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If you’re a fan of Shiro’s inventive sushi creations, there is reason to rejoice – the popular Pacific Place restaurant has welcomed a new sister location in Tai Kwun! Helmed by executive chef Tatsuya Iwahashi and executive sushi chef Jeff Ko, Shiro Central is poised to become a darling of the Aqua Restaurant Group portfolio, showcasing innovative cuisine that draws inspiration from Japan’s vibrant food culture.
Tai Kwun is, on its own, already rich in heritage, and its collection of 16 historic buildings within the complex each carry their own tales. Shiro’s new restaurant location in Central finds itself in the two-storey Armoury, looking out across the Parade Ground. Built in 1925, mounted guards commandeered the structure during the Japanese Occupation to use as stables, and later, the Armoury housed the traffic division of the Central police. After Tai Kwun reopened to the public in 2018 following a major revitalisation, the space was home to Aaharn, David Thompson’s Michelin-starred Thai restaurant, before giving way to the Armoury Terrace bar, and now finally, Shiro Central.
Shiro Central brings to Tai Kwun all the things that cemented Shiro Admiralty as a firm favourite among patrons. Its picture-perfect crystal sushi – featuring flavoured jelly layered atop fresh fish and rice – is certainly a must-order, and comes in various configurations, including fatty salmon with mint and sake jelly, botan ebi and avocado with ponzu jelly, and scallop and caviar with kimchi jelly. Chef Iwahashi adds to that his saikyo-style grilled black cod – tender texture elevated through a rich marinade of miso, mirin, and sake.
New to the menu, the bluefin tuna and seared salmon with maitake, soba and tofu salad, grilled wagyu beef horaku-yaki served on a hot plate, and the vinegar-cured shime saba with yuzu shiroita-konbu sushi all make their debut at Shiro Central, complementing existing dishes that seamlessly demonstrate Shiro’s contemporary Japanese dining concept. Between a wide selection of snacks and cold dishes, a generous range of creative sushi and classic sashimi, skewers from the robata grill, tempura and hot dishes, noodle and rice dishes, and desserts, diners will be absolutely spoilt for choice.
Compared to Shiro Pacific Place, Shiro Central exudes a more upscale, intimate feeling. With a semi-private dining space accommodating up to eight guests, sushi counter seats, indoor and outdoor tables, as well as omakase options available, the restaurant is suitable for casual catch-ups, business lunches, happy hours, romantic dates, and weekend indulgences. If coming for dinner, start at Shiro Bar with a hojicha highball before moving into the dining room to enjoy a tantalising meal featuring the finest and freshest produce.
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