Restaurant Review: New Saturday Sessions at Zuma

By: thisgirlabroad

  They say that good things come to those who wait - unless brunch is involved! Japanese restaurant chain Zuma seems to think so anyway, and the recent launch of its new Saturday Sessions means that we no longer have to wait until Sunday to hit the feast and free-flow. So could this be our new favourite brunch spot? Food blogger thisgirlabroad tells us the score.

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The Venue

Zuma is a well-known restaurant chain found in various large cities throughout the world, so it’s no surprise that it hosts one of the most popular Sunday brunches in Hong Kong. Thankfully, Zuma now offers its Saturday Sessions; a different take on their Sunday brunch with an emphasis on cocktails and sharing platters. For only $450, you can sip on an array of drinks and eat a satisfying amount of Japanese food for 2.5 hours, while listening to Zuma’s in-house DJ spin some awesome beats. Zuma’s Saturday Sessions happen on their top floor, which has more of a bar-feel with high tables, a large central bar, and a large DJ booth. While we did like the buzzing atmosphere in Zuma, the long tables make it slightly difficult to socialise if you’re in a larger group. The drinks list is quite extensive and unlike your typical boozy brunch in Hong Kong, where you are only offered house wines, prosseco, and/or beer - yay for lots of cocktails! Our waitress took the time to point out some of their best selling cocktails, which did in fact turn out to be our favourites on the list.

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Food & Drinks

Shortly after our first drink arrived (we began with the Japanese Margarita: olmeca blanco tequila, yuzu shochu, yuzu, dehydrated yuzukosho) a bowl of edamame and pickled vegetables were brought to our table. Edamame is always a winner in my book, but we felt that the pickled vegetables were more of an acquired taste. As the drinks kept flowing, the three starters arrived, consisting of steamed baby spinach with sesame sauce, seared salmon with lime shiso and soy sauce, and a green salad with barley miso dressing. Our favourite was the salmon, which was light, fresh, and the soy sauce complimented the flavour without overpowering it. After yet another cocktail – we went for the Lillet Spritzer (another favourite of the day) which was composed of lillet blanc, peach liqueur, citronella, prosecco – the mains started to come out. Our first main sharing plate was a giant sushi platter, which stood tall in the center of the table, while fast chopsticks and hungry stomachs quickly devoured the delicious maki and nigiri pieces. Next up was a massive robata platter consisting of beef skewers, chicken wings, salmon teriyaki, grilled corn, mushrooms, and asparagus. Each skewer was marinated and barbecued to perfection, leaving us duly satisfied. Thankfully, dessert consisted of only a seasonal fruit platter, otherwise we may have had to undo a button or two to make room for more food!

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Verdict

Overall, Zuma’s Saturday Session is well worth it. You really can’t go wrong with a top-quality venue serving delicious (but oh so dangerous) drinks and fresh Japanese dishes, along with some great music that really adds to the overall atmosphere - and had us wanting to get out of our seats and dancing! Again, we loved the wide selection of cocktails and how the food was filling, but not so much so that we were left waddling out of the restaurant. This a definite must-try if you are looking for a different spin on the typical boozy brunch in Hong Kong - and you just can't wait until Sunday! Zuma’s Saturday Sessions:  Every Saturday, starting November 14, from 2.30 – 5.00pm $450 per person, which includes unlimited drinks (cocktails, wine, beer, spirits, and G.H. Mumm’s champagne at an additional charge), and set Japanese dishes brought to your table (snacks, starters, mains, and dessert). Zuma, Landmark, Level 5 & 6, 15 Queen’s Road, Central, (+852) 3657 6388

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Hungry for more? Why not check out more of our culinary adventures in the restaurant reviews below? Bon appétit! What to Eat in Kennedy Town El Mercado Peruvian-Japanese Fusion Bistro Du Vin Ore-no Kappou The Walrus Oyster Bar