I first visited this difficult-to-book, sake-focused Japanese restaurant, Godenya, in 2022. Our friends Growing Boy and his wife “Foursheets”, who love this place, invited us to join them one day. I fell in love with the restaurant, as it really felt like I was transported to Japan for a few hours.
Last spring, we immediately jumped at the chance to return when they invited us to join them again.
Sake Adventure
Godenya is known for its sake, so enjoying their sake to pair with the food is a must. Below are the two bottles of sake we enjoyed with our tasting menu.
A Taste of Spring in Japan
We began with the eye catching, stunning ball of firefly squid, bamboo shoots, wasabi stems, and sansho leaf. Next was the (mostly) raw Sakura trout and tori-gai (Japanese cockles), served with a melange of spring vegetables and flowers, such as canola flowers, urui (a mountain vegetable), ostrich fern “fiddle heads”, and beans.The soba dish also included ice fish (shirauo), which has almost the same color and texture as the noodles (except for those tiny eyes!). It’s topped with karasumi and deep fried tempura butterbur scape.We each got half a shrimp scampi, served with a sauce made from sakura-shrimp. On the side, a few pieces of “udo” (Japanese mountain asparagus), white asparagus, and broad bean. Next was a seaweed broth served with a massive fish cake made from Tai fish, fish roe, kegani (crab) served with a cherry leave and blossom for the sakura cherry blossom season.Bryan’s favorite! Abalone and abalone liver sauce! This version also included mountain yam, morel mushrooms, and pine nuts over rice. Next up, a perfectly grilled piece of Kinki-fish in a seaweed broth with onion and Brussels sprouts.Somen noodles with sakura shrimp.Finally for dessert, an interesting combination of caramel ice cream, panna cotta, brownie, and strawberry topped with a sweet apple sake poured on top!
General Thoughts – Godenya Hong Kong
Going to Godenya is like flying to Japan for a few hours. You really feel like you’ve entered another world. The chef is Japanese, the ingredients are mostly Japanese, and the whole environment feels like Japan. The food is excellent, and I’ve enjoyed every single meal I’ve had there.
I am posting this a bit late – almost a year since I had the meal. I’m very thankful that my dining companion, Growing Boy, so diligently writes up all his meals in a very timely fashion. Reading his post of the same meal helped me remember my own impressions as well.
I do highly recommend this restaurant! It is a slice of Japan right inside Hong Kong!
Godenya Hong Kong 182 Wellington Street (upper G/F) Central, HONG KONG