Yakitoritei has its work cut out in Happy Valley, where a number of impressive Japanese restaurants vie for attention. But it’s already established a reputation as a specialist in yakitori, or traditional Japanese satay grilling.

Shang Hai Brothers is perfect if you’re craving bargain Shanghainese food, though you might want to Google map it before coming as it’s not the easiest place to find unless you’re familiar with the neighborhood.

We had high expectations for Lardo’s, a restaurant that shares a steak supplier with numerous five-star hotels. After attempting to try it out on two separate occasions, only to be told it was full, it was third time lucky and we were thrilled to finally get a table.

Catch, a former Singaporean seafood joint, recently relaunched with a new menu designed for all those extroverted, weight-watching Mid-Levels types: tapas, brunch and uh, seafood.

With so many Japanese restaurants placing an emphasis on authenticity, Shiro stands out like a sore thumb. Located next to Lane Crawford, the décor is straight out of a European coffee table design tome.

Opened by the same friendly Gianni who owns neighborhood favorite Pane Vino, it’s not surprising that Pomodoro was filled with regulars on a Saturday night.

We didn’t have high expectations for YuYu. We looked down on their kaiten style of serving and the decoration just seemed a bit too trendy for serious sushi. But we’re happy to say that our first impressions were completely unfounded.

On first appearance, Nine Line—with its seductive blue lights—looks like a destination for serious oyster aficionados. But in fact, this little eatery is far friendlier than its sleek décor suggests.

One hardly thinks of Gage Street as a fine dining destination. Most of the dimly lit road is taken up with butchers, vegetable stalls and a couple of congee joints that look like they’ve seen better days.

To paraphrase Ron Burgundy, Sakaegawa is kind of a big deal, especially in this bargain-addicted town. Sakaegawa was the fine-dining Japanese restaurant at the Ritz, and almost a year after the hotel closed down, the restaurant has finally reopened in Causeway Bay.