Address: 167 Exhibition Street, Melbourne
Tel: 9650 9877
JUDGE THE FOOD, NOT THE NAME
Do not be fazed by the name of this restaurant, the food is actually very nice. The food here is cooked by Japanese people and it shows.
The signature dish here is sushi burgers. It sounds tacky I know, but I encourage you to put away your doubts for a moment and try it. The usual filling you get in sushi handrolls is instead sandwiched between two rice patties. To ensure it all stays together, the 3 layers are then wrapped with seaweed.
There are several flavours of sushi burger which are mostly made to order however they do have some on pre-made for the lunch rush hour. My favourite is the yakiniku burger which is filled with thin slices of shaved beef which has been fried with onions, teriyaki sauce and japanese mayonnaise (a little sweeter than the normal one). It is a bit expensive at $6.50, but the flavour combination (sweet v salty) is a classic. It is also made to order, and only takes about 5 minutes if you are in a hurry.
A not so successful burger is the soft shell crab burger, which contains far too much grease from the deep-fried crab. However the other burgers which I have tried like chicken and avocado and vegetable tempura have been great. Both of these burgers also had teriyaki sauce in them which really helps lift the flavours.
This place is now a staple for my mid-week lunch. See you there.
Rating: 15/20
Showing posts with label sushi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sushi. Show all posts
Aug 22, 2010
Feb 12, 2008
Shira Nui
Address: 247 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley
Tel: 9886 7755
SOPHISTICATION IN THE SUBURBS
It is a far too common occurrence in the suburbs that one enters Japanese restaurants only to find them staffed by waiters, and far worse, chefs, from Hong Kong or China. Sushi shops are the new juice bar and it seems as if everyone is trying to cash in on the craze, even if it means substanddard food.
Shira Nui suffers no such downfall. Upon entering this little 30 seater restaurant in Glen Waverley, one is immediately greeted by calls of 'irashaimasu' (welcome in Japanese). The chef, Hiro Nishikura proudly displays his certifications and credentials behind the sushi bar. As time would reveal, these were well earnt.
We went on a weekday for lunch and had no trouble securing a booking the morning we were going. However I would suggest booking as the restaurant is small, and does attract the business element from around the area. When we were there, it had no trouble filling up all 30 or so seats by 1 pm. The reason for this became apparent. The sushi lunch menu offers exceptional value for around $15-20. There is also hot food available, but undoubtedly the strength of this restaurant lays in its sushi/sushimi.
We had the $20 lunch set which included 2 small entrees, miso soup, chawan mushi, and a bowl of sushi. The entree included a few pieces of gently poached eggplant in a pool of dashi broth topped by Bonito flakes. Most definitely a highlight of the meal - simple, yet the flavours worked well together. My dining companions agreed. The cold noodles in a light mayonnaise with rocket were nice but not spectacular.
The chawan mushi was an eggy custard served warm with flecks of fish at the bottom. This custard had a suitably silken texture however one minor complaint is that it was a touch salty.
The sushi spread consisted of a couple of pieces each of Salmon, Tuna, Eel, John Dory (and another white fleshed fish I can't place) and egg served on a bed of sushi rice. The fish was firm and tasty, with none of the fishy taste one associates with fish that has past its sushi use by. The eel had a lovely fatty flavour to it that was only enhanced by the way it was cooked.
All in all it was a great meal that was only marred by the slightly inattentive but well-meaning staff.
Rating: 17/20
Tel: 9886 7755
SOPHISTICATION IN THE SUBURBS
It is a far too common occurrence in the suburbs that one enters Japanese restaurants only to find them staffed by waiters, and far worse, chefs, from Hong Kong or China. Sushi shops are the new juice bar and it seems as if everyone is trying to cash in on the craze, even if it means substanddard food.
Shira Nui suffers no such downfall. Upon entering this little 30 seater restaurant in Glen Waverley, one is immediately greeted by calls of 'irashaimasu' (welcome in Japanese). The chef, Hiro Nishikura proudly displays his certifications and credentials behind the sushi bar. As time would reveal, these were well earnt.
We went on a weekday for lunch and had no trouble securing a booking the morning we were going. However I would suggest booking as the restaurant is small, and does attract the business element from around the area. When we were there, it had no trouble filling up all 30 or so seats by 1 pm. The reason for this became apparent. The sushi lunch menu offers exceptional value for around $15-20. There is also hot food available, but undoubtedly the strength of this restaurant lays in its sushi/sushimi.
We had the $20 lunch set which included 2 small entrees, miso soup, chawan mushi, and a bowl of sushi. The entree included a few pieces of gently poached eggplant in a pool of dashi broth topped by Bonito flakes. Most definitely a highlight of the meal - simple, yet the flavours worked well together. My dining companions agreed. The cold noodles in a light mayonnaise with rocket were nice but not spectacular.
The chawan mushi was an eggy custard served warm with flecks of fish at the bottom. This custard had a suitably silken texture however one minor complaint is that it was a touch salty.
The sushi spread consisted of a couple of pieces each of Salmon, Tuna, Eel, John Dory (and another white fleshed fish I can't place) and egg served on a bed of sushi rice. The fish was firm and tasty, with none of the fishy taste one associates with fish that has past its sushi use by. The eel had a lovely fatty flavour to it that was only enhanced by the way it was cooked.
All in all it was a great meal that was only marred by the slightly inattentive but well-meaning staff.
Rating: 17/20
Oct 20, 2007
Horoki Casual Dining Bar
Location: 19 Liverpool Street, Melbourne
Tel: 9663 2227
TASTES OF THE WANDERER
Don't be fooled by the Japanese name. Horoki, whilst staffed by Japanese (read: not Chinese/Malaysians/people from Hong Kong PRETENDING to be Japanese) defies being pidgeon-holed. It draws influence from as far away as Italy and Spain, as well as more regional sources like China. Chef Kenji Higuchi does a brilliant job of fusing these flavours together in a harmonious blend that justifies repeated visits to this tiny city restaurant.
The drinks list is very reasonably priced and Asian beer is well represented including favourites such as Tsingtao, Asahi and Tiger. However these are all just distractions to the main event which is the food of Kenji Higuchi. I ordered the Daikon Salad with Sashimi ($13.50) and the Baby Octopus Roast in Garlic Butter ($13.50). Both were excellent, although the Daikon Salad was a real standout. A large dish was liberally filled with cos lettuce, cherry tomatoes and topped with julienne of fresh daikon then julienne of deep fried daikon and seaweed. Around the edges were laid gleaming tiles of tuna, swordfish and salmon sashimi, all liberally covered with tobiko. The dressing was appeared to be a balsamic vinaigrette. The contrast in textures between the fresh and fried daikon was fantastic, whilst the lashings of tobiko eliminated any need for soya sauce with the fish. All in all, a brilliantly conceived and executed dish.
The Baby Octopus was served in a clay dish bubbling with garlic butter. It would not have been out of place in a Spanish restaurant. However, the dish was marred slightly by the chewiness of the octopus, which can probably be attributed to overcooking but this is only a small complaint.
In addition, we had the smoked salmon nigiri, which was served after having had a blow torch run over the surface, leaving a nice charcoal flavour to the sushi. In my opinion, the freshness of the fish and the quality of the cooking put this sushi up there with Shira Nui, the undoubted king of sushi in Melbourne.
My dining companions had the soft shell crab, swordfish tataki and steak tartare, and all received similar rave reviews.
As my dining companion (who had been here on previous ocassions) very astutely pointed out, it is hard to make a bad choice at Horoki. I will definitely be making a return to this very fine restaurant.
Rating: 18/20
Tel: 9663 2227
TASTES OF THE WANDERER
Don't be fooled by the Japanese name. Horoki, whilst staffed by Japanese (read: not Chinese/Malaysians/people from Hong Kong PRETENDING to be Japanese) defies being pidgeon-holed. It draws influence from as far away as Italy and Spain, as well as more regional sources like China. Chef Kenji Higuchi does a brilliant job of fusing these flavours together in a harmonious blend that justifies repeated visits to this tiny city restaurant.
The drinks list is very reasonably priced and Asian beer is well represented including favourites such as Tsingtao, Asahi and Tiger. However these are all just distractions to the main event which is the food of Kenji Higuchi. I ordered the Daikon Salad with Sashimi ($13.50) and the Baby Octopus Roast in Garlic Butter ($13.50). Both were excellent, although the Daikon Salad was a real standout. A large dish was liberally filled with cos lettuce, cherry tomatoes and topped with julienne of fresh daikon then julienne of deep fried daikon and seaweed. Around the edges were laid gleaming tiles of tuna, swordfish and salmon sashimi, all liberally covered with tobiko. The dressing was appeared to be a balsamic vinaigrette. The contrast in textures between the fresh and fried daikon was fantastic, whilst the lashings of tobiko eliminated any need for soya sauce with the fish. All in all, a brilliantly conceived and executed dish.
The Baby Octopus was served in a clay dish bubbling with garlic butter. It would not have been out of place in a Spanish restaurant. However, the dish was marred slightly by the chewiness of the octopus, which can probably be attributed to overcooking but this is only a small complaint.
In addition, we had the smoked salmon nigiri, which was served after having had a blow torch run over the surface, leaving a nice charcoal flavour to the sushi. In my opinion, the freshness of the fish and the quality of the cooking put this sushi up there with Shira Nui, the undoubted king of sushi in Melbourne.
My dining companions had the soft shell crab, swordfish tataki and steak tartare, and all received similar rave reviews.
As my dining companion (who had been here on previous ocassions) very astutely pointed out, it is hard to make a bad choice at Horoki. I will definitely be making a return to this very fine restaurant.
Rating: 18/20
Sep 10, 2007
100 Mile Cafe
Location: Level 3 Melbourne Central, 211 La Trobe St
Tel: 9654 0808
Website: http://www.100milecafe.com.au
CHAMPIONING LOCAL PRODUCE
Sustainable living is gaining increasing importance nowadays, and it was only a matter of time before this translated into sustainable produce making an appearance in restaurants. The 100 Mile Cafe eschews half-measures in this regard, sourcing their produce entirely within a 100 mile radius of Melbourne. Many would regard this as something of a handicap, but the 100 Mile Cafe manages to pull it off with style and panache.
We had to wait for about 20 minutes for a table despite a booking, which did not give me a positive first impression of the restaurant. However, the food more than compensated for the initial wait. For starters we shared woodfired bread covered with Mont Morency mushrooms. It was a rustic pita type bread generously covered with mushrooms. The flavour from the mushrooms was intense, with just enough salt and a slightly meaty taste. Fantastic.
Not so fantastic was the half-hour wait until the rest of our entrees arrived. I had the eel mille-feuille ($17) and I must say, it was worth the wait. 3 big chunks of gently roasted eel were sandwiched between two layers of golden puff pastry. The eel was sweet and succulent whilst the puff pastry was nice and crispy. On the side was a salad of endives with apple and sultanas, with an artful line of what I took to be sweetened balsamic vinegar separating the eel from the vegetables. The combined sweetness of the apple, sultanas and balasamic matched the eel perfectly. Overall a very well-thought out dish and competently executed.
My dining companions had the house smoked duck sushi ($5 / piece). Whilst this wasn't cheap, the quality of the local produce and the cooking was reflected by the speed at which the sushi was devoured. The duck itself was gently smoked and then covered with a light glaze of teriyaki. A simple and elegant combination that was very comptently executed.
Unfortunately, it was another half-hour before the mains arrived. This was disappointingly slow service from a restaurant that otherwise had everything going for it. The ambience was smart but not too stifling, with the polished wooden rafters lending a slightly rustic charm to the restaurant. The food was good and the service was polite and attentive. A shame about the long wait between courses.
For mains I had the King George Whiting tempura style. 4 small golden fillets of whiting arrived buried under a mound of capsicum, ladies finger and pumpkin. Accompanying it was a small bowl of tentsuyu sauce. The fish was well-cooked, with a light coating of crispy batter coddling the sweet whiting. The batter perfectly preserved the juiciness and texture of the fish, allowing the freshness of the produce to shine through.
The braised ox cheek my dining companions had also garnered significant praise.
Given the length of the wait between courses, we did not bother with dessert. Despite the tempting menu, it did not justify a further half hour wait.
Rating: 16/20
The food was great and deserved a higher mark, too bad the service did not match it.
Tel: 9654 0808
Website: http://www.100milecafe.com.au
CHAMPIONING LOCAL PRODUCE
Sustainable living is gaining increasing importance nowadays, and it was only a matter of time before this translated into sustainable produce making an appearance in restaurants. The 100 Mile Cafe eschews half-measures in this regard, sourcing their produce entirely within a 100 mile radius of Melbourne. Many would regard this as something of a handicap, but the 100 Mile Cafe manages to pull it off with style and panache.
We had to wait for about 20 minutes for a table despite a booking, which did not give me a positive first impression of the restaurant. However, the food more than compensated for the initial wait. For starters we shared woodfired bread covered with Mont Morency mushrooms. It was a rustic pita type bread generously covered with mushrooms. The flavour from the mushrooms was intense, with just enough salt and a slightly meaty taste. Fantastic.
Not so fantastic was the half-hour wait until the rest of our entrees arrived. I had the eel mille-feuille ($17) and I must say, it was worth the wait. 3 big chunks of gently roasted eel were sandwiched between two layers of golden puff pastry. The eel was sweet and succulent whilst the puff pastry was nice and crispy. On the side was a salad of endives with apple and sultanas, with an artful line of what I took to be sweetened balsamic vinegar separating the eel from the vegetables. The combined sweetness of the apple, sultanas and balasamic matched the eel perfectly. Overall a very well-thought out dish and competently executed.
My dining companions had the house smoked duck sushi ($5 / piece). Whilst this wasn't cheap, the quality of the local produce and the cooking was reflected by the speed at which the sushi was devoured. The duck itself was gently smoked and then covered with a light glaze of teriyaki. A simple and elegant combination that was very comptently executed.
Unfortunately, it was another half-hour before the mains arrived. This was disappointingly slow service from a restaurant that otherwise had everything going for it. The ambience was smart but not too stifling, with the polished wooden rafters lending a slightly rustic charm to the restaurant. The food was good and the service was polite and attentive. A shame about the long wait between courses.
For mains I had the King George Whiting tempura style. 4 small golden fillets of whiting arrived buried under a mound of capsicum, ladies finger and pumpkin. Accompanying it was a small bowl of tentsuyu sauce. The fish was well-cooked, with a light coating of crispy batter coddling the sweet whiting. The batter perfectly preserved the juiciness and texture of the fish, allowing the freshness of the produce to shine through.
The braised ox cheek my dining companions had also garnered significant praise.
Given the length of the wait between courses, we did not bother with dessert. Despite the tempting menu, it did not justify a further half hour wait.
Rating: 16/20
The food was great and deserved a higher mark, too bad the service did not match it.
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