Azuma Kushiyaki’s Sugar Hit offering has always proved to be one of the most popular options for sweet lovers during the Crave Sydney International Food Festival. This year Azuma has pushed the boundaries by introducing bold Japanese flavours such as yuzu, shochu, kinako and white sesame. It’s a great excuse for those unfamiliar with Japanese flavours to be a bit more adventurous with their palate. Created and designed by Head Patissier Chef Miya Matsumara, the dessert bento boxes come with a glass of Browns Brothers dessert wine or hot green tea.

The top tray contains a matcha tiramisu with velvety mascarpone, fresh cream and shochu soaked sponge fingers; a small sample of nigori or yuzu sake; sake soaked sponge bites and a handcrafted chocolate praline with a pop rock centre.

The bottom tray offers a scoop of white sesame ice cream and an anmitsu fruit salad dressed in a brown sugar syrup and topped rice dumplings (the dumplings are rolled in kinako powder, made from lovingly roasted soy beans).

Azuma Kushiyaki’s Sugar Hit is priced at $20 per person and is available from 9-11pm from Monday to Saturdays during the month of October.

Azuma Kushiyaki
Ground floor, Regent Place
501 George Street, Sydney
# 02 9267 7775
www.azuma.com.au/kushiyaki

A big thank you to Tarryn from Azuma for organising a very special preview of Sugar Hit before the mobs hit!

Sepia was at the top of my ‘to dine’ list and when that opportunity finally came around last week, I already had it pegged alongside the best.

Yet, four courses in, I got worried.

The first few courses failed to strike a chord with me, whether it was the combination of ingredients, the textures or the lack of seasoning. Starting with the amuse bouche of cuttlefish, I found it too fruity and lacking in acid.

Slow poached cuttlefish with passionfruit, baby cucumber and ton buri caviar

The oysters with rice wine vinaigrette followed and again it was too sweet and syrupy for my liking.

Rock oysters with rice wine vinaigrette

The tuna also suffered from underseasoning, the flavours were too subtle for me and the result felt muddled. My dislike of goats cheese probably didn’t help either. While the flavours weren’t quite what I expected, I was amazed by the construction of this dish – simple in concept yet unspeakably elegant

Yellow fin tuna, dashi jelly and goats cheese fromage blanc

I was also let down by the scallops, which were a little rubbery and lacked any distinct taste. The chickpeas felt misplaced among the pumpkin purée and puffed rice.

Miso marinated scallop with a Japanese pumpkin puree, puffed rice and chickpeas

The turning point of our meal came when the spanner crab risotto arrived, a dish considered by many to be among Martin Benn’s best work. It was heedy and herbaceous, with just the right balance of ingredients and flavours. The buckwheat risotto was a nice touch, adding bite and texture to the dish. I loved the little flakes of crabmeat and the foam, which turned into a rich sauce when mixed in with the risotto.

Queensland spanner crab risotto with shellfish essence and tarragon butter

The mulloway was next and the sheer presentation of the dish was enough to blow me away. As the waiter walked us through the long list of components, we were later pleased to find that they didn’t overpower the fish, rather, they formed a nice complement to the lead. It’s magical when a complex combination of ingredients such as these pay off.

Palm Island mulloway, sake infused trout roe, lemon curd, squid ink, shiso leaves and lentil sprouts

Our favourite dish of the night was the duck breast. Cooked to a medium rare, it was tender, juicy and incredibly flavourful. The sweet and sour confit eggplant was a nice addition, as was the sour cream.

Roast duck, confit eggplant, eggplant puree, honey finger lime sauce and sour cream

Next up was the venison, a protein I’ve never had before. Again, cooked to a perfect rare, the venison was tender, with a richer, more intense flavour than beef. This could’ve had something to do with the boudin noir which was quite heavy and bitter.

Slow roasted venison, boudin noir and lemon mayo

While it may have taken me a while to warm up to Sepia, our dinner did end on a high note. Before a quick palate cleanser of rock melon, coconut tapioca and lemon sorbet, we readied ourselves for the ‘Forest Floor’.

Rock melon, coconut tapioca and lemon sorbet

This spectacular Heston Blumenthal-esque creation was too special for words. On a bed of chocolate soil (it alone enough to make me squeal), lay finger lime pearls, matcha powder, blackcurrant cubes, elderflowers and candied fennel leaves which had a beautiful sweet woodsy fragrance. As you loosened the ‘topsoil’, there was a velvety chocolate ganache and lavender cream. It is the single most impressive dessert I have ever had!

Forest floor

The finale was a new dessert creation known as “Japanese Stones”. Inside each of the stones were scoops of ice cream, including cherry, coconut and chocolate. The dish was finished off with a dusting of black sesame and green tea moss.

Japanese stones

Sepia has taught me a valuable lesson and that’s to not let expectations get in the way of a great meal. Next time you’re out, leave expectations at the door and simply let the chef dazzle you with their best work.

The degustation dinner at Sepia is priced at $140 per person. A special tasting menu is also available on Saturday nights.

Sepia
Darling Park
201 Sussex Street
Sydney
# 02 9283 1900
www.sepiarestaurant.com.au

With the aim of drawing diners to what was once an empty retail space underneath Chatswood Central, Eat Street has courted the likes of Bavarian Bier Cafe, Three Bean, Crazy Wings and the tour-de-force that is Mamak.

We stopped by a few weeks ago at the invitation of Eat Street and enjoyed an east-meets-west progressive dinner at three of Eat Street’s restaurants: Bavarian Bier Cafe, Izakaya Arigato and Rocket Restaurant.

Our first stop for the evening was Bavarian Bier Cafe, which was buzzing at 7pm with a healthy crowd of after work folks. We start with beer and a pretzel – it’s the German way, we’re told. Not long after, we move onto the Bavarian Tasting Platter, which induces bouts of guilt as it drops on the table. Pork belly, schnitzel and sausages all in one heart clogging hit. But boy does it taste good – from the crunch of the crackling to the moist tender chicken breast, it’s so darn satisfying. The rocket salad does makes us feel a little better.

Next stop was Izakaya Arigato, well positioned between Bavarian and Mamak. We order a plate of sashimi and a beef sukiyaki. While the tuna is a little veiny for my liking, the salmon and kingfish are fresh and sliced thick for maximum enjoyment. The sukiyaki offers a nice mix of beef and mushroom, but is unusually spicy. We’re left a little numb and runny at the nose. Thankfully the apple sour soju soothes the fire.

Our final stop for the evening was Rocket Restaurant, which was noticeably quiet compared to the first two restaurants. We are treated to a champagne granita to start. This beautiful little refresher readied our palates for the desserts ahead, which included a mixed berry souffle, chocolate marquise and mango and raspberry parfait. The chocolate marquise was the highlight of the three, despite being the one I was looking forward to least. The luscious mousse wrapped in glossy chocolate ganache and accompanied by spicy cherries was sinfully decadent.

While Mamak may be the drawcard for most diners heading to Eat Street, it’s worth checking out the neighbours. You never know, what you find may surprise you!

Eat Street
1-5 Railway Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
www.eatst.com.au

Sake is chic, stylish and contemporary with a cool LA sort of vibe. It’s no wonder that there’s a celebrity sighting here every other night. While our visit was A-list free, Sake was still entertaining at full capacity despite being a rainy Tuesday night.

Browsing through the Sake menu, I was hit with dejavu. Kingfish sashimi with jalapeno, miso butterfish, sashimi tacos… these were all Nobu dishes I’m sure! Having dined at Nobu only recently, the experience was very fresh in mind and I was curious in finding out how the two fared against each other.

We started with sashimi tacos, which were quite a mouthful. Sitting on a crisp taco shell, the filling of tuna and salmon was brought to life by a bright tomato salsa. There were also two accompanying shots of sake which seemed almost ceremonial in their purpose. What a way to start our meal!

Sake 1, Nobu 0.

Tuna and salmon sashimi filled baby tacos with chilled tomato salsa matched with Kozaemon Junmai ‘sake shots’ - $15

The sushi was next to arrive. ‘Amazing’ falls short of describing just how truly fantastic this was. I haven’t had sushi of this quality and freshness outside of Japan. The scallop was the most memorable, soft like marshmallow and sweet on the tongue. It was true bliss.

Sake 2, Nobu 0.

Scallop, kingfish, snapper, butterfish and mackerel nigiri - from $6 for a serve of two

Nobu’s signature kingfish jalapeno came next and Sake’s version had me at the first bite. The kingfish slices were laid out in row, each crowned with a thin slice of jalapeno and a single coriander leaf. This means the jalapeno isn’t shaken off and the coriander isn’t tossed aside and makes for a neat package of flavours. The yuzu soy dressing really higlights the freshness of the kingfish and is also heavier in acid than the Nobu version, which I much prefer.

Sake 3, Nobu 0.

Hiramasa kingfish, yuzu soy, thin jalapeno slices & coriander - $20

When the miso butterfish arrived, we were impressed with the portion. But sadly, the fish was not up to scratch and tasted dry and overcooked. We thought this might have had something to do with the choice of fish and not the sauce or cooking style. In fact, I much prefered the sauce at Sake which was thick like jam and creamier and sweeter than at Nobu. We were convinced that if paired with black cod, we would’ve been won over a hundred percent.

With three wins out of four, Sake had trumped Nobu and we were glad that the win came at a surprise.

Miso marinated butterfish grilled with pickled radish - $29

With the contest out of the way, we moved on to other dishes, such as the grilled green tea salted scampi. Cooked just perfectly, the scampi was soft and juicy, and the green tea salt really brought out the sweetness in the meat. I even munch on the head – something I never do! In the centre, there is a bed of shredded daikon tossed with yuzu and roasted black sesame seeds with a wonderful nutty aroma.

Grilled scampi grilled - green tea salted scampi on daikon ribbon salad with yuzu dressing 33

Meanwhile, the S Express roll had me weak at the knees. With a supple scallop centre, the sushi was dressed in pieces of ‘just’ seared salmon and drizzled in an addictive spicy mayo sauce. The witlof helped balance out the dish by adding crunch and a slight bitterness.

S expresss scallops, spicy mayo, cucumber, seared salmon, witlof and sweet sauce 20

We finished our meal with the popcorn shrimp sushi roll, which had a prawn tempura centre. The highlight of the dish was in the sauce, which was sweet, smokey and spicy all at the same time.

popcorn roll prawn-tempura pieces rolled inside out with spicy
mayonnaise & spicy tobiko 17

Our dessert was a warm chocolate fondant with white sesame ice cream. Though I wasn’t in the mood for fondant, one bite into its oozey chocolate centre had me hooked. It was dark, decadent dessert – in heavy contrast to our relatively ‘light’ dinner. The white sesame ice cream is interesting, but sadly lacked the addictive heady aroma of black sesame.

chocolate fondant with white-sesame ice-cream warm chocolate pudding with sesame ice-cream & black sesame tuile 15

Sake
12 Argyle Street
The Rocks, NSW 2000
# 02 9259 5656
www.sakerestaurant.com.au

Waiting in the winter sunshine keeps us warm on the outside until the strong, cold breeze sweeps in and chills our bodies. We stay focused on that delicious, hot, comforting bowl of ramen which is just below our noses… on the other side of the window.

A few people leave and we’re invited to wait inside at the top of the queue position. Our eyes scan each table, each bowl, looking for who’s going to finish next. Standing beside us, doing the same is Ryo, who signals us towards the seats on the communal table.

Ryo's bright orange menu

Our rice ball arrives first, a compacted package of rice and roast pork wrapped in a soft sheet of nori. We split it down the middle, just enough to get our stomach out of first gear. It’s so dense, yet still warm and soft and we’re weary not to chow it down too fast to save some space for the main event, the ramen!

Roast Pork rice ball - $4

My heart is set on #3, the spicy tonkotsu ramen which was a part of my weekly diet when I worked at St Leonards and was able to have lunch dates with Ms. Taste. I order an extra serve of sweet corn that cuts through the rich, hearty soup. The noodles rise out of the soup, covered in the fiery burning red oil, bouncy and delicious. Each mouthful the same, a few noodles onto the spoon, a tiny bit of pork, a tiny corner of egg, a corn kernel or three, a dip into the soup making sure to get a bit of chilli oil and a stray shallot… years of perfection refined.

#3 Tonkotsu - Spicy Hot flavour w/ roast pork, egg and shallots - $11.5 (corn extra $1 or so)

Ms. Taste orders from the chicken side of the menu – the clearer, less heart attack inducing broth, yet with the same delicious noodles. I don’t take much interest in her dish as she polishes off the whole bowl while I am only a quarter of the way through mine.

#6 Chicken soup - Tokyo style soy sauce flavour w/ roast pork, nori, bamboo shoots, egg - $10.5

Ms. Taste has a case of ordering with her stomach and not with her head as the karaage chicken arrives just as she has polished off her bowl of noodles. She takes a bite out of a piece and shuts up shop, pushing the remaining 5 or 6 smoking hot pieces towards me.

Karaage chicken - $6

As long as there’s still some wonderful ramen soup remaining, I can continue to eat anything. So I adjust my meal qi, decreasing my soup portion with each mouthful and increasing the fried chicken portion to keep my meal in perfect balanced harmony. Nothing is more satisfying than finishing with your last bites contain every single component of the meal.

Ryo's

Ryo’s Noodles
125 Falcon St
Crows Nest
NSW 2065
# 02 9955 0225

Open every day except Wednesday from 12pm-2:30pm for lunch and 5pm-9:30pm for dinner.

I was shuffled into my 4th different team at work in less than a year and there were plenty of rumours and innuendo about the future of the organisation. I received a call from a recruiter with some promising news signalling the end of the GFC – it was a sign for me to jump ship and find something new.

After a few meetings with the recruiter, four long and intense interviews and a psycho test over 4 months, I finally had a new employment contract in my hands and called Tetsuya’s to make a booking for the next available dinner.

“June 9,” says the voice on the other end – over 3 months away! The GFC was well and truly over.

Sharing the Tetsuya’s experience with us were two of our Tastebuds, Lisa and Andrew. Dining with company certainly helped the night move along as we were there for just over 4 hours.

Warm chestnut soup

Opening the batting was a warm chestnut soup. The smell of the chestnuts and the feeling of warming up by a chestnuts roasting on an open fire was perfect on this very cold winter’s night. A nice way to warm up our tasting muscles for the night ahead of us.

Sourdough and truffle butter with ricotta and parmesan

The truffle butter was hyped up during the weeks prior to our big night by one of Ms. Taste’s girlfriends who had just visited with her partner. They boasted of cleaning out 3 pots of the stuff between the two of them – and they were right to do so, the butter was smooth with a slight cheesy bite and the enticing smell really compelled us to pack it onto every last corner of our hot bread rolls.

Pacific oysters with rice vinegar and ginger

The oysters were a $9 a pair supplement to our dinner. Ms. Taste opted to pass on these and we made sure to let her know what she was missing out on. Some of the freshest oysters I’ve tasted, so plump and juicy with that distinct taste of the ocean lingering with the acidity of the vinegar and ginger in each heavenly mouthful.

Tamanohikari, Junmai-Ginjo Tokusen Sake

The first of the matched wines was a very smooth and clean sake. The matched wines are $90 which is equivalent to a whole bottle, however you can choose to have one serving shared between two so you aren’t completely smashed by the time desserts roll around. Unfortunately my wine palette has yet to evolve past the “goon/delicious not-goon” test and I can safely say that each wine falls deep into “delicious not-goon” territory.

Sashimi of Kingfish with black bean and orange

A real knockout dish, the kingfish received a unanimous tick of approval from all diners. The familiar texture of the firm fish with the soft crunch of the greens reminiscent of the classic steamed fish with ginger and shallots, taken to the next level in flavour by the slightly citrusy soy sauce.

New Zealand scampi tails with curd and tarragon jus

This dish received a mixed reaction, with most of use praising the freshness of both the scampi and the tofu. However the dish as an ensemble didn’t click with me as I couldn’t get into all the different soft textures on the plate.

Confit Petuna ocean trout with konbu, celery and apple

Tetsuya’s signature confit of ocean trout arrives, identically presented on each of our plates, identical to the countless photographs of the dish we have seen over the past few years. The table falls silent with each diner savouring their mouthfuls of magic and nodding to themselves with a quiet confidence that the weeks of hype and expectations have been well and truly met. His close relationship with supplier Petuna Seafoods has allowed him to pick the best of the best ocean trout, with years of selective breeding in accordance with his high standards resulting in the firm, marbled piece of fish in front of us.

Grilled fillet of barramundi with braised wood ear, enoki and chestnut mushrooms

This dish, I did not want to finish. It just smelt so fantastic, I wanted that beautiful aroma of the mushrooms and the sauce to stay with my nose and not my stomach. The fish was fresh and perfectly cooked, but the star was the delicious umami flavour from the mushrooms – a perfect marriage of the land and the sea.

Braised ox tail with sea cucumber and yuzu

Our first meat dish of the evening, a hard act following the two near-perfect courses that preceded it. The ox tail is meaty and flavourful and the sea cucumber is… well, bland and rubbery like how a sea cucumber is supposed to taste. I notice the table next to us being served their ocean trout and secretly wish for 2 or 3 or 10 more ocean trout courses.

Twice cooked de-boned spatchcock with truffle and barley risotto

I remember seeing this little parcel of chicken wobbling as it was served, seemingly bursting at the seams. Each bite unleashed a harmony of juices filling each mouthful with a mixture of sweetness from the chicken and savoury from the sauce anchored by the flavours from the truffle. A comment echoed many times throughout the night is heard again, “If they doubled the serving size of this dish, it would be perfect.”

Grass-fed Tasmanian Angus beef with swiss browns and porcini

The final savoury dish for the night was a classic steak, mushrooms and mash. The steak is not overly fatty and soft like wagyu but firm and very meaty, highlighting the flavours and quality of the beef. Each component is well executed and the dish’s heaviness put our stomachs near capacity, with just enough room left for dessert.

Pear sorbet with bread and butter pudding

The first of the desserts, the pear sorbet with walnuts acts as a palette cleanser and the rich and creamy bread and butter pudding is a comforting winter warmer. All the flavours compressed into the tiny shot glass packed a mighty punch – definitely my favourite dessert of the night.

Cannellini beans with marscapone and soy caramel

The second dessert course featured a hint of goats cheese which Ms. Taste found overwhelming – enough for her to offer her plate to everyone multiple times. It was a good dessert, although the mascarpone and soy did not really click with me.

Salted sable with lemon scented cream and leatherwood honey

The soft and buttery sable turned into a crumbly mess after a few digs of my fork – the sign of a very good shortbread. The lemon scented cream and slightly bitter leatherwood honey worked in beautifully with the shortbread and was a well-constructed and thought out dessert.

Lemon, Almond and Rose Macarons

Our final course was a small plate of macarons – the lemon flavour was the standout from a relatively bland selection. Ms. Taste, a bit of a self-professed macaron expert, points out that there is uneven rise on the shells. These must’ve been made a few days prior as the biscuit is quite hard compared to the lusciously soft creations at Adriano Zumbo and Le Renaissance.

Tetsuya's macarons

Cappuccino

For those of you yet to embark on the Tetsuya’s experience, be sure to tune in to SBS tonight at 7:30pm for the documentary, Tetsuya’s Pursuit of Excellence. The documentary takes an intimate look into Tetsuya’s journey from a young kitchen hand speaking no English to one of the world’s greatest chefs. There are also interviews with friends and mentors, Danny White, Armando Percuoco, Tony Bilson, Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal and Richard Geoffroy Chef du Cave at Dom Perignon.

We were provided a preview copy and it was the perfect entree to our meal at Tetsuya’s. You really appreciate your meal much more, knowing the quality ingredients and deatiled selection that goes into each dish.

I hope I’ve given you all a taste of what dining at Tetsuya was like. It was truly an experience never to be forgotten. In fact, Ms. Taste and I are planning to visit Tetsuya’s new restaurant Waku Ghin in Singapore at the end of the year. And we have high expectations!

Tetsuya’s
529 Kent Street
Sydney NSW
# 02 9267 2900
www.tetsuyas.com

Fortunately, Surry Hill’s Toko is not one of these places – it has style and substance.

Smack bang in the middle of Crown Street, Toko is a real spectacle from the outside. It is architecturally striking as it is beautiful. Inside, Toko is a haven of dark woods and communal tables, with a discreet private dining room at the back.

Toko’s cocktail list is twice the thickness of the dining menu and it takes me a full 20 minutes to decide what I’ll be drinking. I settle on a Lychee Mojito, which packs a punch but with a delicate and fruity top note. My dining partner, Wendy chooses the lemon caprioska which has a really strong lemon flavour but is surprisingly sweet at the same time.

A word of caution – the prices listed on the menu are for a set quantity (even though this isn’t disclosed, but is usually for two), so if you are dining with a group, Toko automatically adjusts pricing and quantity to your group. So don’t be alarmed when you order something that’s $10 on the menu and appears as $40 on your bill.

Kingfish yuzu - $15.80

We kick off our meal with an order of kingfish carpaccio, a comforting staple dish that never fails to disappoint. The kingfish is served a tangy yuzu dressing, which strikes the perfect balance between sweet and sour.

Miso black cod - $29.50

We order the miso black cod for no better reason than to see how it would compare to the one at Nobu. Given my newly discovered allergy to certain fish, I could only afford a small nibble. The flavour is mellow and sweet while the texture is firm.

Chicken yakitori (two serves pictured) - $17.60

Beef skewers (two serves pictured) - $29.60

The kushiyaki at Toko is markedly better Azuma. The meat is more tender, tastier and the portions are quite generous (that said, Toko is significantly pricier).

The chicken and beef skewers are very tender and have retained most of their natural juices, despite being grilled over an open fire.

Pork belly (2 serves pictured) - $23.60

In true Japanese style, the pork belly skewers are cut into perfect rectangles and are pretty as a picture. The meat is very tender and well seasoned.

Wafu zucchini - $14.40

Though an unusual choice, but the wafu zucchini turns out to be Wendy’s favourite dish of the night. The zucchini is cooked just right and the tangy ginger sauce provides the perfect accompaniment.

Pork spare ribs - $17.80

The pork spare ribs were my favourite dish of the night. Slathered in bbq sauce, the ribs are very tender – the meat is so soft, it melts off the bone. No real effort is required to eat these, which is always a plus.

Grilled scallops (one serve has three scallops) - $18.80

The scallops were another highlight for me. While they were a tad overcooked on the outside, they had a very supple centre and I enjoyed the contrast in textures.

Lamb cutlets (three per serve) - $21.80

The lamb cutlets were a bit overcooked for Mr. Taste (who prefers his meat raw) but they were just right for me. The pickled eggplant was an unusual side and I still can’t figure out whether I liked them or not.

Squid tempura - $13.80

The squid tempura was another hit with the table. The dish came with detailed instructions from our waiter on how to prepare the sauce, which involved tossing the onions and corriander through the sweet and sour sauce. This gave a very subtle flavour that worked nicely with the crispness of the squid.

California maki roll - $15.80

Surprisingly we only opted for one sushi dish. Compared to all the fried, grilled and braised dishes featured on Toko’s menu, the sushi selection didn’t seem as sexy. Our california maki roll was very well made and the crab meat (the real deal) was sweet and very satisfying.

Toko Dessert Platter - Sorbets, trio of creme brulee and chocolate fondant

By the time we finished off our 12 odd courses, we put our hands up for the dessert menu. We all agreed on the chocolate fondant, creme brulee and assorted sorbets. All three desserts arrived on a bed of ice, adorned with fresh fruit. It was very decadent and we felt very spoilt.

As the table next to us watched on in awe, we made our way around the platter and compared notes on what we thought was the winning dessert. The tonka bean sorbet was my choice – the velvety texture accompanied with the subtle flavours was just what I needed to finish off the night.

Toko
490 Crown Street
Surry Hills
NSW 2010
# 02 9357 6100
www.toko.com.au

We didn’t think any more of Azuma until I read about Not Quite Nigella’s encounter with Tetsuya Wakuda at Azuma. Well, if it’s good enough for Tetsuya, then it’s good enough for us. So Ms. Explorer and I ventured back, this time with Mr. Taste in tow.

On a Friday night, Azuma was alive and buzzing with customers. With no tables in sight, we told the hostess we were willing to wait (an hour if we have to!). So we left our number and wandered around the Spanish Quarter.

45 minutes later, we were back and seated.

Azuma’s decor is a little austere, if not boring, but there’s enough of a vibe to set it apart from the countless other Japanese restaurants in the CBD.

What really caught my attention was Azuma’s chopstick holders, one of which looked like dentures!

Azuma's chopstick holders

Or dentures, as Mr. Taste demonstrates

Given that kushiyaki is Azuma’s specialty, we decided to order the spatchcock platter ($16.80), scallops ($3 per skewer) and whole prawn ($3 per skewer). All skewers were accompanied with dipping salts in three flavours – chilli, cumin and green tea.

Wild Scallop with soy & homemade garlic oil $3

Paradise prawn and crispy head with salt $3

The scallops were done to perfection, firm but not chewy. The prawn is juicy and sweet.

Free range Spatchcock platter (grilled thigh, breast fillet, mini drumstick & karaage deep fried wing) $16.80

Spatchcock platter

The spatchcock platter – complete with breast and thigh skewers, battered drummettes (done KFC style) and glazed wings – provided an interesting mix of textures and flavours.

Spatchcock thigh fillet skewer

I was a little disturbed that my skewers were slightly raw. But thinking back to when Anthony Bourdain visited Japan in Season 2, he had no qualms about gobbling down chicken sashimi at a Tokyo yakitori house. I figured this was the Japanese way – fresh and raw.

Kingfish Carpaccio $18

The Kingfish Capaccio at Azuma is incredibly well prepared. The kingfish sashimi has the subtle sweetness that only fresh seafood carries, while the accompanying sauce is light and citrusy with just the right amount of sesame.

Sizzling Pork Jowl - $8

The next dish to arrive was the pork jowl. Until this visit, I had no idea what jowl was – much to the amusement of my dining companions. It sounded like some lesser known innard, but it was actually the fatty parts of a pig’s chin. Set on a hot plate, our pork jowl arrives sizzling and spitting all sorts of lovely smells. It is tender and tasty and not at all fatty.

Wagyu in spicy miso - $15

Our wagyu in spicy miso ($15) arrives next. For some reason I had expected something on a hot plate. The miso was not as spicy as I would’ve liked, but the wagyu was very well cooked. The meat simply fell apart in your mouth.

Pork belly - $15

Pork belly - $15

The pork belly ($15) came next, set in a broth with vegetables. The pork was both light and tasty, and we were impressed at Azuma’s take on this classic cut of meat.

Spider roll / Salmon avocado roll - $11 each

Our two sushi orders arrive next. The spider ($11) and salmon avocado ($11) were both very fresh. Considering sushi isn’t Azuma’s specialty, the rolls are truly fantastic here. I’d rate it above most sushi restaurants I’ve been to.

The last order to arrive is the onigiri in salmon and roe. Both of which were saved for the doggy bag.

Onigiri Salmon and marinated Pollock roe $4 each

Our return visit to Azuma was much better than the first. The dishes here are thoughtful, authentic and well made. The pricing is very reasonable given the quality of the food, but making the $35 minimum can be quite difficult for small eaters or large groups who like to share. Luckily the minimum includes drinks, so bottoms up!

Azuma
Ground Floor Regent Place Shopping
501 George Street
Sydney NSW 2000
# 02 9267 7775
www.azuma.com.au

Open daily from 12:00 – 2:30pm and 6:00 – 10:00pm.

Pan Asian

During my recent trip to Melbourne, Ziba from Harvey Publicity invited us to dine at Pan Asian, an asian fusion restaurant located on the Chapel Street precinct. Feeling adventurous, I put my skepticism aside and kindly agreed.

Pan Asian

Walking into Pan Asian is like steppingback in time onto an old Chinese movie set. There’s an eclectic mix of antique dark wood chests, woven bamboo chairs and grand floor-to-ceiling carved wooden screens. The manga-style mural on the kitchen wall is a little over the top, but no doubt adds to the atmosphere of the place.

Pan Asian

Once seated, we were greeted with dinner and drink menus. Pan Asian has quite a refined menu offering with an interesting mix of dishes – some more bold (or should I say, ‘fusion’) than others – such as the stir fried shark or blue cheese and leek gyoza.

We start with drink orders, and the lychee infused black tea catches my eye. As does the mojito on the cocktail list, which our waitress reveals to be the most popular cocktail on the menu. I can’t say I’m usually a fan of mojito, but the Pan Asian version, I can certainly warm to.

Lychee infused black tea

Pan Asian Mojito

As we wait for our dishes, we are brought two shots of the housemade soy mushroom broth.

Soy mushroom broth

The first dish to arrive is the beef tataki. The slices are thin but tender and come accompanied with Japanese mayo, black sesame seeds and shoots.

Beef tataki with Japanese mayo, sesame and shoots

Our next order is the char grilled cuttlefish and green papaya salad. Papaya or paw paw salad is a personal favourite of ours and although we’ve had quite a few variations, this dish lacks the depth of flavour and spiciness we’ve come to expect. That said, it is quite light on the palate and the supple cuttlefish curls are a nice addition.

Char grilled cuttlefish and papaya salad

Char grilled cuttlefish and papaya salad

The tea smoked duck breasts was a real stand-out for me. Although the duck alone was a winner in its own right, it was the pickled watermelon rind and toasted pistachios that brought all the flavours together in one intoxicating mouthful. I’ve never seen or tasted anything like the pickled watermelon rind – it was both sweet and sour and resembled the texture of a firm pear. I couldn’t get enough of it!

Tea smoked duck breast with pickled watermelon rind and pistachios

Tea smoked duck breast with pickled watermelon rind and pistachios

The last main to arrive on the night was Chinese style pork belly. We were both surprised by the generous serving of pork belly, it was probably the most generous we’ve ever seen in any restaurant. The strips of pork belly arrived doused in a blood orange sauce and tossed with celery and radish. While I didn’t eat as much of this dish as I would’ve liked (Mr. Taste and I were both loosening notches on our belts by this stage), I thought it was an interesting, if not clever combination.

Chinese style roasted pork belly with blood orange, celery and radish

Chinese style roasted pork belly with blood orange, celery and radish

Of course, we couldn’t leave without having dessert.

Our order of pandan panna cotta, blood orange sago and mandarin shortbread was absolutely amazing. This was the perfect fusion of flavours for me and I couldn’t have been happier to end the dinner any other way. The panna cotta was velvety smooth, with just the right amount of pandan. The blood orange soup was a little unusual but a treat with the sago pearls. And finally, the mandarin shortbread was delightful end to the meal.

Pandan panna cotta with blood orange soup and mandarin shortbread

Blood orange soup with sago

Mandarin shortbread

Pan Asian
267 Chapel Street
Prahran, Melbourne
# 03 9533 7022
www.panasian.com.au

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 12:00-3:30pm and from 5:30pm to late.

A heavy helping of ramen at Gumshara.

Hidden in the Eating World food court on Dixon Street, Gumshara is known for one thing and one thing only – its thick, glutinous, pork bone broth which has not only won over food bloggers but also the head chef of Lotus, Dan Hong who came up with the only fitting name for this ramen -  ‘chronic’.

Gumshara's Tonkotsu Ramen$8.50 with egg $1.50

The flavours in the broth are unbelievably intense, and although thick, it isn’t difficult to slurp down.  I’ve had my fair share of tonkotsu ramen in my time and this one tops the list by far.

A word of warning, this ramen really isn’t for the faint hearted. My throat was webbed up for a good 4 hours afterwards – not even two cokes could wash it down. You can opt for a ‘toned down’ version of the ramen though.

Gumshara shop front

Close-up of the ramen bowl

Gumshara
Eating World Food Court
Shop 209, 25-29 Dixon Street
Chinatown

Open Tuesday to Sunday