Category: Japanese

Japanese combines the best of raw and cooked food. Its Sushi and Sashimi are known worldwide for its distinct way to present food.

Kobe Wagyu BBQ

Kobe Wagyu BBQ Review:

This week’s review is from one of the newest all-you-can-eat restaurants in Sydney. Kobe Wagyu BBQ is located quite near to World Square in CBD. Being at the centre of the city, unfortunately, also means a very expensive BBQ restaurant. The buffet menu is $79 per person.

They back up their pricing with amazing BBQ burner where the smoke actually got sucked back down. This actually creates a non-smokey environment with no giant overhead exhausts in sight. They also use touch screen ordering system where you can just click your orders. They did impose limitations on the number of plates you can order in one serving.

Japanese BBQ place usually has only two different soy sauces. Kobe Wagyu BBQ has three: yakiniku, ponzu and soy.

BBQ – Brisket Navel End (Karubi), Outside Skirt (Harami), Chuck Eye Roll, Flap Meat, Oyster Blade, Rib Eye Cap, Rib Finger, Short Rib, Tri-tip, Beef Tongue
Chicken Soft Bone, Chicken Thigh, Pork Loin, Pork Neck, Pork Belly, Pork Sausage

The first part of the menu (and probably the most often you will visit) is the BBQ. They have quite a few different cuts of meat, as seen above. They also have an extra option to either marinade it in sauce or salt.

Seafood – Baby Octopus, Calamari, King Prawn, Callops, Garlic Chilli Prawn, Scallop with Roe

If grilled seafood is your thing, you might be looking to order from one of these options. Unfortunately, fish is not part of it. But you can technically use the sashimi cuts and just grilled them.

Sashimi and Sushi – Salmon, Tuna, Snapper, Kingfish, Scallop, Salmon Carpaccio, California Roll, Lobster Salad Roll, Salmon Avocado roll, asparagus hand roll, eel hand roll, wagyu beef hand roll, tobiko hand roll, salmon hand roll

As a group, this is the place where we went the most. We love all you can eat sashimi! We could order plates upon plates of Sashimi.

Vegetables, Salad, and Side Dish – Asparagus, cabbage, capsicum, onions, shiitake mushrooms, corn with butter, sweet potato, zucchini, pumpkin, button mushroom, king brown mushroom, crab salad, sashimi salad, potato salad, seaweed salad, wrap lettuce, Japanese radish pickles, kimchee, radish kimchi, onsen tamago, asparagus with sesame sauce, spinach with soy, tofu

On the contrary, I hardly go to the vegetables and salad area. It’s not worth my time in all you can eat BBQ.

Bites – Crab claw, prawn croquette, chawanmushi, mentaiko cuttlefish, pork dumpling, vege spring roll, sesame oil & salt, garlic slice, agedashi tofu, bite-size tempura prawn, burdock chips, takoyaki, chicken karaage, yukke, curry croquette, shrimp karaage, chicken wing dumpling, deep fry lotus root, deep fry chicken soft bone, edamame

Bites are a good starting point if you want something to eat while waiting for your meat to cook. I love eating yukke (raw beef with egg yolk) and chicken soft bone to start my dinner.

Soup, Rice and Noodles – rice, eel rice, rice ball, salmon flake rice, soba, hot udon, green tea soba, egg soup, miso soup, seaweed soup, vongole miso soup

This is the tummy stuffer. People usually leave this out when eating at an all-you-can-eat restaurant. You can get full really quickly if you eat too much of this.

Desserts – black sesame, green tea, mango ice cream, rice cake

There are not a lot of options in the desserts area. It is basically just three kinds of ice cream and a rice cake. The rice cake is pretty interesting as you need to grill them before you can enjoy them with the condensed milk. A little tip: please change the grill before you start grilling the rice cake.

Optional Extras

You have to be careful that not everything is included as part of the buffet. Some items in the touch screen menu have a price tag attached to it. You will need to fork out extra dollars for those items.

The final verdict for Kobe Wagyu BBQ

Kobe Wagyu BBQ is one of the pricier all-you-can-eat restaurants in Sydney. The big plus is the almost-smoke-free environment. They also have quite a number of meat cuts and seafood.

Do you think I should go?
If all-you-can-eat and sashimi are your things, definitely!

Rating for Kobe Wagyu BBQ:

7.5 / 10

Taste: 7.5 / 10

Price: $79 buffet menu

Place: 8.5 / 10

Details:

Level 1, 605 George Street, CBD, Sydney 2000

+61 2 9283 2268

http://www.kobewagyubbq.com.au/

May 2, 2018
Sokyo

Sokyo Review:

Our review this week is for a special occasion and the venue of choice was Sokyo. Sokyo is a one-hat restaurant (based on Good Food Guide) with great reputation for its quality and Omakase. However, some of my friends also told me how the experience was somewhat ruined by patrons of ‘questionable personalities’.

On this occasion, we went there for quite a big lunch and tried a few different options for the two of us.

Sashimi Platter – 60 – Chef’s choice 24 pieces of mixed traditional sashimi

When you are in one of the best Japanese restaurants in Sydney, you just have got to order sashimi platter. On this occasion, we have the three regulars (salmon, tuna, kingfish), scallops, snapper, and aburi salmon.

They put a little theatrics for the Sashimi platter. It sure made a lot of people looked. The interesting thing about this was the four condiments included on the plate. I’m not really sure what they are, but I’d call them soy sauce, ‘yum’, ‘super yum’ and ‘omg yum’.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgkaMauFgMD/?taken-by=aaf_blog

Alfonsino Kinmedai – 6 – Sushi

The last time I had Alfonsino was so memorable that I was always on the lookout for the fish in a restaurant. I know it looked like just a regular sushi in the picture. However, it tasted so much better and the pickled ginger was strong and aromatic.

Octopus Salad – 16 – Confit potato, Wakame, Avocado Wasabi, watermelon, smoked bbq sauce

Can I just say ‘the octopus salad is yum’? It is hard to describe the complex nature of its elements.

Aylesbury Duck Breast – 40 – Goma ponzu, brussel sprouts & baby cos, wafu dressing

The duck has got to be one of the best we have had in a Japanese restaurant. The skin was so crunchy and the meat was so tender.

The wafu dressing is quite interesting for us. It reminded us of an Indonesian sauce for Pecel, but much more subtle. It worked really well with the brussel sprouts and baby cos.

We were super happy eating this dish.

Japanese Barbeque – 24 – Karubi short rib, umami shiitake sauce, cucumber

If the karubi short rib came before the duck, we probably would have appreciated it more. Unfortunately, it was massively overshadowed by the duck.

“Not Tuna Sashimi” – 12 – Compressed watermelon, coconut sorbet & aomomo

If you look at the picture below, I wouldn’t blame you if you really think it was tuna sashimi. I am not a big fan of not-fresh coconut and after this dish, I am still not a big fan.

Sokyo “Mochi Ice Cream” – 9 – Yatsuhashi kyoto mochi, frozen strawberry milk shake

This is the next level of mochi. Lucky there were 2 mochis for the two of us. Otherwise, we would have to fight for them.

Sayuri “Little Lilly” – 30 – 300ml Unfiltered Nigori sake. Slightly cloudy, lychee and coconuts

It is probably the cheapest sake in the menu. But I like the sweet and refreshing taste of it.

The final verdict for Sokyo

We had such an amazing lunch at Sokyo. It is definitely better than some of the one hat restaurants we have ever been to.

Do you think I should go?
Without a doubt! It was quite rare that we enjoyed every single one of our meals.
.

Rating for Sokyo:

9.0 / 10

Taste: 9.0 / 10

Price: $250 for two people

Place: 9.5 / 10

Details:

Level G, The Darling, The Star, 80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont 2009

Sokyo at The Star Website

Mar 22, 2018
5 All-You-Can-Eat in Sydney That You Must Try

Restaurants, all-you-can-eat in Sydney, and I are like two peas in a pod. I have enjoyed eating in all-you-can-eat restaurants for as long as I can remember. We are inseparable!

I have tried quite a lot of all-you-can-eat restaurants in Sydney for the last decade and I have seen some come and go. However, there are a handful restaurants that I have frequented throughout the years. Here they are (in alphabetical order)…

5 all-you-can-eat in Sydney that you must try

Braza

When I think about Braza, I can imagine their great meat quality. They also have the perfect way to rotate your meat options (you will less likely encounter the same cuts unless you specifically ask for it). The Braza in Darling Harbour also has Brazilian dancers on the weekend.

Braza on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brazadh/

Churrasco

Churrasco is my first ever foray into the Brazilian all-you-can-eat scene. I have been going to this restaurant since they only had one restaurant in Coogee. They started off as pure meat all-you-can-eat with vegetables as an optional extra. However, they have added the vegetables as part of the package since then.

We usually ask for buckets of the chimichurri sauce and tomato salsa as they go really well with the meat.

Website: http://www.churrasco.com.au/

Feast

Feast at Sheraton on The Park is like the high-end version of all-you-can-eat. It is located in a prime real estate in Sydney, facing Hyde Park!

Feast is known for their massive range of cold seafood. When you arrive at the restaurant, you will be greeted by assortments of crabs, oysters, and prawns. Their desserts range is also second to none.

Website: http://www.feastsydney.com.au/

Suminoya

Suminoya used to be the undisputed favourite of ours. However, in the last 8 years, the price has gone up 150% and they took away the charcoal and replaced it with electric BBQ.

They still have the best options for all-you-can-eat. You can have wagyu beef, sashimi and other assortments of Japanese food. They are also the most technologically-advanced with touch screen ordering system… not having to explain what you need and just have food delivered to you is a very nice perk to have!

Website: https://www.facebook.com/SUMINOYA.BBQ/

Wagyu House

In terms of quality, wagyu house will not be able to compete against the other four. However, this Korean BBQ restaurant costs less than half of most restaurants on this list. It doesn’t have many seafood options but it has a massive range of Korean side dishes.

Wagyu House on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilovewagyuhouse/

Jan 29, 2018
Hicksons Izakaya
Hicksons Izakaya Experience:

Chef Hiro, Omar and their team at Hicksons Izakaya invited us to try the food at this fairly new restaurant at Walsh Bay. We went there at lunchtime during the festive season. We were lucky as the weather was quite friendly at that time. It could get quite hot and steamy in the area as I have experienced in the past.

Considering that it’s an izakaya, they mostly served tapas-style Japanese food and sushi/sashimi platters. They also serve substantial bento boxes and main dishes if you feel a bit peckish.

Junmai Sake – $15 – Sweet – Carafe 180ml

A nice, sweet and cold sake is what you need on a hot Sydney summer.

Seared Scallops with Honey Ponzu and Fish Roe – $14.50

I love scallops and it’s no surprise that the first dish that I ordered was seared scallops. The scallops were seared perfectly. They also had a very nice honey ponzu sauce.

Seared Bonito – $15

Just like the seared scallops, the bonito fish was also seared delicately.

Teriyaki Chicken Bento Box – $24 – served with Five Sashimi pieces, salad, rice, miso soup & daily special side dish

Our little one ordered this bento box. It was probably a bit too big for his tummy. The teriyaki chicken was quite different than the ones in a typical Japanese restaurant. The teriyaki chicken in Hicksons Izakaya was neither super sweet nor sticky.

Slow Cooked Beef Stew Bento Box – $26 – served with Five Sashimi pieces, salad, rice, miso soup & daily special side dish

The beef stew bento had a similar composition, but the main dish was beef stew instead of teriyaki chicken.

Salmon Fillet – $24 – Seared Salmon Fillet with Yuzu Green Salad

Salmon fillet was probably the best main dish of the day. It went really well with the sauce provided.

Chocolate Sushi Roll – $14

As you probably know, I am not the biggest fan of chocolate. However, I was quite intrigued by the fact that they made a chocolate sushi roll!

We quickly found out that we had to fight over this sushi roll because it was so good.

Macha Ice Cream – $9

For this dessert, it was just a simple couple of scoops of matcha ice cream.

A few interesting things about Hicksons Izakaya
- Hicksons Izakaya is located right opposite of Sydney Theatre Company at Walsh Bay. It makes them a very busy destination for pre-theatre dinner.
- Great view of Walsh Bay
- Get that Chocolate Sushi Roll.
- Seriously… GET THAT CHOCOLATE SUSHI ROLL!!!
Details:

Shop 5/17A Hickson Road, The Rocks, Sydney

+61 2 9252 2274
Jan 5, 2018
Sven-san

Sven-san Review:

This week we went to quite a unique restaurant. Sven-san is a marriage between Swedish and Japanese cuisines. You can look at it again, it would still say Swedish and Japanese.

If you are planning to visit, it’s probably better to go there by bus, because the location is right at the end of Paddington and just before the centennial park. On this occasion, we selected the Chef Selection Banquet for $55. They also have the $70 version of the banquet.

Without furder ado (because there are a lot of dishes to cover!), here they are:

Edamame bowl, chilli salt

The first dish was a staple in quite a lot of Japanese restaurants: edamame. It was plain and simple.

Duck Croquettes + Hot sauce

I think croquettes are more of a Japanese dish than Swedish. It was quite a delectable dish.

Agedashi Tofu + Ginger floss

From the name you can guess that it is a Japanese dish. It was another light and easy dish.

Smashed Edamame “Hummus” and prawn crackers

I’m not quite sure why they chose to serve another edamame. If they chose something like Smörgåskaviar for the dipping sauce that would have been an awesome dish!

SFC – Sven’s Fried Chicken, Togarashi seasoning and Mayo

Fried chicken and mayo… I don’t think it’s Swedish.

Duck liver parfait, vodka – lingonberry gelé

I think this is the first dish that has a hint of Swedish with the introduction of vodka and lingonberry jelly. However the main is still heavily influenced by Japanese/French flavour.

Chips, Mix salad

These are the staple food to fill our tummy in.

Mushroom fried rice

The Japanese fried rice was actually the last one to come in.

Tassie Salmon Kombu butter, Spinach, Edamame

Salmon could easily be a Swedish dish. However, once again the Japanese influence was more prominent in this dish.

Grain fed eye fillet steak

I think this is probably the one dish that could represent Swedish dish. The pickled vegetables and mashed potatoes are a nice addition to it.

Salmon fish fingers and chips – $12.90
This is not part of the dish. I included this because it was our little one’s dinner at that time.

The final verdict for Sven-san

There seemed to be a lot more Japanese influence in Sven-san’s banquet dishes than the Swedish dish. It would be interesting if it could be more balanced.

Do you think I should go?
Their regular menu looked pretty interesting and I would suggest you try them.

Rating for Sven-san:

7.0 / 10

Taste: 7.0 / 10

Price: $55 pp – chef selection

Place: 7.0 / 10

Details:

495 Oxford Street, Paddington, NSW, 2021

+61 2 9131 8454

http://svensan.com.au/

Dec 20, 2017
Suzuya Japanese Restaurant

Suzuya Review:

A while ago, I was introduced to this little restaurant by my work colleague, SR. Suzuya Japanese Restaurant is located in a small street in the middle of Surry Hills. Unless you are a local or someone referred you to it, you will most likely never heard about this place. It is now becoming a meeting place if I meet my colleague for lunch around Surry Hills.

Their menu is quite unusual. They have a lunch menu on the left hand side that is just marginally cheaper than the set menu on the right hand side. Suffice to say, I would strongly suggest to choose the set menu on the right hand side. You will see why…

Their set menu is like a flow chart that you need to navigate around it.

First stop, you must choose one from the following options: Sushi, Sashimi, California Roll, Salmon or Tuna & Avocado roll, or vegetable roll.

You must then choose one of the main meals: Teriyaki (A stir fry flavoured with sweet teriyaki sauce) Beef/chicken/fish, Katsu (Japanese style schnitzel) Pork/chicken, Tempura (Tempura-fried fish, prawns and vegetables), nabeyaki udon noodles

Most of the set menu comes with a bowl of rice, miso soup and agedashi tofu. Obviously the nabeyaki udon does not come with bowl of rice and miso soup.

All of that for only $16.9 or $18.9! Great deal eh?

Agedashi Tofu and Soup

Chicken Katsu

Teriyaki Beef

Tempura

The final verdict for Suzuya

They served massive portion for lunch at Suzuya Japanese restaurant. The taste does not disappoint either!

Did you know?

You really should know where you are going and have the GPS handy. Suzuya is not in the main road.

Rating for Suzuya:

7.5 / 10

Taste: 7.5 / 10

Price: Under $20 lunch

Place: 7.0 / 10

Details:

210 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills

+61 2 8399 1639

Suzuya on Zomato

Aug 18, 2017