Posts tagged Japanese

Tenkomori, Sydney CBD

Review July 22, 2015 1 Comment

You know how some brands have a luxury line and a everyday line, but basically sell the same thing? Like Lexus and Toyota, for example, are owned by the same parent company, and on a smaller scale…

Menya and Tenkomori.

In fact, Menya, Mappen, Oiden, Tenkomori, Chanoma and Dera Uma are owned by the same people, and they specialise in bringing you quick, tasty food in a no frills sorta way.

In other words, self service is pretty much the name of the game.

But before you start thinking you’ll have to slum it like a budget airline, the Menya group of restaurants have been pretty good at serving up tasty, value-for-money food. Especially in the CBD. I’ve long been a fan of Mappen and their $5 udon bowls, so it was good to have a look at what Tenkomori had to offer.

I’d previously been quite unimpressed with Tenkomori – the ni-tamago didn’t hold the sexy ooze that it was meant to, and the sides were all rather uninspiring. Mind you, I went on opening day, which carried with it all the teething prolems, but is a runny yolk really too much to ask for?

I can’t comment on the yolk this time because I chose to get something else, but I’m happy to report that the new menu items – like the Cold Chilli Pork Noodle with Sesame sauce (pictured above) were moreish and delicious. Al dente noodles and tangy sauce, savoury pork mince with my favourite onsen egg? Yes please!

The ramen, not so much. Especially when Menya is just round the corner.

Oh and before I forget, Washoku Lovers Members get a free side dish! So if you’re a loyalty card holder like me, you’re in luck.

Now if only I can get a one stop shop for all my Udon, Donburi and Ramen needs..

Washoku Lovers is a free membership programme that gives you perks to many Japanese restaurants in Sydney! We also have visited other restaurants participating in the Washoku Lovers programme, like Suminoya and Oiden! To find out more about the programme and sign up, visit www.washokulovers.com.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Tenkomori.

Tenkomori
16/501 George St
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Phone: +61 2 9266 0660
Website: http://tenkomori.com.au

Washoku Lover’s Kitchen with Raita Noda!

Review July 13, 2015

Washoku Lover's Kitchen with Chef Raita Noda

I love classes. I love Japanese food. Put me into a Japanese cooking class where I’m fed by one of Sydney’s renowned Japanese chefs? YES PLEASE.

Chef Raita Noda is the chef in the spotlight of the very first Washoku Lovers’ kitchen, which is aimed at bringing authentic Japanese food and culture into the homes of Australians, one dish at a time. Today, it’s Sukiyaki – a Japanese hotpot synonymous with home cooking and tradition, showcasing amazing wagyu beef.

So in words of Chairman Kaga:

ALLEZ CUISINE!

It all begins with the rice. Maybe it’s my Asian bias, but rice truly is a difficult ingredient to master. From the handling, to the washing, to the cooking, to the resting, Japanese apprentices can spend years only learning how to wash rice without doing any other cooking.

The secret, Chef Raita tells us, is that rice should not be washed too vigorously. You know what they tell you about washing till the water runs clear? LIES. ALL LIES I TELL YOU. You’re meant to quickly rice the rice, drain it, then massage it gently for a couple of minutes before rinsing it again. Repeat this process three times, and you’re ready to cook the rice.

Now Sukiyaki traditionally is served as a hotpot, but not content with the status quo, Chef Raita shows us how to bring it into the present by making a Sukiyaki roll!

This roll is then seared, sliced, and served with a salad of julienned leek, spring onion and green chrysanthemum leaves, to mimic the mix of vegetables in the hotpot.

And what’s a main without an entree to start?

We had heaps of fun quick-smoking slices of marinated tuna under stemless wineglasses, werking it like only Heston can.

Because you gotta use them skills to pay those bills, gurl.

The class was really informative, and Chef Raita was so endearing in his nervousness and blinged up chef’s jacket. And you know what, I walked away and made my own version of the traditional sukiyaki hotpot for dinner, so the class did what it set out to do!

Insatiable Munchies attended this Washoku Lovers’ cooking class as guests of Washoku Lovers.

Raita Noda
1/222 Riley Street,
Surry Hills, NSW
Phone: 02 8093 9807

Fill my bowl: Oiden, Sydney CBD

Review June 29, 2015

You know that stereotype about Asians never being full on rice? Well, I’ve eaten upwards of 15 plates of sushi without signs of being full, and well, whenever I’m not feeling 100%, rice is always the answer.

…or noodles. You know, carbs.

And you know what’s better than carbs? Cheap carbs! Yes. I give you permission to lick the screen. LICK IT.

Ontama BBQ Beef Don

Oiden in the CBD is basically the rice version of udon bar Mappen, conveniently located, well, right next door. It has the same system: pick a rice bowl (donburi) off the menu, then choose from a variety of sides – mostly deep fried – and they tally it all up at the counter!

Selection of Fried Sides

And if you have analysis paralysis (like me!) with too many choices, well, you can also choose the $9.90 combination of three mini rice bowls, because we have a need. A need for ~~speed~~ variety.

Curry Don

Hash Beef Don

The thing about Oiden is that it’s the very epitome of cheap and cheerful, and fast, too. It’s such a basic idea, and is a favourite with the students in the area for its value for money! I really especially like the set meals – like the mini donburi sets – that give you lots of variety, and it’s actually really decent food.

If you’re going to spend $10 at a fast food joint, you really might as well spend it here, IMO. I highly recommend the hash beef bowls if you like your sweet/savoury type flavours, or the Japanese curry for something more hearty! If you also happen to have your Washoku Lover’s Card, you also get a free refreshing honey lemon drink – and you know how I love freebies!! =)

Don’t say I’m not saving you money!

Washoku Lovers is a free membership programme that gives you perks to many Japanese restaurants in Sydney! We also have visited other restaurants participating in the Washoku Lovers programme, Suminoya like and Izakaya Yebisu! To find out more about the programme and sign up, visit www.washokulovers.com.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Washoku Lovers and Suminoya.

Oiden
Shop 12, SkyView Shopping Plaza
537-551 George Street, CBD, Sydney, NSW
Phone: 02 9267 1368
Website: http://oiden.com.au

A Zomato Meetup: Cho Cho San, Potts Point

Review June 18, 2015

What’s even better than eating out with a bunch of fellw foodies? Eating out with a bunch of fellow foodies at an event organized by a mammoth food company like Zomato.

Although, to call them a food company is provably a bit misleading. Just a bit.

Zomato basically deals with restaurant listings, and they’ve recently taken over Urbanspoon. In a friendly way. Friendly. Uh huh.

No but seriously. Zomato is live in 22 countries, and in an effort to foster the community of foodies, they organized the very first #zomatomeetup at the restaurant on everyone’s to-eat list: Cho Cho San.

The bossam menu (for groups of four or more) is simple: tender beef shortrib and steamed prawns, to be had with a battery of condiments, pickles, lettuce leaves, and white fluffy baos. Then a miso corn soup to round up the savouries, and their famous matcha soft serve to finish.

Tender Beef Short Ribs

The beef ribs, like a prized bull at a fair, was the first thing to go. Juicy, tender and gelatinous where it should have been, it held more than its own against the riot of flavours provided by the fresh herbs, sauces and pickles. And I couldn’t help but mop up all the rich jus left at the bottom of the platter with a milky white bao. Embarassing? Maybe. But it was SO worth it.

Steamed Prawns

The prawns were steamed to succulent perfection, but for the first time in my life, I have to admit that the shellfish was completely outshone by the beef. And I have a devoted love affair with shellfish, so you know how much it took for me to say that.

And with the soft white buns – I like big buns and I cannot lie – that beef made for an amazing gua bao. It nearly rivals Belly Bao for me, save for the quality of the actual buns itself. But we are veering away from Bossam territory here, in the way that a street racer goes for a joyride: at a dangerous speed but just loving that journey.

And then, all too soon, it was time for dessert.

Matcha Soft Serve

Mind you, I may not have wanted to move on because I just wanted more beef in my belly, but this matcha soft serve was solid. Heavy on the matcha flavour (like it should be) and they fill it all the way into the bottom of the cone! such a simple thing, but it made all the difference. Smooth, silky, and well, good soft serve.

But dat beef, tho’.

Fantastic variety from the team, and very well executed, even if the more gluttonous of us walked away searching for more food. Or should I say waddled? Otherwise a fantastic lunch, and of course, awesome company. Would really like to see what their regular menu is like, although I don’t know how I’d walk in and want anything else but that beef.

Dat beef.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Zomato

Cho Cho San
73 Macleay Street
Potts Point, Sydney, NSW
Phone: 02 9331 6601
Website: http://chochosan.com.au

Smoking without smoke? Suminoya, Sydney CBD

Review June 15, 2015

I love barbecue in all its forms. American, Brazillian, Chinese…and that’s just the beginning of the alphabet! But I hate actually being outside, so the solution? Tabletop barbecue – like the Korean varieties with the amazing array of side dishes- where the food comes to you.

Now there IS just one very fundamental flaw in an otherwise delicious plan: at the end of dinner, you smell like you’ve been barbecued, yourself. All that delicious smoke lingers and clings, and gets every where. It’s worse than glitter.

Enter the Japanese solution (and there’s ALWAYS a Japanese solution): smokeless charcoal.

Sumi in Japanese, refers to all charcoal, and binchotan is a white charcoal that is sold as “smokeless”. Which, is not entirely accurate, since the fat dripping off the pieces of meat still create flareups and smoke, but by itself, the light grey pieces of glowing charcoal really doesn’t seem to emit any visible trails of smoke that lovers of tabletop barbecue, like myself, are so used to seeing. So magical!

So then, what does Suminoya mean? Well, quite literally translated: barbecue house.

Barbecue Selection

Of course, we can’t be in a barbecue house without food to barbecue, and Suminoya is very conveniently offering set options that allow you to choose 2 or 3 options for lunch, with rice, miso soup, and a side salad. We chose the duck, prawn, beef ribs and skirt steak, for two people.

But wait, you might be wondering why there was a magical fourth option. Well, as part of the Washoku Lovers membership programme – did I ever mention that I’ve got loyalty cards coming out of my ears? – you get an extra option thrown in for your lunch order, for the same price! And like anyone else, I love me some freebies.

Anyhoo, the meat was deliciously tender and very lightly seasoned, which was quite surprising considering skirt steak and beef ribs aren’t known for being tender cuts of meat. There was a certain delicateness about it all, and I’m not sure how I feel about it all. The food, though cooked over charcoal, was only lightly smoky, which kind of defeats the purpose of barbecue, to an extent. The smoke really is what separates this dining option from well, having my meal cooked for me in a pan by the cook, and the lack of a more butt-kicking smoke flavour makes me wonder whether there is really more effort than reward.

Mind you, it’s still a very nice Japanese barbecue. Just a little light on the smoke scale.

Mixed Sashimi (Entree)

We also ordered the sashimi entree, because uh, I love fish. No two ways around it. The fish was fresh and well handled – what you’d expect from a decent plate of sashimi.

This little barbecue house – hidden down Hoskings Place – actually packs quite a crowd, and all my concerns about smoke aside, still allowed me to walk out with a heavy coat without smelling like a barbecue myself, and for that, I am grateful.

Now I hear that they also do an all-you-can-eat…

Washoku Lovers is a free membership programme that gives you perks to many Japanese restaurants in Sydney! We also have visited other restaurants participating in the Washoku Lovers programme, like Izakaya Yebisu! To find out more about the programme and sign up, visit www.washokulovers.com.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Washoku Lovers and Suminoya.

Suminoya
1 Hosking Place
Sydney, NSW
Phone: 02 9231 2177
Website: http://www.yakiniku.com.au/suminoya/

How to make sushi!

Food Guides May 23, 2015 2 Comments

For as long as I can remember, I’ve absolutely loved sushi. My mum held sushi making parties for all our friends and neighbours, and I had HEAPS of fun rolling these delicious bites, and eating my own work!

Rolling your own sushi can seem really daunting, but I promise you with the right technique and just a little bit of practice, you can also hold your very own sushi parties!
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Itadakimasu! Izakaya Yebisu, Sydney CBD

Review May 15, 2015

Restaurant Review: Yebisu Izakaya, Sydney CBD

Japanese “Salaryman” culture baffles me a bit. Apparently officemen work hard all day and repress their hopes and dreams, and then go out to a bar and get completely wasted!

Not a bad life, I guess.

And this where Izakaya comes in. It’s basically a drinking house where you can get food to accompany the copious amounts of alcohol. Everything is meant to be in tapas portions, because the booze is KING! Here in Australia, the portions are a little bit more meal sized to provide sustenance, and allow friends to enjoy a nice dinner together as well!

Sea Urchin and Salmon Roe on Rice, part of the Hokkaido Gozen Bento.

Beef Short Rib in a sweet soy sauce, part of the Hokkaido Gozen Bento

Agedashi Tofu, part of the Hokkaido Gozen Bento

Maki Rolls, part of the Hokkaido Gozen Bento

Sweet yoghurt, coconut jelly and cereal, part of the Hokkaido Gozen Bento

Bento boxes represent a fantastic variety of the restaurant has to offer, and here at Yebisu, it delivers more than I expected. The Hokkaido Gozen Bento had creamy sea urchin and salmon roe on sushi rice, maki rolls, salmon sashimi salad, sweet soy beef, agedashi tofu, mashed potato croquettes, crumbed crispy prawns, AND sweet yoghurt with coconut jelly. And miso soup. So many things that just wouldn’t fit in one picture. At a $29.95 price tag, this bento would actually feed 2 or 3 people easy, making this the best value for money bento I’ve seen in Sydney yet!!

The beauty of Izakaya dining is also in the variety, and besides the amazingly huge bento, there are also smaller items that you can order.

Seared Wagyu Steak

Cooked to a perfect medium rare, the Seared Wagyu Steak comes in a sizzling hotplate, with a creamy mash on the side and crispy bean sprouts on the bottom. The meat was tender, and while it wasn’t quite fatty enough for my taste, it tasted robustly of, well, beef.

Negitoro Donburi

I think I’ve professed before my absolute love for fish on rice, and the Negitoro Donburi fits the bill exactly. Minced fatty tuna (toro) is mixed with spring onions (negi) to create a comforting bowl of goodness. And I just had to count my lucky stars, because they happened to have super fresh tuna that day, from the 2nd birthday celebrations that they were having the night before! WIN WIN.

Otoro Sashimi

Of course, if you have fish that fresh, you’re going to show off in your sashimi serving too, and this plate of Otoro Sashimi was shamelessly monopolised by me (sorry Sam!). Melt in your mouth tender, with the distinct meatiness that comes specifically from tuna, this had the effect of feeling oh-so-luxurious, as well as so healthy at the same time!

Though, if fish was really as good for your brain as they say it is, I should be a lot smarter than I am now.

Of course, we can’t finish without dessert! These chewy little mochi cakes are made with rice flour, and served with a brown sugar syrup and toasted soy bean flour for a nutty finish. Best part of all, is that it’s also part of a monthly special!

And we all know I’m a chick who just loves a good bargain. And loyalty cards. I love those too.

If you flash your Washoku Lovers club, you get to order the dessert of the month for just $3. The cheapskate in me is secretly rejoicing.

Can’t make it out this month? No worries, because the $3 dessert next month are their ice cream profiteroles, which combine fluffy choux pastry, creamy ice cream, and azuki red bean paste for a veritable sugar high.

Izakaya Yebisu, I hear, is holding different specials every month, which certainly adds a sense of excitement to dining there. The lunch menu is considerably shorter than the dinner menu, but if the Hokkaido Gozen Bento is of any indication, they’ve really just crammed all the variety into a value for money set.

Now to get my hands on more fish…

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Izakaya Yebisu and Washoku Lovers.

Izakaya Yebisu
Regent Place
Shop 7-10, 501 George St
Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9266 0301
Website: http://regentplace.com.au/directory-detail.php?directoryid=30&pid=1

Kushi Kushi Koo! Osaka Bar, Potts Point

Review May 10, 2015

Restaurant review of Osaka Bar, Potts Point!

I remember when I was little, and my dad and mom brought me to Disneyland. It was late, and we had been on every ride I was allowed to go on as a 4 year old. We had met all the characters, taken all the photos, and I was hungry. My mum disappeared into the crowd and came back with a small plastic box. Inside, lay kewpie-mayo-smothered slices of California Roll.

I didn’t know it then, but that was the beginning of my love affair with Japanese food.

It’s this love affair that has brought me to Osaka Bar, in Potts Point, where Chef Kazu aims to bring Osaka soul food to Sydney. Chef Kazu descends from a long line of Japanese chefs, and began his own cooking career as an apprentice washing dishes. He then progressed to “utensil cleaner” before even being allowed to prep food. It took him 5 whole years to progress to filleting fish, and about 19 years ago, he decided that he wanted expand his horizons and see the world. And in Australia, “the people were nice and the weather was good“, so he stayed.

Osaka Bar represents a lifetime of feeding people and wanting to make them happy. Chef Kazu wants to serve food from his heart and hometown, all in a quaint eatery in Potts Point!

Okonomiyaki

Ikayaki – savoury squid pancake

Takoyaki – Japanese balls made with wheat flour, octopus and pickled ginger

Kushi Katsu

Osaka is famous for street food, and this is where Osaka Bar shines. Their Kushi-Katsu – not to be confused with Kushi Age, as I’m empathetically informed by Chef Kazu – is an amazingly addictive array of skewered items, coated lightly in a thin beer batter, and then crumbed with panko, Japanese breadcrumbs made from flaked white milk bread. The pork, tenderised only with the back of a knife, is my absolute favourite, followed closely by the melt-in-your-mouth salmon belly.

The Okonomiyaki is also delicious – a tender Japanese savoury pancake with thin crispy slices of pork, and crunchy cabbage. And lots of Japanese mayo, of course.

And if you’re too hungry for smaller bites, they have some pretty rad mains too!

Osaka Style Unagi Sushi

Lamb Cutlet with Sanjoku Sauce and Mentaiko Mash Potatoes

The Lamb Cutlets with Sanjoku sauce were served with a side of mentaiko mash, which totally stole the show. Mentaiko is a spiced and salt cured cod roe that adds this mind blowing depth of flavour to the creamy mash.

Kakuni Pork

And the rich, sweet, salty Kakuni is a tender cube of pork belly that would be so comforting with a bowl of rice. Chef Kazu even puts his unique spin on it, adding red miso to the braise to add body.

But really. It’s pork belly. We’re just improving on perfection.

Osaka Bar gives you a vibe of being welcomed into Chef Kazu’s family dinner table. This hilarious, charismatic chef is right there in the open kitchen, welcoming guests and perfecting every dish that goes out. Sure, it’s not Japanese fine dining, but that’s exactly where the beauty lies. There’s a lot of heart and passion, executed with skills that only years of experience can pull off.

Looks like we might be spending more time in Potts Point!

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Osaka Bar.

Osaka Bar
Shop 15 Llankelly Place, 24-30 Springfield Avenue
Potts Point, Sydney
Phone: 02 8970 1143
Website: http://www.osakabar.com.au/

Shiitake Mushroom Gyoza Recipe

Food Recipe April 29, 2015 8 Comments

Shiitake Mushroom Gyozas, lined up on a long plate and garnished with a miso dipping sauce and finely chopped green spring onions

Dumplings are awesome. They’re the closest you can get to creating the perfect bite, and these handy little parcels are just so gosh darned cute.

So when I made my Shiitake Mushroom Ramen recipe and had leftover mushrooms, I knew exactly what I wanted to make: Vegan Shiitake Mushroom Gyozas to go with it!
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Shiitake Mushroom Ramen Recipe

Food Recipe April 22, 2015 4 Comments

An aerial shot of the vegetarian shiitake mushroom ramen, with pickles and gyozas on the side.

I am an absolute ramen fiend – nothing beats a hot bowl of noodles and soup in the middle of a freezing winter. But most ramen broths are based in bone and meat for that intense flavour, and it does mean that my vegetarian friends often miss out on this awesome meal. But bone does add a depth of flavour that is hard to replace, so I thought to use Lapsang Suchong – a smoky black tea – and konbu – a dried seaweed – to add body to the soup.

The result is this Shiitake Mushroom Ramen that I can share with ALL my friends, and if I swapped out the egg and egg noodles, my vegan friends too!

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Tenkomori.

Tenkomori 16/501 George St Sydney NSW 2000, Australia Phone: +61 2 9266 0660 Website: http://tenkomori.com.au

Insatiable Munchies attended this Washoku Lovers’ cooking class as guests of Washoku Lovers.

Raita Noda 1/222 Riley Street, Surry Hills, NSW Phone: 02 8093 9807

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Washoku Lovers and Suminoya.

Oiden Shop 12, SkyView Shopping Plaza 537-551 George Street, CBD, Sydney, NSW Phone: 02 9267 1368 Website: http://oiden.com.au

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Zomato

Cho Cho San 73 Macleay Street Potts Point, Sydney, NSW Phone: 02 9331 6601 Website: http://chochosan.com.au

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Washoku Lovers and Suminoya.

Suminoya 1 Hosking Place Sydney, NSW Phone: 02 9231 2177 Website: http://www.yakiniku.com.au/suminoya/

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Izakaya Yebisu and Washoku Lovers.

Izakaya Yebisu Regent Place Shop 7-10, 501 George St Sydney, NSW 2000 Phone: 02 9266 0301 Website: http://regentplace.com.au/directory-detail.php?directoryid=30&pid=1

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Osaka Bar.

Osaka Bar Shop 15 Llankelly Place, 24-30 Springfield Avenue Potts Point, Sydney Phone: 02 8970 1143 Website: http://www.osakabar.com.au/

Tenkomori
16/501 George St
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Phone: +61 2 9266 0660
Website: http://tenkomori.com.au

Raita Noda
1/222 Riley Street,
Surry Hills, NSW
Phone: 02 8093 9807

Oiden
Shop 12, SkyView Shopping Plaza
537-551 George Street, CBD, Sydney, NSW
Phone: 02 9267 1368
Website: http://oiden.com.au

Cho Cho San
73 Macleay Street
Potts Point, Sydney, NSW
Phone: 02 9331 6601
Website: http://chochosan.com.au

Suminoya
1 Hosking Place
Sydney, NSW
Phone: 02 9231 2177
Website: http://www.yakiniku.com.au/suminoya/

Izakaya Yebisu
Regent Place
Shop 7-10, 501 George St
Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9266 0301
Website: http://regentplace.com.au/directory-detail.php?directoryid=30&pid=1

Osaka Bar
Shop 15 Llankelly Place, 24-30 Springfield Avenue
Potts Point, Sydney
Phone: 02 8970 1143
Website: http://www.osakabar.com.au/