Celebrity-endorsed sushi restaurants may be few and far between in Asia and unfortunately, expectations usually surpass the reality of the experience. Thankfully, Sushi Ta-Ke is a masterclass on how to do sushi right. Located on the twelfth floor of Cubus, a building on Hoi Ping Road in Causeway Bay that is filled with high-end restaurants, Sushi Ta-ke’s dim lighting and dark, minimalist interior provide a tranquility rarely found in sushi restaurants in Hong Kong. The restaurant is dominated by the main sushi bar while a private dining room with its own sushi bar lies at the back of the venue.

Seasonal seafood is at the top of the agenda at Sushi Ta-ke, with esteemed sushi master Mamoru Sugiyama personally responsible for hand-selecting the freshest ingredients from Tsukiji market in Tokyo every morning before they are flown out to Hong Kong on the same day. The chefs are supremely knowledgeable about the produce on offer and are perhaps some of the best sushi chefs in Hong Kong to interact with. While offering all the classics, Sushi Ta-ke is a great place to discover new sushi you wouldn’t ever have previously dreamt of enjoying, such as the tiny baby white shrimps that are only in season for two weeks out of the year or an absolutely delectable salmon roe that, unlike many others, have never been frozen and are house-marinated. Sushi Ta-ke is not the place to order your usual salmon and eel sushi; instead order either omakase or a deluxe assorted sushi set, which can be tailored to fit your general preferences while opening your eyes to the sheer diversity of the oceans. The night we visited, we were blown away by a kampachi (amberjack) topped with monkfish liver, a piece of line-caught aji (horse mackarel) belly; and some of the freshest saury we’ve yet tasted. For landlubbers, another highlight is the exquisite grilled A5 wagyu steak from Kagoshima: Sushi Ta-ke sources a cut from near the shoulder, which is perhaps less densely fatty than others but more deeply flavourful. However, the portion is more than generous: for those who prefer just a taste, do keep in mind that half portions of the beef are available. A bowl of the splendidly light and refreshing inaniwa udon makes for a perfect accompaniment and the meal should end with the yuzu sorbet, a citrusy and fragrant light end to a wonderful meal.

An impressive list of premium junmai daiginjyo, ginjyo, plum wine and shochu makes up the bulk of Sushi Ta-ke’s wine list. The list is helpful with the origins of each wine clearly labelled, as well as tasting notes. Unusually for a Japanese restaurant, the selection of wines made from grapes are is relatively extensive, with big names such as Chateaux Margaux and Haut Brion from Bordeaux; popular choices such as Cloudy Bay and Penfolds; as well as more unusual options such as an Aruga Blanca Clareza from Japan.

Staff here are knowledgeable and attentive without being overbearing. Tea is constantly refilled without being intrusive and the staff-to-diner ratio is perfectly adequate.

Good sushi isn’t cheap in this town but Sushi Ta-ke is a ringing endorsement of getting what you pay for, and the sushi here is every bit as good as it proclaims to be. A meal for two with a deluxe sushi set (nine pieces of sushi plus a hand roll), a hearty portion of wagyu and sake should come to just over HK$2,000.