Sushi Saito

• Exclusive and Intimate Seating: Sushi Saito Hong Kong has an extremely limited seating capacity with only 8 seats at the sushi counter, creating an intimate dining experience that is very difficult to book. Due to social distancing, sometimes only 6 seats are available, emphasizing exclusivity.

• Meticulous Ingredient Sourcing and Preparation: Chef Takashi Saito personally handpicks the seafood daily at Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, which is then flown to Hong Kong the same day to ensure ultimate freshness. The sushi rice is sourced from Akita and Nagano and cooked with spring water from Kagoshima, combined with a special vinegar blend unique to Sushi Saito.

• Signature Sushi Technique: Chef Saito’s sushi style is noted for its "al-dente sour rice" and a unique nigiri forming technique that cannot be replicated or written down. He uses a light touch to form sushi so it holds together but scatters perfectly in the mouth, a method based on his own senses and sensitivity rather than a fixed recipe.

The most honored or signature ingredients at Michelin-starred Sushi Saito in Hong Kong include:

• Premium cuts of fish from Tsukiji Market: Chef Takashi Saito personally selects the freshest and most coveted fish daily from Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, flown directly to Hong Kong. This guarantees exceptional quality and freshness, foundational to the Edomae-style sushi served.

• Rice from Akita and Nagano: The sushi rice is sourced from these regions and cooked with spring water from Kagoshima. It is then dressed with Chef Saito’s signature mild red vinegar, creating a perfect balance of flavor and texture essential for sushi.

• Red Sea Urchin (Aka-Uni): This ingredient is prized for its delicate sweetness and absence of bitterness, considered one of the best sea urchins available in Hong Kong. It is used in sushi to deliver a creamy, umami-rich taste experience.

• Kyushu Conger Eel (Anago): Grilled to perfection with a uniform brown sheen, this eel offers a melt-in-the-mouth texture and comforting flavor, often featured as a signature piece in the sushi omakase.

• Futomaki Roll Ingredients: The signature rolled sushi (futomaki) showcases a complex combination of ingredients such as karasumi (dried mullet roe), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), kanpyu (dried gourd), tiger prawn, monkfish liver, abalone, tuna, mushroom, egg, conger eel, cucumber, and radish. This roll highlights Chef Saito’s knife skills and mastery of layering flavors and textures.

These ingredients reflect the restaurant’s dedication to tradition, quality, and balance, making Sushi Saito a pinnacle of Edomae-style sushi craftsmanship in Hong Kong.