Shikigiku’s new tempura omakase

Shikigiku at IFC introduces a refined new tempura omakase, crafted by executive chef Masahiro Noda to showcase the art of Japanese tempura at its most delicate and expressive. Drawing on traditional techniques and an unwavering focus on seasonal ingredients, the menu offers a nuanced progression of textures, temperatures, and umami-rich flavours, all encased in the lightest golden batter.

Among the standouts: shirauo (whitebait) layered with rich mullet roe and the bright green lift of kinome, offering a crisp bite that lingers with herbal complexity. Live shrimp arrives still sweet and tender beneath its fragile shell of batter, proof that restraint and timing are everything. Flounder wrapped in shiso leaf comes crowned with creamy sea urchin, a heady combination of fragrance and oceanic richness.

Other inventive touches include seaweed tempura topped with pomelo-zested salmon roe, a clever interplay of citrus and brine, and squid and spicy cod roe wrapped in sakura leaf, where floral perfume meets gentle heat. A rotation of seasonal vegetables rounds out the experience, each fried to preserve its peak-time flavour and delicate crunch. It’s a poised and thoughtful journey, where every bite reaffirms tempura’s place in the pantheon of precision Japanese cooking.

Executive chef Masahiro Noda (Photo: courtesy of Shikigiku Japanese Restaurant)

Tempura omakase (Photo: courtesy of Shikigiku Japanese Restaurant)

Rounding out the tempura omakase experience at Shikigiku are elegant seasonal appetisers, including pristine red tuna and ark shell sashimi, followed by a comforting bowl of Sakura shrimp with egg yolk rice, rich, savoury and deeply satisfying. For dessert, caramel-topped sweet potato ice cream delivers a creamy finale with just the right touch of autumnal sweetness.

The full experience is currently offered at a special price of HK$980 per person (originally HK$1,280), with an optional three-glass pairing of Champagne, wine and sake for an additional HK$480, curated to complement the progression of dishes. All prices are subject to a 10% service charge.

Shikigiku Japanese Restaurant (IFC Mall)Address: Podium Level 4, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2805 0600

Opening Hours: 11.30am to 3pm; 6pm to 10.30pm

To make a reservation, click here