The buzz: This sushi specialist with branches in Nagoya and Malaysia has just opened a third branch here in Bangkok, up on the fifth floor of Central Embassy. All the produce is flown in from the famous Tsukiji Market and prepared by Japanese chefs, so you can expect a pretty hefty price tag.
The décor: Beyond the attractive white, Japanese Zen-like facade, Sushi Hinata’s interior keeps to the expected light wooden vibe, with only black tables and chairs offering some variation. The restaurant was designed by the Japanese owner’s son Toyota Akihiro and its airy dining room offers a magnificent view of the British Embassy’s leafy grounds on Ploenchit Road.
The food: The menu varies between the front counter and other dining areas, where you can also opt for traditional options like tempura, plus seafood like uni (sea urchin), unagi (freshwater eel) and otoro (tuna belly) prepared in a variety of ways. The sushi is made with Japanese rice that’s less soft and moist than at other restaurants, which Sushi Hinata claims is more authentic. At the counter you can order sushi and sashimi sets served in the omakase style, selected by master Chef Yoshiki Yamada. The lunch set starts at B1,200 with appetizer, nine pieces of sushi and miso soup. As for lunch sets in the other dining areas, prices start at B700 for the assorted tempura gozen set, which also comes with five pieces of sushi, a steamed egg, miso soup and dessert. There are a few a la carte options, too, like the rover eel rolls (B650) and aburi zukushi (B600), assorted grilled sushi served with three kinds of fish. The fermented ginger, here, is wonderfully aromatic, too.
The drinks: Shochu and sake mainly, with sake sourced from various regions in Japan, like Yamagata, Niigata, Hokkaido, priced from B360 for 180ml and B1,400 by the bottle. Fruit liquor, barley and potato shochu start at B200 a glass. Japanese beers Asahi and Kirin are B150 by the glass, while it’s B120 for a bottle of Singha. A bottle of wine starts at B1,300.
The crowd: Central Embassy’s very well-heeled clientele.
