Chako: chef Suzuki serves up memorable Japanese dishes at this Wan Chai restaurant

Chako is a new neighbourhood Japanese restaurant serving aburi oshi sushi and yakitori, hidden away on the second floor of J Residence, in what was the original spot of Bo Innovation. The alfresco area is almost as big as the indoor area. Inside, you can sit at the counter or dine at a table. We loved the yakitori, which chef Suzuki grills using binchotan – white charcoal created from ubame oak that burns without smoke or scent.

We started our meal with a dish of warm, spicy edamame and chargrilled edamame (HK$48 each), which we enjoyed as they were different to the usually plain edamame snack. This was followed by an assortment of skewered yakitori. Our favourite was the chicken thigh (HK$32) grilled in what tasted like teriyaki – delicious! We also liked the chicken, oyster and kidney small bites (HK$35 each). The hanger beef with wasabi (HK$48) was tender and tasty, and the bacon tomato (HK$35) was sweet and smoky.

The aburi oshi sushi was another winner. It was flame-seared to create texture. We also tried salmon with jalapeño (HK$68), which melted in the mouth while the jalapeño added a slight kick. The mackerel with yuzu miso (HK$68) had a stronger taste, the yuzu balancing the strong flavour of the mackerel and nicely complementing the warm vinegar rice. The ebi truffle mayo (HK$98) matched shrimp with black truffle mayonnaise; although tasty, the truffle overwhelmed the delicate taste of the shrimp. We also tried the sweetcorn butter soya (HK$58) – a lightly fried pancake-style dish which was pleasant, and kale with a sesame sauce which was also a winner.

We ended the meal with a delightful A5 Wagyu sukiyaki with a runny quail egg enveloped in the meat and rice, and a warm home-made chicken soup thickened with rice broth.

Chako

2/F, Shop 13, J Residence, 18 Ship Street, Wan Chai, 3590 2465