Any big fans of Japanese food here?
Well if you are, you are going to like this post, I promise you!
I don't quite remember the first time I tried Japanese cuisine but it definitely made one hell of an impression.
From the iconic sushi, fresh sashimi, tasty ramen, exotic live octopus, okonomiyaki, shabu shabu, yakitori, udon, soba noodle, mochi, dorayaki, anmitsu, or dango, Japanese cuisine isn't only about the food, but the beauty in its presentation, design and color.
Just naming these classic dishes makes me want to go out and order sushi (but I’ll finish this post first).
I'm sure you’re craving it now, too!
This restaurant is located in the heart of the rock in Sydney, Australia.
A historical colonial building that’s been redesigned into a refreshing, unique and vibrant Japanese atmosphere.
Once you step in, you’re effortlessly immersed into a contemporary Japanese vibe; the interior is dark, intimate and, as one probably anticipates, very Japanese.
After just moments of scanning the menu I knew exactly what to order.
A few starters followed by one or two main courses to share. The key word is share. You know why?
Sharing is caring, of course. Plus this way you get to try a little bit of everything. Just how I like it!
We started off with an essential and symbolic dish: cold, spicy and salty Edamame.
This was followed suite by Hirasama Kingfish topped with coriander, infused sweet ponzu, lime and Jalapeno Kosho. This one was amazingly delicious!
Up next was one of my personal favorites, a platter of exotic and reputable aphrodisiac-like oysters in wakame dressing, shisho salsa and spicy ponzu.
A plate of grass fed Beef Tataki with tomato and garlic chips, topped with a lovely ginger soy dressing had my mouth watering.
And for our last starter we decided on the Nori Crips which was a mix of tuna, Kingfish, togarashi in a light and tasteful sesame oil dressing.
We weren't done yet.
We went on ordering the crispy skin chicken, which came with perfectly cooked udon noodles, algues, shimeiji mushroom in a lemon teriyaki sauce, as well as the steamed prawn dumplings accompanied with a fruity flavored salad.
Each plate was thoughtfully presented and seasoned to its perfection.
We slowly sat back in our chairs knowing we both wanted to finish this incredible meal with a small treat.
You already know... it was time for dessert!
I'll be honest with you guys. I am not quite the dessert person, but after looking over my shoulder to our neighbor's table we had to.
This dessert will literally blow your mind. Oh! And your diet.
Enter the famous mystical Dragon Egg.
The shell of the egg is made with delicious Valrhona French white chocolate (which means you can literally eat everything!) that is melted by a hot and sweet caramel coulis which uncovered an inside filled with toasted chocolate crumbs, passion fruit and mango curd, as well as a touch of raspberry jelly.
If you like sweets this dessert is definitely for you.
As for me, it was way too sweet for my taste but it didn't stop me from diving in and grabbing a few spoonfuls to savor the mixture of flavors.
We slowly sat back upon realizing how much food we had.
It took us a few more minutes before we had enough will power to get out of our chairs and head home, bellies full of goodness.
This restaurant is totally worth it. Book a table with few friends, wear something nice and enjoy some Japanese sake!
乾杯! Kanpai!
