The winning combination of high ceilings and breathtaking views overlooking the Victoria Harbour is a rare feature in Hong Kong. With dark timber stretching across the restaurant, you can choose from three different seating options: the interactive sushi counter, the tables parked conveniently along the windows overlooking the harbour or at the teppanyaki table. As Kaika is best known for its teppanyaki, we suggest you reserve a seat there to make the most of your trip.

While the various seasonal set menus are salivating to read and well-priced, we opted for a la carte. Though we had opted to sit at the teppanyaki bar, we were curious about the quality of sushi, so we began with a sushi platter with five types of fish. We haven’t tried seafood quite as fresh for awhile, with hefty slices of fresh fish balanced atop a perfectly sticky, vinegary rice. Next we try a signature dish, a pan-fried fois gras cooked on the teppan grill. Two rather large portions are served with a slice of pineapple to counter the richness of the liver, the juices and flavours are well-retained and the touch of flour, pepper and salt give it a beautiful seared crisp on both sides. The scallops we ordered are a must-try, cooked in butter, when served it retains the teppan heat and boasts rich fragrant flavours with the addition of a generous hand of garlic. When the tiger prawns arrived, also steeped in garlic, we realised that Kaika seems to be largely dependent on garlic – cooked in different ways – to give it its grilled items memorable flavours and kick. Garlic was again present in the thinly sliced US beef rolled with garlic and spring onions. Served to your plate as they are cooked, one of our rolls were slightly overcooked, but collectively, they are rather delectable. The beef rolls should be ordered with the garlic rice, it was one of favourite teppan dishes to watch the chef prepare. The rice is cooked with a small serving of mince, garlic chips, seaweed and sesame, then separately a bit of rice, rice water, sesame and seaweed is taken aside and cooked in an okonomiyaki–style then added back to the rice to give the dish texture. Overall, the dish is delicious, but perhaps a touch less seaweed would have been better.

While the wine list is limited, the sake list is a whole different story and impressive. With a tome dedicated to the rice wine, you’ll find a generous selection of sakes including 300ml and 750ml bottles from virtually from every sake-making region in Japan. Should you need help with your selection the restaurant manager, who also doubles as the unpronounced resident sommelier, is knowledgeable and helpful in explaining the flavours and pairings.

Where the food shines, the service lacks. While the wait staff were generally attentive and very helpful, when they took our order, our waitress seemed distracted and was having a conversation with her colleagues when her attention should have been entirely on us. At one point during the ordering process, we looked up to find that she had oddly disappeared to attend to something else. And though in general the food arrived in a timely manner, our dishes were often taken away before we finished our course.

An a la carte dinner for two at the teppanyaki with a small serving of sake is HK$2,200, however considering the ambience and the quality of food, we would say it was a reasonable well-priced meal.