dbHK eats: TokyoLima

All the fun of Peru wrapped up with a Japanese approach to detail with expertly crafted cocktails and dishes. dbHK found an exhilarating hotchpotch of Peruvian and Japanese influences at the newly opened TokyoLima.

The concept: Nikkei cuisine (Peruvian/Japanese hybrid dishes) teamed up with the easy-going atmosphere of an izakaya, with an enviable sake list and a plethora of cocktails to keep you going until late into the evening. TokyoLima is the latest venture from Manuel Palacio and Christian Talpo of Pirata Group, the brains behind Spanish gin palace, The Optimist and Italian vermouth retreat, Pirata.

The décor: It’s a cavernous place, for one, and so rare to find in Central these days. Private rooms, low lighting and vintage furniture all add to the feeling that you’re not really one of Hong Kong’s busiest districts at all and solemn black and white photos keep watch over diners as they sling back Pisco Sours with gusto.

The cocktails: The lissome Isabella Vannoni, Pirata Group’s bar manager, takes us all the way from Japan to Peru with hearty cocktail creations such as the Sake Martini – a mix of Takizawa Tokujo sake, lemon infused vodka and orange blossom water, the Melting Maiko with rum, matcha, coconut milk and lime juice, and her beautiful Pisco Flower made with Pisco, Momotoro peach liquor, St. Germain, lemon juice and ginger ale.

For lovers of sake, there is also an extensive list (with tasting notes to guide you through), from the full-bodied and earthy flavours of Junmai to the delicate and smooth tones of Daijingo.

Bucket list: Because everything tastes better served in a pail – TokyoLima’s inimitable Pisco Sour

The food: The menu is divided into Small Plates, Raw & Seared, Sticks, Nikkei Sushi and Larger Plates. Marinated raw fish is definitely having a moment in Hong Kong with poke places cropping up everywhere – like Pokemon in fact. However, Native Peruvian chef, Arturo Melandez has taken a Nikkei classic, the salmon tiradito and cured it with tiger’s milk – the seafood-infused drained liquid from making ceviche – nuanced with passionfruit and topped it with salmon roe (ikura), avocado and fansi noodles which was easily one of the best dishes going.

Elsewhere, the ‘Ki-Mo-Chi’ fried chicken was just the right balance between crunchy outer and tender inner and the Kabocha & Choclo (Japanese squash and Peruvian corn) along with Heirloom tomato and feta was a riot of flavours, with a harmony between the earthy smoked corn and creamy feta. Even though a combination of small plates are meant for sharing – as everything is these days – and will probably be enough, it’s worth plumping for a Big Plate such as the tender grilled black cod with an umami, lemony hit of the citrus miso glaze.

Verdict: Just even saying its name sounds fun, with the juxtaposition of two very sexy cities and TokyoLima is doing something very bold indeed in a place like Hong Kong where there are already plenty of excellent Japanese eateries and well-executed cocktail bars. The boys (and girl) at Pirata Group have certainly mastered the art of blending two very different but complementary cultures together – not easily achieved in over-saturated Hong Kong.