paired light bites and innovative cocktails crafted using premium spirits along with the best sake and single malt whiskies Japan has to offer.
Zuma Restaurant
The Landmark
15 Queen’s Road Central
Central, Hong Kong
T: (+852) 36576388
