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Sushi-ya, Artarmon

Published
by
Teresa
on April 13, 2007
in Eating Out
. 1 Comment

Why Japanese food again, you ask. Because I love japanese food! Also, my parents feel sorry for me and think I don’t get to eat in Canberra. So what more could you want after my long drive from Hawks Nest and a sunday night on a long weekend?! SUSHI! Sushi ya is located on the quiet side of Artarmon station (and Adrian, it’s near Genki ramen). This side of Artarmon has all ur japanese needs: 2 jap grocery stores, jap video store, jap second hand book store, ramen store and sushi/jap food store.

Now back to the food. This place has more the japanese traditional food, and quite tasty too!

First up!

Sushi ya
Special Sashimi - a platter of mixed raw fish. Very fresh!
Sushi ya
Tempura - deep fried prawn and assortment of vegies

Sushi ya
Salmon Fish Head - entree size! This was the weakest link to the night’s food. (I had a whole salmon the night before so totally sick of salmon!)

Sushi ya
Tropical Roll - sushi roll. California roll style but just had raw fish on the outside and made it all very colourful!

Sushi ya
Salmon and Salmon Roe Don -Raw Salmon topped with Salmon Roe on a bed of rice mixed with sesame seeds. I love this rice because of the salmon roe!!!

Sushi ya
Sushi Ya interior. Very squishy. Typical Japanese style…

sushi ya
A satisfied customer’s plate.

We also had chicken kaarage and grilled eggplant but who cares! Sushi is what I came here for!

I was a satisified customer.

Prices: Reasonable. For 5 ppl = ~$100
Service: They might need some better english speaking japanese waiters/waitresses. Our waitress struggled but survived in the end (we got all the right food!)

Location:

Sushi-Ya, 10 WILKES AVENUE, ARTARMON, TEL: (02) 9411-1377

Sushi Suma, Surry Hills

Published
by
Teresa
on April 5, 2007
in Eating Out
. 2 Comments

After a grand and expensive weekend in Melbourne, I decided to top off the weekend with a gi-normous meal at Sushi Suma. Due to the lack of good (or if any) japanese food in Canberra, this place will surely satisfy those sushi cravings for a year (although I want some sushi now).

This is one place you should try if you feel like japanese food, have a big appetite, and poor. Located in the inner city suburb of Surry Hills (known for its great food), Sushi Suma is a place you hardly see a empty seat. Bookings are highly recommended but even with a booking, you may be faced with a long wait.

Sushi Suma is known for its LARGE portions and servings. I’m 100% sure you will come out of this restaurant with an enlarged tummy.

Feeling very hungry after the flight and only a short distance from the airport (and also on the way home!), we decided to order a Sushi dinner set. This included sushi, sashimi, chicken skewers, miso soup, and dessert. We also ordered an ENTREE seasweed salad (includes seaweed, cabbage, jap mayo, jap salad dressing, and other vegies) as I felt that the Sushi dinner set pictures made the set look small. I wanted to hightlight the word ENTREE as I can’t believe my eyes how BIG the salad was. Another wonderful thing about this restaurant is the agedashi tofu you receive at the beginning of your meal. Being very hungry (and not that you have to wait a long time for your food!), this is a great and tasty tummy filler.

Sorry I do not have any photos to show for the amount of food we got for $40 (for 2 people + leftovers) but I’m sure there will be one in the future as I know I will be coming back to this place again and again and again. Apprently, lunchtime is cheaper! I don’t understand how it can get any cheaper for such great food! I hope and wish Sushi Suma moves to Canberra within this year sometime. That would be so great! I hope my words has done Sushi Suma justice.

Check out the website for their pictures!
Sushi Suma

kokoBlack http://www.kokoblack.com/

Published
by
melicious
on April 2, 2007
in Eating Out
. 2 Comments

As a self confessed chocoholic, kokoBlack was one of the stops I had to make when visiting Melbourne.

After hearing about how good the handmade chocolates were, I dropped by the Royal Arcade store in Burke Street (a little arcade that looks like Sydney’s Strand Arcade) just off bustling Burke.

After walking into a tiny store that was probably not big enough to cater for the loads of clientelle and tourists, we were seated upstairs by an extremely attentive hostess.

Making our way up the wooden staircase I noticed the deep wooden stairs and furniture - matching the colour of the chocolate, decorated by the felt orange pattern wallpaper. It was deligntfully authentic of a fine chocolate boutique.

Options we chose from the cafe included the Koko Black Hot Chocolate, Belgian spoil (see picture), chai tea (warning: the chai tea tasted disgusting and did not go well with the chocolates, make sure if you ordered the tea that it came with honey), and chocolate selection.

Belgian Spoil

After asking for the chocolate selection, we were presented with the koko black range of chocolates in a glass box. Our host then went into descriptions of each chocolate, and it was hard to only pick a few. We could then select which chocolates we wanted, and these were taken out of the box with white cotton gloves.

I dont think words could explain how good the chocolates were. They seemed to melt in your mouth, with textures of nuts and flavourings that were recognisable from the descriptions of the chocolates.

Overall, I think it was a lovely place with great service. If you can beat the tourist lines (I think the store is a tourist stop) then its worth visiting when in Melbourne.

Website Menu: http://www.kokoblack.com/ourSalons/menuKB.pdf

Service: Awesome, indicative of a fine chocolate cafe

Food: Chocolate and cafe beverages

Overall: A definite experience when visiting Melbourne

And?: The ambience of the environment is certainly representative of a Melbourne cafe boutique

Forty One, Sydney

Published
by
Teresa
on March 29, 2007
in Eating Out
. 2 Comments

(As a celebration to my first post, I will blog about my great dining experience for my birthday last year)

Genre: French

After 4 hours of the harbour bridge climb, what more could you want other than a fantastic meal at one of Sydney’s top restaurants.
Situated on one of Sydney’s tallest buildings, Forty-One is an experience you’ll never forget. The marvellous views, romantic atmosphere… So let the experience begin! Up the elevator to Level 42 of Chifley Tower we went. As we step out of the elevator, we were greeted to an oriental-style garden and walkway. I felt like I had just stepped into a GRAND hotel! My first thoughts: Intimate, elegant and conservative.

Forty One

Arriving early on a Saturday night, we were seated at a table a little far from the window. (Reminder: When booking, request for a table NEXT to the window) The view of Sydney at night was spectacular! At this height and with no other buildings to block the view, you really get to appreciate how beautiful our city is.

Back to the food… So we were seated and explained that they were offering 4 different menus. 3 were different types of degustation menus, and 1 traditional 3 course dinner meal. I opted for the 3 course dinner meal and he went big and chose the “Menu Degustation” meal (the tasting menu composed of Forty One’s signature dishes for a particular year).

» Dinner Menu
» Menu Degustation

And thus began the entourage of waiters and food. “Never before have I felt like a King, sitting on my throne.” he whispers. Service is worth paying for as it complements the food and everything else that goes around.

First, we were served with a starter, consisting of fresh oysters in a beetroot and (Bad memory…) as well as two small tarts. I ate both oysters as he had a bad experience with oysters previously and void never to eat them again! *shrugs* more for me! The oysters were simply devine! They were sucked up in the shotglass as quick as a shot! (Thought this was worth a HUGE mention)

Forty One

As I only had 3 courses and he had 6, I was served a meal every second meal that he was served. I found this “helpful” as I was able to rest after munching on my food.

Pictures speak a thousand words…

DSC07963

“Our Yarra Rive white wine… great tasting wine with our meal!”

DSC07968

“Steamed Western Australian Yabbies & Angassi Oysters, Israeli Cous Cous Cooked Like A Risotto Nero”

DSC07974
“French-style Cream of Celery” - best soup I’ve ever tasted!

Forty One

 

“Wild Barramundi Fillet Grilled With Spanish Onions & Sea Scallops, Parsley Crushed Dutch Cream Potatoes”

DSC07992
“Warm Dark Chocolate Fondante, White Chocolate And Coconut Gelato” - a chocolate craving satisfier!

Forty One

Great evening topped off with a nice cup of tea and pastries! This dinner REALLY topped off a spectacular day!

Website: http://www.forty-one.com.au

Service: Very professional. Not the “in your face” type.

Food: Fresh, great french flavours with a slight touch of oriental flavours.

Overall: Highly recommended for those SPECIAL occasions as the price of the meal will explain it all!

And? Once again, don’t forget to visit the toilets. I think there is no other toilet with a better view of Sydney than the Forty One toilets.

Bills@Surry Hills

Published
by
jenn
on March 22, 2007
in Eating Out
. 1 Comment

OMG - I’ve found a place that makes THE BEST scrambled eggs I have ever tried! It’s so good I’ve been back another 2 times ;) Bills at Surry Hills is a definite recommended place for brekkie and brunch. They only sell organic foods (wherever possible), so it’s healthy and tastes YUMMMM!! A bit pricey (they charge an extra 10% surcharge on the weekends and public holidays) - but soooo worth it! Check out their website here: http://www.bills.com.au/restaurants/surry.htm

My brekkie fav’s were the organic scrambled eggs, organic fresh tomatoes and organic dough bread, oh and their pancakes are also nice + the coffee was also good! Two Thumbs up!

bills_170307-004.jpg

~Jenn

Sakana-Ya

Published
by
jenn
on March 19, 2007
in Eating Out
. 0 Comments

Had dinner with four friends on Saturday at a casual Japanese restaurant recommended by a work mate - “Sakana-Ya”. This place is located at: 336 Pacific Highway Crows Nest. Phone (02) 9438 1468

Being an addict for Jap food and pretty much trying all things Jap - this place has got to be one of my top 5 places! The food was absolutely fresh and delicious with the right Japanese flavours. The service was perfect, very positive and attentative. The place could do with a bit of improvement (it has a downstairs and an upstairs area), but I was happy it was clean =).

We started off with Deep Fried Chicken and Chicken Skewers - Very Yum!:

sakanaya_170307-005.jpg

Then off we went with a Salmon dish that contained smoked Salmon, Salmon Roe and challots:

sakanaya_170307-007.jpg

We also ordered a “Nimono” style Swordfish belly dish - very tasty and juicy:

sakanaya_170307-006.jpg

Our biggest dish and long anticapted was the Barasushi (consisted of fresh sashimi, fish roe, egg and vinegar rice - it was so huge, we couldn’t finish it and took some home. It was fresh and delicious:

sakanaya_170307-009.jpg

And of course finished off the meal with green tea icecream, green tea pudding and some unique Japanese dumplings (filled with sweet red bean):

sakanaya_170307-012.jpg

Who can forget the SAKEEEEEE ->>>>

sakanaya_170307-004.jpg

~Jenn

Degustation@Peppers

Published
by
jenn
on March 16, 2007
in Eating Out
. 3 Comments

Yes I know - I’ve become a degustation addict! See crazy me below. Peter and I just went to another Japanese fusion degustation restaurant in Balmain on the weekend. Oh and another thing you need to know about me is that I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jap food - so expect more Jap Food blogging to come =)

Addicted crazy Jenn

- Addicted Crazy Jenn -

Ok so back to the food, honestly it wasn’t that great - it could have been a lot tastier. The ambience was great and this place is super tiny (only seats about 30ish ppl), so I advise to book ahead. We got there 20min earlier (6:40pm) than booked and the food started rolling out without delays (10min/dish). However 1 hr into our degustation, people started flocking in and food productivity just died to a painful 25-30min per plate (thank gawd we were up to our second last dish by then!). I could see the cranky looks on the people’s faces. Overall - I don’t think I’ll be coming back to Peppers, it’s definitely a “First time try” for me. Check out their website here: http://www.restaurantpepper.com.au

Continue reading ‘Degustation@Peppers’

Degustation@Rise

Published
by
jenn
on March 16, 2007
in Eating Out
. 1 Comment

This month Rise is having a sale - 30% off their 7 course Degustation menu (normally $60/person) on Tues, Wed and Sun. A must for all Sydney-siders + visitors to try this place out if you haven’t already! Located in Darlinghurst, it’s a gorgeous boutique Japanese restaurant. Bookings a must - More info here (http://www.riserestaurant.com.au/)

The taste of each dish is absolutely gorgeous, with meals created in Japanese traditional flavours. I’m a HUGE fan of Japanese food and this place has got to be on my top 5 Jap Retaurant list. It’s not a place if you’re expecting unique flavours, but one where you want to taste the best of what you already know. My most favourite meal was the main, “Steamed Rudder Fish wrapper in Banana leaf served with zucchini flower tempura”.

Ambience was perfect for a place to go on a date and the service was perfect! Ok here are the pictures to tell the rest of the story….

 

chicken & tofu salad with sesame miso sauce
chicken & tofu salad with sesame miso sauce

 

Continue reading ‘Degustation@Rise’

Kani Doraku - Dotonbori

Published
by
Bobby
on February 26, 2007
in Eating Out
. 0 Comments

Osaka, the official kitchen of Japan, is home to the Kani Doraku crab restaurant. It’s located in the famous street called Dotonbori and is easily identifiable by its big ass mechanical crab at its entrance.

Getting straight to the point, if you ever visit there, get their crab banquet. For 4600 yen (approx AU$46) per person, you get:

* half a dozen crab legs
* half a dozen crab claws
* 3 crab tempura
* half a dozen crab sushi
* crab soup
* crap load of vegies and tofu
* crab fried rice
* green tea ice cream

But that’s not the reason why this place is gracing the cover of gourmandonline. Look closely at the above pic.

Each crab leg and claw has half its shell perfectly cut off, leaving you only needing to lift the succulent juicy crab meat up, dip into the 5 different sauces and insert into mouth. Ever since I first tasted crab, I’ve always wanted to be able to shove in a mouthful of crab without having to deal with the technicalities of extracting the meat. For a lazy bum like me, this place is heaven.

For the first time in my life, I got FILLED UP on CRAB. Who said Japan was expensive?

If you’re ever in Dotonbori, look for this restaurant.

On the same street we found this Fugu restaurant. Fugu is those Japanese fish which can become poisonous (leading to instantaneous death) if not cut properly. If prepared properly, it is a heavenly feast. When we saw the place, it wasn’t a matter of us being scared of dying, it was more like we couldn’t afford to die this way. AU$200 per plate.

Ottoman Cuisine - Take 2

Published
by
Adrian
on February 18, 2007
in Eating Out
. 2 Comments

Went to Ottomans again for a birthday dinner. This time had the degustation (with wine). Thanks to Jen, I have photos this time so I’ll just let the pictures do the talking:


Ottomans
Ottomans
Ottomans
Ottomans
See the previous entry on Ottomans here