Walking into Ore-no Kappou, guests will get the sense of being transported to Ginza, where the restaurant originates, even though in reality they've just shot up the newly renovated California Tower in Lan Kwai Fong. Designed by Japanese firm Yosei Kiyono & Yo, the interiors feature cool wood tones and touches on themes of earth, paint, paper and ink. Seating, while closely spaced together, adds to the jovial atmosphere. A standing room-only area with high tables allows guests to mingle over a drink or two, and quickly finish their meals before continuing on a night on the town.

Inspired by Tokyo’s Ginza Okamoto, which serves award-winning kaiseki cuisine, Ore-no Kappou aims to serve food at a similar quality, but at a more affordable price point. There is a convivial vibe here, thanks in part to the izakaya-style atmosphere. To start, the green salad provides a fresh bite that aids in whetting your appetite, served with a fragrant miso dressing; there is an extra feel-good factor here, with organic romaine lettuce used in the dish. The bukkake udon is also a crowd pleaser, with chilled noodles mixed with a hot spring egg, spring onion, and a chilled soy soup; the udon remained firm, offering a gentle springy texture with each bite. Less successful was the chilled soba with karasumi; we found that there was too much of the cured mullet roe included in the dish, making it overly salty. The buttery grilled cod marinated with miso, which was gently cut with our forks, was an elegant presentation of quality ingredients cooked to correct doneness. For dessert, we recommend the caramel sherbet – a creamy and smooth blend with an intense presence. The pineapple crème brûlée is also a must-order, with the pudding itself prepared within a cross-section of pineapple, delicately enhancing the aroma of each ingredient. To get the most out of this dessert, servers will gladly help to cut up the pineapple to accompany each spoonful of crème brûlée.

There is a good selection of wines available here, encompassing both old and new worlds, with most bottles priced between HK$150-HK$500. Wines by the glass range from HK$50-HK$100 each, and bottles of sake representing various regions in Japan can be had for less than HK$500.

Service with a smile is abundant here, with staff providing the expected high level of service found throughout Japan. Servers gladly provide food suggestions, and are keen to offer assistance in splitting dishes to share amongst your group.

A filling meal for two including drinks come to approximately HK$600, which we find to be great value for money with the high quality of food, friendly staff, and jovial atmosphere.