The Place
Chef Carlos Sotomayor (previously of elEfante and UP Shanghai) is the man behind the menu at owner Justin Xu’s High Yaki The Sea. This new spot is the seafood-centric sister to the Japanese yakinuki restaurant that bears the same name, High Yaki, and izakaya Hundo – predecessors that both place a stronger emphasis on land rather than sea dwellers.
READ MORE: A Day Trip to Tokyo at Yakitori and Yakiniku Joint Hundo
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Whereas High Yaki and Hundo are overtly Japanese in style and kitchen design, High Yaki The Sea ties together a blend of Western cooking techniques with splashes of Japanese, Thai and Southeast Asian flavors – noted in the additonal presence of a Combi oven and Salamander broiler rather than just the binchotan charcoal-grill that sits as the focal point for Xu’s other two restaurant kitchens.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
The 50-seater venue was outfitted by MTM Design, the same agency behind High Yaki and Hundo, along with other well-known Shanghai venues like Heritage by Madison, el Willy, and Tomatito.
Similar elements – charcoal-burnt wood-paneling, contrasting surfaces of concrete, marble and brass, and prevalent earth tone hues – share the same vein, yet High Yaki The Sea has its own distinct identity – a sort of edgy, modern elegance, less assertive than its forbears.
The Food
The menu is manageable in size, consisting mostly of small plates – sashimi, sushi, cold and hot one-to-two biters – with a few mains and rice-based dishes to fill you up when your wallet can’t take anymore.
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The dishes are too playful to follow the rigid rules that define a traditional omakase meal, but involve enough high-end ingredients to garner a price tag above your average izakaya, allowing High Yaki The Sea to sit at the cross section between these two types of meal experiences.
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Beginning with a trio of stacked Tuna (RMB 78/piece), three slices are layered atop one another in an ombré assortment ranging from the leanest cut – akami – to the fattiest, charcoal-licked otoro tuna belly that melts on the tongue.
A lingering heat owed to freshly shaved horseradish root whets the appetite for what else is to come.
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Delicately tart passion fruit jelly forms a cushion around cubed Scallop (RMB90), while a crown of salty roe beads adorns the top. The scallop is seared in a traditional Japanese style, directy on the binchotan hot coals, but only on one side to preserve the raw scallop's natural sweetness.
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Forget your post-dinner smooching plans after even one bite of the onslaught of raw onion salad that lurks beneath the Kingfish (RMB78). Twirls of fish encase seemingly an entire freshly shaved onion, its sharpness mellowed by a sweet bell pepper glaze.
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Gunkan sushi – a typical steamboat style of sushi where a ball of rice serves as a base, topped with nori and layers upon layers of ingredients – is a unique element of High Yaki The Sea's menu. But, in the case of the Amaebi Sushi (RMB72/piece), the rice is skipped and the crisp flake of shiso tempura acts as a scooping vessel with a triad of shrimp, scallop and buttery uni stacked atop it. The seafood is dribbled with just a hint of soy sauce, wasabi and roasted sesame so its inherent flavors secure the leading role as star of this one-bite show.
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Masculine peat-like smoke pairs with earthy black truffles from Yunnan in the Beef Tataki (RMB118) – thin ribbons of smoked Wagyu M5 Tenderloin drizzled in truffle ponzu and sesame oil.
Paper-thin shavings of truffle and garlic crisps add a refined oakiness to contrast the warm buttery beef.
Snapper Tartare (RMB88), Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Wasabi-laden coconut cream soaks the Flat Lobster (RMB128); alternating dots of chili and chive oil add both bright and spicy kicks to the most well-rounded dish on the menu.
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The added hit of smoky char paired with a generous sprinkle of shichimi togarashi spice gives the Smoked Squid Wings (RMB48) a meaty quality, tricking diners’ brains into thinking they’re eating tender strips of beef rather than springy cephalopod tentacles.
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Floating in a white wine frothed cream sauce, the cumin heavy Spice Crusted Sea Bass (RMB188) bathes with poached clams and green garlic.
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Beyond usual suspects for mains like fish and lobster, there’s large portions of familiar meats with no frills. Just done right.
Smoked USDA Shortrib (RMB650), slick from its own juices after roasting for three days, is crusted in a black pepper rub. The sour pop from house-made burdock, mushroom and daikon pickles served on the side help break up the richness of fatty morsels.
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The Snow Crab Head Stone Pot Rice (RMB398) has already garnered quite the following, with its tomato-based broth that results in a cross between a creamy risotto and a paella with crisped rice edges that has been baking all day.
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The majority of the seafood is locally sourced, inspired by meals consumed by the owner and consulting chef’s recent trips to Ningbo and Zhoushan. The goal is for Chef Carlos to overhaul the menu every 2-3 months, keeping it engaging for repeat customers.
Ume Highball (RMB55), Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Drinks are unquestionably Japanese – highballs, umeshu, shocho and yuzushu, plus Shanghai Love beer, a few basic cocktails and a broad wine list by the bottle.
The Vibe
You’ll find this seat-coveted seafood spot in the new Hengshan 8 development, a complex that leans more lifestyle – galleries, fashion venues – rather than F&B-centric. Yet, High Yaki The Sea fits right into that, with its alt-chill hip hop playlist, well to do clientele and douyin-able menu that begs to be sea-n.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Price: RMB400-1,000
Who’s Going: Well to do Chinese and expats, the foodie contingency, those craving all things seafood
Good For: Celebratory dinners, treat-yourself moments, alternating protein and highball-loading
Festive Set Menu
High Yaki The Sea is offering a splurge-worthy festive set menu on December 31 for RMB2,288 per couple, including two complimentary glasses of Champagne Delamotte. The regular a la carte menu will also be available on that date.
Treat yourself this season with nothing but the best – after surviving 2022, you deserve it.
See a listing for High Yaki The Sea.
[Cover image by Sophie Steiner/That's]
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