Pirata Group’s new casual sushi restaurant is urban, fun and with hipster vibes incorporated throughout
There is no shortage of new sushi restaurants in Hong Kong, and Pirata Group is joining the fray with recently opened Honjo , and TMK, its sister restaurant with a different vibe. Essentially, it’s a modernised all-day-dining sushi restaurant with pop culture weaved through every element.
Taking the space above Honjo, TMK is short for Temakeria—the name referring to its USP of serving mostly temaki handrolls. Guests enter the restaurant through a narrow flight of stairs leading up to the mezzanine floor. The punk rock-themed restaurant looks dingy at first, but improves as you pass the escalator, spilling into a room of numerous bar tables equipped with high stools. Several tables line the perimeter of the room, but it was the tight seating arrangement that made the bar area the best seat in the house with a full view of rolls made prepared to order.
We began our meal with Iberico kushikatsu, where four skewers of Iberico pork were deep-fried until golden-brown. The cubed pork was succulent and juicy, and we loved it particularly with the spicy dipping sauce with a hint of sweetness from pineapple. Kaarage, or Japanese fried chicken, was done well, as the lightly floured chicken thigh pieces were boneless and tender. We do find them best with just a simple squeeze of lemon. Wagyu tataki was served with a calamansi-soy dressing, a South-East Asian twist from the Japanese ponzu. While the beef slices were browned on the outside and rare within, they were over-seasoned as the meat slices were bathing in the dressing. A little more of calamansi’s tartness would make a better balance to the cold starter.