Tucked away in the alley next to Shau Kei Wan’s Tin Hau Temple lies one of Island East’s hidden treasures. Sushi Zinc is a newly opened eight-seater omakase joint that serves contemporary Japanese with a touch of Italian influence. Chef Zinc Leung also uses locally caught seafood as much as possible, which means that apart from being able to sample marine flavours up and down Japan – from Oita and Hokkaido, to the islands of Kagoshima and Shikinejima – diners will also get to taste produce like grouper from the Po Toi Island absolutely holding their own next to the imported seafood. A mantis shrimp from the Ninepin Islands, delicately cooked so its roe was still runny, was the best handling of this shelled critter we’ve had to date.
Other highlights include kelp-poached Nagasaki Karen oyster with a white corn smoked cream foam and guanciale pieces; a Shima ebi shrimp tart filled with roe, tomato, and misanshou; and semi-dried mehikari grilled and served with a dab of homemade chilli paste. The meal wraps up beautifully with tamagoyaki, thoughtfully reimagined into a circular shape by Chef Zinc so everyone gets a ‘side’ piece and paired with vanilla butter, as well as a smooth little hojicha panna cotta. Lunch is available on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, and is priced at $720; the dinner menu runs from Monday to Saturday, and is priced at $2,400.