Shikigiku is a Japanese food lover's dream. This large Japanese restaurant houses a dedicated sushi bar, a dedicated tempura bar, and a dining room area that serves kaiseki menus and teppanyaki.
Known most for its tempura, this restaurant has two locations. One is located in Tsim Sha Tsui while the other is right above the Four Seasons in IFC.
My fellow Japanese food enthusiast friend (we actually met randomly in Japan while dining at Sushi Ya) told me about Shikigiki IFC. It is his favorite place in Hong Kong for tempura. He especially likes coming at lunch because the prices are a steal compared to dinner and the food is still good.
This post will only focus on the food from the dedicated tempura bar, since I have not had a chance to dine in the other sections of this large restaurant yet.
The tempura tasting is very authentic in its choice of ingredients, preparation, and overall feel of the menu. The chef uses sesame oil and a proprietary recipe for the batter. The lunch tempura meal is especially a good value, at only HKD 480 for the entire meal. Below is a summary of all the different courses that we got from the tempura lunch tasting.
Salad
Sashimi
Tempura
Noodles
At the end you get to choose between noodles or rice. I chose soba, which was a nice, light finish to the meal.
Dessert
General Thoughts - Shikigiku IFC
The tempura at Shikigiku is very authentic and enjoyable, though not at the same level as my favorite places in Japan. The coating was still a bit greasier and less light than the top places in Tokyo. However, the ingredients were high quality and the experience was authentic. I haven't tried enough tempura places in Hong Kong to comment on whether there is a better one (there may not be).
All in all, if you're looking for a pleasant, authentic, and solid Japanese tempura experience, this is a good bet. It's also conveniently located in the IFC mall right above the Four Seasons Hotel. Come during lunch to get a really good value tasting menu. At dinner, choose one of several kaiseki meals that showcase a variety of different dishes (including some tempura!).
We ate at the tempura bar (which is fun), but if you want stunning views of the harbour, you can also sit in the main dining room.
The Tempura Bar at Shikigiku IFC Hong Kong
Level 4, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street,
Central, Hong Kong
