Having walked by The Wellington at least once a day for the past two years (when I begrudgingly worked out at California Fitness [before it went bankrupt]), I actually never knew that URA Japanese Delicacy was in that building. Having gone unnoticed for so long, when I did her about it, I decided to give their modern Japanese cuisine a go. You can expect a lively bar (and outdoor covered beer garden!), comfortable and spacious dining area, and sleek decor at URA.
Vibe At URA
When I was there for dinner on a Tuesday night, the bar was surprisingly packed with people slugging back pints of beer. Thankfully, we were seated in another area of the restaurant for dinner, which was much quieter. URA also has a hidden outdoor beer garden that would be perfect if you wanted to take your drinks to a more secluded spot.
Starters
Osaka Style Egg Sandwich (HK$68)
Inside the Osaka Style Egg Sandwich (HK$68)
Charcoal Grilled Minced Chicken & Prawn Skewer (HK$48)
Though I found it slightly odd to order eggs as a starter at dinner, I loved the Osaka Style Egg Sandwich (HK$68) from URA. A light and fluffy egg with truffle inside, sandwiched between two thick pieces of toast.. so simple, yet so good. While I appreciated the presentation of the Charcoal Grilled Minced Chicken & Prawn Skewer (HK$48), I couldn’t quite get over the little pieces of chicken cartilage that ended up in my mouth after each bite. Apparently keeping those little crunchy bits inside is a very common thing (but not to this expat), for reasons I have yet to understand.
Mains
URA Sashimi Set (HK$188)
A5 Kagoshima Wagyu Steak & Sea Urchin Rice (HK$438)
If you don’t mind having everyone else in the restaurant turn to your table to ogle at what the waiter has put down, then order the URA Sashimi Set (HK$188). Though it appeared to be massive, there weren’t as many pieces of sashimi as you may think. That being said, the sashimi was incredible fresh and it was certainly good value. URA’s most Instagram-worthy dish is the A5 Kagoshima Wagyu Steak & Sea Urchin Rice (HK$438), so we had to give it a try. The dish is certainly impressive in appearance, however, if you’re not an uni-lover, this dish won’t leave you wanting more. While I certainly liked the dish – the wagyu was incredible and the soya sauce was the cherry on top – I thought it was rather pricey given the size of the dish (and, perhaps, because I’m not a massive uni fan).
Dessert
Matcha Bavarian (HK$68)
To finish off our meal, I had the Matcha Bavarian (HK$68), which was smooth, creamy, and full of flavour despite its small size. The matcha here is definitely “real” and not like the fake-tasting matcha drinks and desserts you may find at other shops around the city.
Verdict
While I can’t say I was head over heels for URA Japanese Delicacy, I did enjoy my meal there. The vibe is both fun and chill (the perfect people-pleaser), the food is presented well, and you can tell that the ingredients are all of high quality.
URA Japanese Delicacy
2/F, The Wellington
198 Wellington Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel: 2111 9381
