Disney's new character

Wong pursues fusion and flavor as he develops new menu items, including new oyster and shrimp dishes that will be coming soon to his Haiku restaurant, and the "all kinds of eggs" salad that's become a best-seller at Hatsune.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Arrival in Beijing

His timing in China was good－he arrived in Beijing in 2001, when the city's restaurant scene was just taking off.

"I saw something missing right away－the sushi I grew up eating in Sacramento restaurants" he says. "So we were the first restaurant here to be serving spicy tuna rolls and California rolls. Now we are the most copied restaurant in Beijing."

He pays close attention to detail when visiting one of his restaurants, but he says no one in his kitchens will panic when the boss shows up to chat about food and service. Wong's big grin has become familiar to thousands of local diners, and that personal touch is one reason readers of the Beijinger magazine have named Hatsune the city's best Japanese restaurant for the 13th year in a row. They also named Wong "restaurant personality of the year."

Wong himself is always eager to reach across cultures.

When asked to name something interesting he's seen on the food scene lately, his face becomes slightly dreamy.

"You won't believe－imagine this: Foie gras, with some cotton candy fluff wrapped around it. It might sound weird, but it was good."

That may be what got Wong experimenting with his miso soup－the version he's planning to add to his Haiku menu arrives at the table in a coffee cup, frothy thanks to the savory addition of foie gras. (It's good.)

Wong's sense of adventure continues after working hours. He grew up a competitive snowboarder, and he still races his motorcycle－in fact he's heading to the US state of Texas in Austin this week to compete at a racetrack there.

"I've quit playing golf," he says. "I get busy for a few months with my restaurant and I've lost a few strokes. But I can get on my snowboard or my bike and be right back at the level I was.

"If you can't do something at your best level," he says, "I don't really want to do it."

Contact the writer at michaelpeters@chinadaily.com.cn