Honmono Sushi is a Japanese restaurant on level 5 of Central Embassy, opened by chefs Bantoon and Boonthham in 2009 according to its own menu. I walked over from my office near Central Chidlom for a weekday lunch with a colleague in September. This post covers the tempura set I ordered, the side-dish deal, the second helpings of rice and miso, a drink that is not part of the set and what lunch for two cost.

Getting To Honmono Sushi At Central Embassy

My office is right next to Central Chidlom, which connects to Central Embassy, so it was a short walk. The restaurant sits behind a glass front on level 5 under its name in Japanese and English. The branch opens daily from 10am to 10pm with last orders at 8.30pm. We walked in at lunchtime without booking.

The glass front of Honmono Sushi in a mall, with its name lit in Japanese and English above the dining room and a menu board at the door.
Honmono Sushi on level 5 of Central Embassy.

The menu says the restaurant brings in ingredients from Japan five times a week and seasons its sushi rice, grown in Niigata, with akazu, a red vinegar.

The Tempura Mori Set

I ordered the Tempura Mori Set at ฿270: three tempura prawns, a piece of sea bass and three pieces of vegetable, with rice, miso soup and a dipping sauce with grated radish. I loved it. The batter comes out lacy and crisp, which is how I like tempura.

Three tempura prawns in a lacy, crisp batter piled on paper on a dark plate, with a lidded miso bowl behind.
The Tempura Mori Set, ฿270.
Tempura pieces of fish and vegetables on paper on a dark plate.
The fish and vegetable tempura from the same set.

My colleague had the Salmon Teri Don Set at ฿300, grilled salmon on rice in a stone bowl set on a wooden tray.

A fillet of grilled teriyaki salmon on rice in a stone bowl on a red wooden tray.
My colleague's Salmon Teri Don Set, ฿300.

Three Side Dishes For ฿150

With any set you can add three different side dishes for ฿150, which works out at ฿50 each. I picked the tonkatsu, the ebi tempura sushi and the baby scallop yum. I count it as a hack: the tempura sushi is a whole extra tempura prawn for ฿50, while the tonkatsu adds protein that goes well with a second bowl of rice. My colleague took the ebi tempura sushi too, with the izumidai sashimi and the salmon skin salad.

Two plates of tempura prawn sushi rolls topped with salmon roe, spring onion and sauce, with a prawn tail at one end.
Ebi tempura sushi, a whole extra prawn for ฿50.
Slices of pork tonkatsu with a dark sauce on a speckled rectangular plate.
The tonkatsu side.
Cubes of baby scallop in a spicy orange dressing on sliced onion in a speckled dish.
The baby scallop yum.

Second Helpings Of Rice And Miso

What I like most about Honmono Sushi is that you can ask for more rice and miso soup once you finish the ones in your set. As far as I know you get one more of each. I have always been too full to ask for a third.

The miso is unusual: salty and close to red miso, which I love. My colleague did not like it.

A black bowl of miso soup with wakame on a placemat printed with the restaurant's logo.
The miso soup, salty and close to red miso.

The table also gets rolled towels, a starter of edamame with fried strips and slices of melon at the end, all at no charge on the bill.

Edamame pods and golden fried strips on a black oval dish.
Edamame and fried strips to start, at no charge.
Slices of green melon on a black dish with a small fork.
Melon to finish, at no charge.

A Drink That Is Not Part Of The Set

When a staff member asked whether I wanted my green tea hot or cold, I assumed it came with the set and chose cold. It did not. My colleague also ordered a set and had no tea at all, which is when I found out. The bill shows the cold green tea at ฿65, so decline if you only want water.

What Lunch At Honmono Sushi Cost

Lunch for two came to ฿935 before charges: ฿300 and ฿270 for the sets, ฿300 for six side dishes and ฿65 for the tea. The 10% service charge and 7% VAT took the bill to ฿1,100.50. That was better value than Shichi, close by at Central Chidlom.

Is Honmono Sushi Worth It

Yes, especially at lunch. The tempura set is the dish I would point you to, with the tempura sushi and tonkatsu on the side and a second bowl of rice. For more Japanese food in Bangkok, read my posts on Hokkaido Restaurant Genshiyaki and Hitori Shabu. For other places to eat, start with our Bangkok guide.