Exquisite Japanese Gastronomy Debuts in Tsim Sha Tsui’s Fashionable H Zentre with the Opening of KAPPOU MU

Hong Kong | KAPPOU MU, an exquisite Japanese gourmet experience that reflects the essence of traditional kappou cuisine. The newly opened dining haven occupies one-third of a vibrant 3,000 sq. ft dual-concept Japanese dining-and-imbibing destination located within Tsim Sha Tsui’s stylish H Zentre, apace with sister venue gastrobar room 3.

To celebrate the grand arrival, a 10% discount on all food and drinks at both sister locales can be enjoyed from today to 31 January 2023.

Divided into various intimate aesthetic spaces, KAPPOU MU and room 3 share an entrance and reception area distinguished by a coal black stoned pathway across a dark-green floor. Bamboo reflections and a Japanese pendant lamp invite contemplation.

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Beckoning invitingly to the left of this elegant lobby is the airy, minimalist, wood-clad environment of KAPPOU MU. The central attraction is the serene kappou counter crafted from Japanese cypress – a wood traditionally used for shrines and valued for its natural fragrance and antibacterial quality – where up to 14 diners and the chef bond over the culinary art of kappou.

The word ‘kappou’ means ‘to cut and to cook’, and simplicity and beauty abound in the preparation and serving of a one-of-a-kind meal featuring the freshest produce from the seas and grasslands of Japan. The kappou master is also a skilled communicator and a showman, transforming a multicourse meal of seasonal specialities into a relaxing gastronomic adventure that sates the palate and soothes the soul.

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At KAPPOU MU, the culinary indulgence spans a lunchtime set menu priced at HK$780 per person for 9 courses or HK$1,080 for 12 courses, and a lavish dinner menu at HK$2,180 per person for 15 courses. Dishes vary according to the season and are guided by the weather and the chef’s instinct.  Diners may expect an appetiser, sashimi selection, a succession of dishes highlighting different Japanese cooking techniques – from stewed and simmered to grilled and deep-fried – then tempura, a rice course and dessert. The culinary team’s artful skills in niru (simmering), yaku (grilling), musu (steaming) and ageru (deep-frying) as well as nama (cutting) underline their kappou prowess.

Current winter specialities include sought-after fish, crab, shrimp and other shellfish such as hoshigatsuo (star bonito), kinmedai (splendid alfonsino), Himi kanburi (winter yellowtail), buri (Japanese amberjack), ankō (angler), Ise ebi (spiny lobster), kobako (snow crab) and Akasaki oyster, while Omi beef from Shiga Prefecture is the meaty highlight.

Seafood is flown in fresh from the famed fish markets of Japan. Aside from toro (tuna) and luscious Hokkaido Aka and Shiro sea urchin, sashimi lovers may expect a rare feast of seasonal delicacies. The rare catch of hoshigatsuo (star bonito) hails from the Kanto region and is regaled for its black-dotted belly, pale red flesh, and a chewy texture and taste reminiscent of fatty tuna from the same fish family.

Kinmedai are aged for 2 to 3 days to yield mild, fatty, umami sashimi, while Himi kanburi – fish weighing over six kilograms plucked from the icy waters of Toyama Bay using fixed nets and sold at auction in Himi harbour – offer fine, round flesh with plenty of fat. The anglerfish is another Japanese winter delicacy, with the tail of this garish, large-headed fish yielding firm, sweet, nutritious meat that is rich in collagen. Akasaki oysterfrom the coastal waters of Iwate Prefecture are invitingly large, plump and flavourful.

Chilly Ise Bay in Mie Prefecture is the ideal winter breeding environment for Ise ebi – hailed as the most tender of lobsters and served as tempura bursting with ocean flavour and aroma. The star of the traditional kamameshi (kettle rice) dish that follows is another luxury catch, seasonal sea catches such as Hokkaido snow crab and Ezo abalone are whipped up with a secret broth on a glossy, textural bed combining two iconic Japanese rice, Hokkaido Nanatsuboshi and Uonuma Koshihikari

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Omi beef, the pride of the imperial capital, is presented in various ways including the house signature of deep-fried Omi rib-eye cutlet whose special preparation renders the top-grade A5 rib-eye meat delightfully crispy and succulent. Unique among Japanese black cattle, the cows bred in Shiga Prefecture, east of Kyoto, enjoy free-grazing in a tradition that extends back more than 400 years. Once enjoyed by the shoguns of ancient Edo, Omi beef is now among the country’s top three wagyu, with beef exports rationed to 6,000 head per year to maintain exclusivity and sustainable supply. Infused with umami goodness, the sweet meat boasts a high amount of healthy monounsaturated fat.

KAPPPOU MU is located at Shop UG01-03, UG/F, H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong and is open daily from 12 noon to 3 pm and 6 pm to 10 pm.  It will close for the Chinese New Year holiday from 22-25 January 2023.

For reservations, please call (852) 6617-6602.

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Facebook: www.facebook.com/kappoumu/

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