When BEDU announced its closure earlier in the summer, hearts were broken across Hong Kong’s foodie contingent. It is rare for independent restaurants to survive, and thrive, in Hong Kong, and this closure stung especially hard.
As Gough Street continues to survive in unique ways, emblematic of the border area of Sheung Wan and Central, the space that BEDU left, confident and ever approachable, was bound to be filled by yet another independent venture. This time, Mt. Yotei’s new concept Kyanbasu comes forth.
Different from the original Causeway Bay-based lamb grill restaurant, this new restaurant focuses on lamb yakitori, possibly one of the first to ever focus on one single meat in the city.
I went to check it out for a Tuesday dinner. Our meal begins with the lamb tartare (HKD158), a dish that will undoubtedly attract diners to start their lamb exploration but doesn’t quite hit right on the palate. Compared to beef, the raw lamb doesn’t possess a strength to it, requiring one to mix together the sancho pepper, plum, and radish together to muster some taste.
What follows shows greater strengths to Kyanbasu. The broth-forward lamb soup with croaker fish dumpling (HKD138) kickstarts your lamb journey properly. Stewing lamb chunks until they disintegrate into a consume of sorts, you are getting a real taste of lamb: gamey, boney, and soothing down the throat. The lamb spring roll (HKD78), designed to dip into a buttery & herby sauce, also boasts of fatty lamb flavours.
The lamb yakitori bites continue in the meal as sticks of juicyness are brought to our table. The lamb neck (HKD42) kickstarts the sticky affair with a base flavour for the lamb expected for stage two of the dinner. However, salt is needed to amp up the irony flavour.
Both the lamb front tongue and lamb middle tongue (HKD78) offer a bounce in texture for each bite, another way to inject a squirt of fat in one’s mouth. The chicken skin gyoza (HKD48) is a glorious menu item that brings together plump bites of both chicken and lamb in a soft bite. It is a salty and juicy explosion.
Up next comes pigeon, showing that not everything has to be lamby at Kwanbasu. The dry-aged pigeon breast (HKD98) is smokey, vegetal, and full of iron flavour. It cleanses the palette from the fat of the lamb, whilst the dry-aged pigeon leg (HKD98) focuses solely on the firm meat.
As the meal comes to the end, we are treated with the two best dishes on the menu: dry-aged lamb shoulder rack (HKD198), served with a garlicy, salty, and slightly spicy dust to clean the plate, and lamb cha siu (HKD238).
Expensive, yes, but worth it, the dry-aged lamb carries a prolonged flavour shared in the other lamb yakitori items, but distinct in this cut. The aroma is stronger and hits harder.
The lamb cha siu could deserve its whole 600-word-long review. Similar to a pork cha siu, the meat and fat ratio is perfect to allow for a savouring of its indulgent and smoky meat. I wish the dish was served with a wasabi-forward sauce, instead of a sweet one, because it has the potential to be a 10/10 dish.
Our verdict of Kyanbasu by Mt. Yotei
As sad as I was for BEDU to leave us, Kyanbasu by Mt. Yotei confidently takes its place and with Japanese swagger. Their dry-aged lamb yakitori and plates meet on the palate with strength. Not gamey, but robust with a heavy meaty hit.
Note: you kinda need to enjoy lamb and gamey flavours if you are to try this joint.
Kyanbasu by Mt. Yotei, G/F, 40 Gough Street, Central, 2893 2238, book here
| Order this: lamb tongue, lamb cha siu, dry-aged lamb rib, pigeon breast Menu: tasting menuKyanbasu by Mt. Yotei review: where powerful lamb bites take the show in Central Price for two: HKD400 – HKD600 | Atmosphere: same as BEDU, it is cosy without being too exclusive Perfect for: Japanese food-lovers eager to move away (temporarily) from yakitori |
This review is intended to offer an individual perspective on the dining experience and should not be considered as a definitive judgement of the restaurant’s overall quality or reputation. The views expressed in this review are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions of Foodie.
