Hong Kong: Ritz, Japanese Udon

One of the things that really stood out to me during this trip to Hong Kong is the rise in small individual restaurants along the Fortress Hill / North Point area. It’s merely been a two-year gap or so since I last returned, and I was thrilled to see this. One of these new establishments that really impressed me is Ritz.

Ritz is a Japanese restaurant nearby City Gardens. It is a family-run business and has this small cosy vibe & setting. I first came across them over a foodie magazine on social media, emphasising its high-quality hand-pulled udon noodles and seafood, also more specifically for its Crab Udon which has been sweeping social media.

Here is what we ordered:


Crab Meat & Roe Sauce with Inaniwa Udon (HKD$158)

Image of a bowl of Udon Noodles in Crab Meat & Roe Gravy at Ritz

Upon serving, a strong swift of crab aroma filled our table. The dish was presented very nicely, with a swirl of udon tastefully placed in the centre over the crab mixture.

The crab mixture was very rich and extremely flavourful. It’s thick and luscious, and carried across incredibly well with the hand-made Inaniwa udon.  Every bite was an explosion of crab flavours that danced on your palate. The intense and rich flavours were mainly contributed by the generous amount of crab roe, where all the flavour essence is concentrated at. When it’s at a fresh quality and incorporated with fresh crab meat, it immediately sends you straight to crab heaven.

In addition, the Inaniwa udon was a huge delight to pair with the crab sauce. Inaniwa udon is one of the top udon types in Japan. The udon at Ritz was made so smooth and hand-pulled to an al dente texture. All in all, I would most certainly recommend this dish to everyone. If you worry about cholesterol though, then stay away from this!

Charred Giant Langostino Prawn with Inaniwa Udon in Shrimp Bisque (HKD$138)

Image of a bowl of Langostine Prawn Udon Noodle Soup at Ritz

After the hype from the first dish, this one continued to live up the expectations. Firstly, the dish was very visually pleasing. Two beautifully halved Langostino Prawns were elegantly presented, and topped sweet corn and asparagus.

The Langostino Prawns were grilled very nicely and carried a good touch of sea salt. The most impressive part though ought to be the soup/broth. It was an absolute winner. Not only was it very warming, but it also has a rich taste of the sea. It’s so flavoursome and played out exquisitely on the palate. You can tell it’s homemade and incorporated lots of fresh ingredients in it. The flavours were more general seafood-based rather than hugely prawn-concentrated, which makes it tasted clean to the palate.

Towards the end, I even tried mixing in some of the remaining crab sauce from the Crab Udon dish into this seafood broth. Oh my, that was absolutely sensational.

Grilled Sea Salt Korean Oysters (HKD$52)

Image of a plate of grilled oysters at Ritz

Apart from the two noodles dish, we also ordered a little dish of snack on the side. We went for the grilled oysters, which was also featured in the food magazine.

There were 3 pieces of oysters per serving. They were cooked with a simple touch of sea salt and a good squeeze of lemon. The oysters were decently meaty and cooked just right. They didn’t have a fishy taste at all and were definitely well executed. I really enjoyed the fresh delicate flavours from the oysters, which wasn’t overpowered by any other sorts of flavourings.

In summary…

…I feel Ritz is such a gem within the area. It’s not as crowded as areas like Causeway Bay / Central / Kowloon and offers a pleasant welcoming dining environment. Great quality of food with a cosy environment that’s accompanied by warming smiles, Ritz has most definitely made my day and is one of the highlights of my Hong Kong trip.

RATING:
  • Food
  • Value
  • Atmosphere
  • Service
4.4

Halal Status

Ritz does not serve halal meats. Seafood and vegetarian options are available.

Please double-check with staff on the use of alcohol for certain dishes.


Tel: +852 2388 8143

Nearest MTR station: Fortress Hill

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