Ronin

This restaurant is easily in my list of most memorable places visited. From the Yardbird group, Ronin, an Izakaya style modern Japanese restaurant, located at On Wo Lane in Central offers the best fresh food based on availability for that day.

The place is hard to find. The entrance looks like this:

Unassuming entrance devoid of any sign of commercial activities

Upon entering, you will be greeted by 14 SEATS (yes, only 14 so better reserve in advanced through seats@roninhk.com. Walk-in is not recommended.)

Interior looks very modern

Cozy place

Picture before dinner

We did not really know what to order, so we allowed the waiter to help us out. He was insisting that it was more of a Japanese whiskey bar but we had to skip because of my hyperacidity.

See those alcoholic beverages all the way to the end?

Appetizer: Bamboo and Pili Salad: SCENSATIONAL

He started us off with this nice appetizer. Refreshing, tasty, light. Everything that an appetizer should be (not the usual greasy, oily that after devouring you're already full).

Nice, refreshing taste, to excite the palate

yuzu citrus impact coming from the zest and the juice
that distinct fish sauce to taste
crunchy bamboo (more like singkamas or turnip texture)

Salad: Bamboo Salad with Mandarin and Fennel : SCENTSATIONAL

This salad signals that the best is yet to come. Continuing the zesty citrus taste of yuzu through mandarin slices, you are treated with a wonderful mouthfeel of crunchy bamboo and toasted rice (pinipig). It is also a way to introduce the main entree with the use of fennel. I have to say that fennel + mandarin combination is unique.

Continuation of the refreshing zest from mandarin but with fennel and toasted rice (pinipig)

cooling & refreshing
citrus + spice (ala-anise) explosion in the mouth - this is the scentsational mouth feel referred to
Bamboo = labanos (radish) minus the awful smell

Entree: Flower Crab with Uni : SENSORIAL OVERLOAD!

THIS IS THE BEST THING HERE! Combination of flower crab and uni gives you that satisfying creamy, fatty mouthfeel. They are already both yummy individually. But to mix them is actually death. WHAT A BIRTHDAY TREAT!

SENSORIAL OVERLOAD MEANS DEATH BY PLEASURE!!!

that seafood crab smell mixed with uni creamy mouthfeel
citrus + sweet mandarin to counter the taste overload
bamboo to give texture to the otherwise soft crab meat and uni

Entree: Grilled Grouper with Fennel Salad : SCENTSATIONAL

Nothing special with the grilled grouper as it taste like any other grilled fish. What sets this apart is the strong fennel scent that goes well with the grilled/smoky and fishy note

Grilled Fish With Fennel Intensity

grilled fish meat
smoky
fennel (ala-anise impact)
On pickled papaya-like salad (atsara)

Entree: Kagoshima Beef with Egg Yolk and Shitake SENSORIAL OVERLOAD!!!

Another one for the books. What a wonderful dish! I swear! Thinly sliced soft, raw Kagoshima beef on a bed of shitake mushroom and that teriyaki sauce very common to Japanese cuisine topped with Egg Yolk and garlic chips

I died with this. I really did.

raw beef
creamy egg yolk
sweet savoury salty teriyaki sauce
shitake smell
slices of leeks
garlic chips

Entree: Unagi Rice with Kinome : SCENTSATIONAL

According to the waiter, dinner is best ended with rice. So we ordered rice. With unagi. With kinome. Kinome is like Szechuan pepper that is strongly aromatic with cooling minty notes but has the spicy bite. Cool and spicy, unlike other peppers, which are warm and spicy.