A Hong Kong Feast with Flair: Our Latest Visit to The Seafood Guy by 1998 Cafe
Published On Monday 24 Nov 2025 by Sticky Beak
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Some venues are synonymous with a certain dish and, for me, nothing says The Seafood Guy By 1998 Café more than their super-scrummy HK French Toast. The original has Peanut Butter at its heart (with lashings of Golden Syrup and Butter), but there’s a just-as-tasty new kid on the block: Chocolate Lava French Toast – more on that, later.
Located in a pretty central spot (on Castle Boulevard), there is plenty of on-road parking to be had and, on this occasion, The Man managed to snag a spot close by the 1998 Café. There was a fab buzz in the venue from a mixture of Europeans and Oriental folks, all keen to grab a tasty bite or two. As well as iconic sweet favourites from Hong Kong, Chef/Owner Johnny Tam serves up a multitude of fresh meat, poultry and fish dishes and, if they were going to be as delicious as last time we visited, our tummies were in for a treat.
Having got us settled in at our window table, our lovely server took our drinks order (Coke for me, bottle of Asahi lager for His Nibs), returning shortly with them. To kick our meal off we ordered Takoyaki (£9.50) and Japanese Gyoza with Chicken (£7.90), sniffing at passing dishes appreciatively whilst we waited.
We weren’t waiting long, and eagerly tucked in to the pair of laden plates. Served in an enamel dish, the balls of shredded Octopus were lovely and crispy on the outside, with soft, fragrant inners that had a gorgeously creamy texture. A punchy Garlic Mayo and sticky sauce had been drizzled over the tops of the Takoyaki, with a sprinkling of Bonito flakes (dried, smoked, fermented Skipjack Tuna) for some serious umami vibes.
No less impressive were the Gyoza; their ‘pastry’ outers were gossamer thin, so during the pan-frying and steaming process they gained their distinctive crisp bottoms and soft tops. The filling of Chicken and Vegetables was marvellous, flooding our palates with taste, with even more flavour coming from the soy-based dipping sauce. Both starters had been plentiful and piping hot, with a pretty garnish on each for presentation purposes.
With our clean plates cleared away, our server asked if we’d like our mains straightaway or if we’d prefer a rest? Needless to say, we said that we would happily continue our feasting uninterrupted! Both The Man and I had chosen new dishes on the 1998 Café’s menu: pan-fried Pomfret Fish with Black Bean Sauce for me (£21), and Applewood-smoked Lamb with Cumin (£18) for Him. For an extra £4.50 each, we added portions of Egg-Fried Rice to accompany our meals – it transpired that, actually, one portion would’ve been more than enough for us to share.
Johnny clearly knows that we love a bit of table theatrics, so came over to serve our mains himself. His Nibs’ Lamb and Cumin dish was served under a cloche that, when removed, spewed aromatic Applewood smoke from its confines, letting it drift across the table – very impressive. Johnny also provided drama with my Pomfret; as soon as the thick, veg-pimped sauce hit the cast iron skillet all manner of acoustics rattled around the space, causing other diners to turn and see what was happening. Along with the sizzle was a whole host of mouth-watering aromas, and I couldn’t wait to get stuck in!
Rather than fry the Pomfret as one whole entity, Chef had removed smaller fillets, then battered and fried them individually before replacing them, jigsaw-like, to re-form the whole ‘fish’. Visually, brilliant and, happily, every bit as delicious. Contained within the sauce were Black Beans, Green Peppers, and Onions…along with some sliced, fresh Red Chilli that was giving all the fire feels! The Black Beans were wonderfully earthy and umami, complemented by the lighter notes of the fresh veggies and the sweet Pomfret. This was a real pleasure to eat, and I’d certainly have it again with no hesitation.
Across the table, The Man Bird was chomping merrily away at the chunks of beyond-tender Lamb, remarking on how soft and juicy it was. Partnering the meat were softened cubes of Potato zhuzhed with rich hints of Cumin, giving a rather nice ‘bounce’ to the flavour profile and pairing with the Lamb flawlessly.
Humble rice can make-or-break a meal, believe it or not – if you’ve ever had sub-par rice, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Here at the 1998 Cafe in Nottingham, you don’t have to fret: each and every time, the grains are fluffy and perfectly done – not soggy or hard. Ribbons of sunny-hued egg yolk ran through the pale rice, adding a delicate creaminess that enhances the rice’s own character. I had the genius idea to move the Pomfret carcass to another plate and then mix the remaining rice in with the Black Bean Sauce that I hadn’t scooped up with my fish. Trust me, this was a glorious pairing.
For dessert, I ordered the Hong Kong French Toast V.1 (£6); His Nibs decided to try its cousin, The Chocolate Lava French Toast. If you’re a dentist, you might want to skip this final bit of the review – it’ll trigger you!! For the rest of you, this is sweeter-than-sweet comfort food: fried, egg-dipped bread filled with smooth Peanut Butter and then absolutely smothered in Golden Syrup and a hefty knob of Butter that melts all over to provide an alluring gloss. This makes your teeth tingle with the sweetness, but honestly, it’s worth it. The Chocolate Lava version is slightly more forgiving to the teeth…but probs not to the waistline! Gorgeous eggy bread is filled with a Malty/Chocolate spread and then topped with indulgent Chocolate Powder to form a lake that oozes over the sweet treasure when you cut into it. As a fully-paid up member of the sweet club, His Nibs says that fellow chocoholics will love this.
As always, the service was second-to-none; that trademark Hong Kong warmth makes the whole experience. Hot Wings very happily given to this amazing Nottingham eatery! I should mention the retail area, too; this little haven offers all sorts of food, refreshment and utensils – perfect for time-poor multi-taskers; you can eat and shop under one roof.
The Seafood Guy by 1998 Café is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, but opens Thursday-Monday Noon-9pm. To book a table call 07311 992868 or, if you fancy eating in the comfort of your own home, hit up Uber Eats and check the menu out!
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