Weekend brunch at Zoku at The Hari Hong Kong - review

Jul 20
2 min read

In search of a tranquil Saturday, Ifat Kafry Hindes and husband sat down to a leisurely brunch in Wan Chai

Ifat Kafry Hindes and husband toast with champagne at a round table in Zoku Japanese restaurant at The Hari Hong Kong, smiling in a leather booth with warm wood shelves.

Weekend brunch at Zoku at The Hari - the Saturday brunch is an elegant escape from busy family weekends

Earlier this year, Hong Kong’s The Hari hotel launched two new Saturday brunches at its restaurants, Italian-inspired Lucciola and Japanese Zoku. In need of a brief pause during the busy-ness of school summer holidays, myself and my husband accepted an invitation to try Zoku’s weekend offering as a perfectly timed opportunity.

It was our first time dining at Zoku, located on the second floor of the plush Wan Chai hotel. The stylish, sophisticated space meant we left the frantic pace of Wan Chai at the door, immediately shifting into a lower gear. Two-and-a-half hours passed so incredibly quickly but we enjoyed every morsel and felt we’d really enjoyed a break. (Although we were craving child-free time, it's worth noting that the restaurant is welcoming of family groups and has a child-priced brunch menu for five to 11 year olds).

The brunch begins the casual, izakaya way with ‘otoshi’, or small snacks, followed by a delicious premium ‘irasshaimase’ (welcome) platter of assorted sashimi and a selection of yakitori and makimono skewers and rolls. While the standard brunch package comes with a great selection of house red, white and sparkling wines, we opted for a sparkling tea instead. This was off-menu, but the team was so kind and accommodating, swiftly swapping out the standard options for us.

Assorted grilled yakitori with glazed vegetables and meat on a black tray, warmly lit on a brunch table at Zoku at The Hari Hong Kong.

Weekend brunch at Zoku at The Hari - the yakitori selection was delicious

For the main course, you can choose from an assortment of contemporary Japanese dishes. Highlights include hamachi kama (grilled yellowtail collar with a smooth, sweet potato foam), chargrilled lamb chops with black garlic, and a rich truffle yaki soba with a luscious Japanese egg yolk. If you want to treat yourself further, you can upgrade to the robusutã tsukemen (lobster tail with Okinawa soba in a spicy prawn soup) or the A4 Miyazaki wagyu steak.

Definitely save room for dessert because it rounds everything out perfectly. The shū kurīmu (a white chocolate and matcha puff) and the salted caramel sando with chocolate cookies were delectable.

If you’re looking for a sophisticated brunch in a gorgeous setting, Zoku is such a treat.

The details

When: Saturdays and public holidays, midday to 4.30pm (last orders at 2.30pm);

Price: $628 per adult and $488 per child (five to 11 years);

Drinks: The brunch includes a 90-minute free-flow package of soft drinks, juices, coffees, teas and house wines (and don’t hesitate to ask about the sparkling teas!);

Upgrade: For an additional $368 per person, enjoy two hours of free-flow Perrier-Jouët Brut champagne and Gassan Junmai Hooujun Karakuchi sake;

Dining note: Menu items change seasonally and all fish and seafood are carefully sourced from regions free of import restrictions.

Zoku, The Hari, 330 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai; 2129 0388.