To dine at Kashiwaya Hong Kong
 is to taste the seasons of Japan, especially Kansai, the region where the original three-Michelin-starred kaiseki restaurant is based. Whichever of the three menus you choose, you’re offered ingredients at their peak, flown in directly and worked on meticulously and with incredible skill and creativity. In autumn, you might find the likes of mackerel pike, gingko nuts and baby taro, the latter simply and perfectly steamed, skin on, to be eaten by hand–the skin simply falls off at the slightest touch. Kaiseki is often misinterpreted
 as a formal, rigid style of dining, bound by immutable tradition, but Kashiwaya shows that one can respect the traditions–for instance, the ordering of courses–without being encumbered by them. Diners are encouraged 
to touch, smell and admire
the abundance of sensory experiences nature brings, and,
if you sit at the counter, you
 have the additional pleasure of witnessing chef Atsushi Takahashi diligently, joyfully putting those ingredients together. While 
wines are available, the sake 
list is much more interesting, often featuring seasonal 
limited releases, in addition to established favourites.

Tatler Tip

Smaller groups can opt to sit at the chef’s counter or in the main dining room; there are also private rooms for up to 6 people.