Ikoi Japanese Restaurant

On a Sunday evening we found ourselves at Ikoi, a Japanese restaurant on ground floor of Hotel Miramar. Same as all the other patrons on the night, we were there for its buffet.

Within two hours, we could order anything on the buffet menu, which included sashimi, nigiri sushi, maki sushi, deep-fried and grilled items, rice, noodles and some side dishes such as salads. The extensive drink menu included Japanese beers, sake, cocktails, juices and soft drinks. Just like the desserts, they were not included in the price of the buffet.
There were a few complimentary dishes, the first one being the salmon sashimi seasoned with a light soy-based sauce. Miso soup was not presented in individual portions, but in a pot still boiling above a burning candle to be shared between the two of us. The fat from the salmon was released into the soup, which was too oily for my taste. After the candle burnt out, globules of fat was floating on the surface, which was not a pretty sight. We were presented with a second rather salty soup, which was served in a teapot with a lime for seasoning. With all the other delicacies from the menu waiting to be ordered, we pretty much left the soups untouched. 

While there were not many different types of sashimi available, what they offered was fresh and delicious. The tuna and salmon were thick, tender and sweet and the cuttlefish was crunchy. The snapper (not photographed) was sliced so thin that it was transparent.

We ordered tempura of prawn, eggplant, mushroom, cuttlefish, fish, lotus root and onion. Comparing to their sashimi the tempura was a bit disappointing. The batter was not crispy enough and the prawn was mushy. Whiting tempura tasted like the kind of soggy battered fish that would be served with chips. The lotus root was cut too thick, making it hard to eat.

Yakitori was juicy and the sauce was a nice balance between sweet and savoury. But W complained that it lacked the smokiness from the grill.

We did not manage to try many side dishes as we were too full from having sashima. The cold udon was silky smooth and slightly springy, despite being soaked in the dipping sauce. 

The seating was quite cramped and not very comfortable as waiters tried to squeeze between tables and chairs throughout the whole night. Most of the dishes we tried were mediocre, with the exception of the sashimi and sushi. Do not expect to have an abundant Japanese feast here but for $45 I am not complaining. 

Ikoi Japanese Restaurant
#01-01 Hotel Miramar
401 Havelock Road