Sushi Hotaru

Shop 118 200 Bourke St 
Melbourne, VIC 3000

What do you get when you combine a food blogger and the resolve to eat healthy? You get a very, very frustrated Chris trying to find a good restaurant that ticks all the boxes, and on a budget to boot. Thankfully I had recently heard about Sushi Hotaru, hailing from Sydney and serving a large range of sushi for $3 per plate – perfect.

I’ve heard that you need to rock up early to avoid a wait but, I didn’t expect the long train to already be at half full by 5pm. Looking at the rainbow of plates choo-chooing past however, I understood why everyone was as eager as we were. Unfortunately, my camera was bizarrely out of batteries (they were fully charged just the night before; I think it may be karma getting me for not coming here with K first – I’m sorry!), so I had to rely on my iPhone for some happy snaps. It caused me physical pain not to be able to use my camera on these beautiful morsels, but at least it freed up my attention to actually concentrate on eating said morsels. 

But wait, there’s more! If you’re not satisfied with the sushi going around, a couple taps of the iPad above each table will yield the full menu, made to order. That includes hot side dishes, extra types of sushi, hand rolls – you name it, and all at $3 a plate. There are also some larger meals such as udon on offer, and sashimi slices which go for $7.9 per plate. All in all, you have a whopping 200+ items to choose from.

Scallop Nigiri ($3)

The first item I plucked off the train was a plump pair of Scallop Nigiri ($3). The two delectable morsels were silken and decadent, with a faint brininess. 

Seared Salmon and Scallop Nigiri ($3)

Then came the Seared Salmon and Scallop Nigiri ($3). This was a complete and utter winner, the plump scallops smoky but light, and the fatty salmon caramelised to a charred butteriness. 

Tempura Prawn Roll ($3)

I’ll admit that I picked up the Tempura Prawn Roll ($3) because I was enamoured by how pretty it looked, but it was actually very generic The prawn was cold and a bit greasy, though its generous size meant it made for a good filler.

Soft Shell Crab Hand Roll ($3)

Sophia, the friend who told me about Sushi Hotaru, insisted that I must try the Soft Shell Crab Hand Roll ($3). She was on the dot with this one – the giant crab claw protruding from the mix of rice, lettuce and tartar sauce was piping hot and very light, and the crisp, nutty nori made all the difference. 

Takoyaki ($3)

I swear to god the Takoyaki ($3) looked a lot better than this before I accidentally flung them off the plate. These were made fresh with chewy pieces of octopus inside, but I did just come back from Japan, and they had nothing on the ones over there, which were larger, creamier, and completely drowned in sauce – just the way I like them. 

Seared Salmon Nigiri ($3)

The pair of Seared Salmon Nigiri ($3) was rich like you’d expect, but perhaps not as fresh as it could be.

Eel Nigiri ($3)

I eagerly grabbed the Eel Nigiri ($3) as it came by, but it was a little disappointing. The pieces of eel fell apart quite easily, but were mushy as opposed to melty, and a bit too sweet.  

Chicken Kaarage ($3)

To appease Chris, we ordered a plate of Chicken Kaarage ($3), which were crisp and juicy, but I found to be a little flavourless. Nevertheless, it was quite enjoyable dipped in the kewpie mayo. 

Salmon Nigiri ($3)

I had to have a plate of my favourite Salmon Nigiri ($3). It wasn’t the liveliest pair of sushi I’ve ever seen but the salmon was of a good quality, silken and rich. 

Wagyu Tataki Nigiri ($3)

Having heard good things about the Wagyu Tataki Nigiri ($3), we grabbed it eagerly off the train. Shame the beef was tough and flavourless, and the raw slivered onions pungent enough to bring us to tears. 

Seared Scallop Nigiri ($3)

Everything was made better again with a pair of Seared Scallop Nigiri ($3), which had the same briny plumpness of the raw ones, but also a fragrant caramelisation that added a level of richness to it the raw ones didn’t have. It was a gorgeous ending to the meal.

I also enjoyed a fantastic Squid Nigiri ($3) at one point, but as always, there must be one plate I forget to take a photo of in my excitement. In this case, the white drape of squid was wonderfully creamy and chewy, perfect when enhanced with a dab of soy. 

Sushi Hotaru isn’t quite like Japan, where the fish is sliced fresh and thick, and the rice is still warm. However the variety available here more than makes up for it, and the quality is a generous distance away from average. I really liked how you can have everything made to order by simply tapping on the iPad, and the Japanese speaking staff definitely added to the ambiance. I would highly recommend Sushi Hotaru for almost any occasion.

Rating: 15.5/20 – almost japan.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit. And how much I miss Japan. 

Strawberry Hazelnut Waffle ($10)

And woofles at Cacao Green! The Strawberry Hazelnut Waffle ($10) is where diets go to die, but I couldn’t care less when the crispy pockets are filled with Nutella and frozen yoghurt, all topped with syrupy strawberries, chocolate sauce, and icing sugar.

Thai Culinary

433 Elizabeth St 
Melbourne, VIC 3000

Sparing you all my oft-rehashed rant on limp-wristed Thai food in Melbourne, I’ll get straight to Thai Culinary, a small eatery on Elizabeth Street and neighbour to one of my all-time favourites, Rose Garden. 

The first impressions weren’t good. Well the first-first impression was fine; the interior was bright and clean, with some vaguely cultural paintings hung at intervals along the wall. But the second-first impression was terrible, when we found ourselves completely ignored by the wait staff, and had to sit ourselves down. It was another 10 minutes before we were finally acknowledged.

Thai Fried Rice with Chicken ($11)

I ordered the Thai Fried Rice with Chicken ($11), wanting something familiar over an adventure. I would probably rate this fried rice at slightly above par – there was nothing remarkable about it at all, but it had a good smokiness from the wok, and the chicken was very lean. However I couldn’t work out for the life of me what made it Thai. 

Fried Chicken Spare Rib ($10)

Proving that deep-frying will always end well, Chris’ Fried Spicy Chicken Spare Rib ($10) was a delight. The coating was a much more Thai-like blend of spicy, sweet and tangy, and the crunchy skin hid some very, very juicy chicken.

All in all, I’d be thoroughly unimpressed if it weren’t for the fantastic chicken ribs. The fried rice was pleasant but very un-Thai, and the wait staff’s attitudes were absolutely shocking. Thank goodness for deep fryers.

Rating: 11.5/20 – redeeming chicken ribs.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit. And the amount of curry I ate in Japan. 

Taketori Fusion Japanese

Shop1 225 King St 
Melbourne, VIC 3000

http://www.taketori.com.au/

I miss Japan. I miss the bustling cities and the trains that ran on time. I miss the heat of the day and the cool sea breezes at night. Most of all, I miss the food. In Japan you could get 30 different kinds of bento boxes in any convenience store, sit at a sushi train and eat the freshest sashimi you’ll ever taste, and walk into any restaurant knowing that a good feed is on the menu.

Hence my excitement when Annie, co-owner of Taketori Fusion Japanese, invited me to come and have a nibble at their modern takes on Japanese cuisine.  Being a new high-end Japanese restaurant on King Street, I had ample expectations for their food.

Taketori means bamboo, and the walls are beautifully stencilled with silvery motifs. There’s a sushi bar lined up at the front, and even a downstairs section where patrons sit on cushions on the floor a la Japan. The owners’ background in design is really put up for show here; they want eating to be a marriage of food and ambience, aiming to create a lovely experience. 

Japanese Tea ($4.5pp)

Annie suggested a pot of Japanese Tea ($4.5pp) for the cold, and the fragrant roasted rice green tea that slid into our tummies was liquid warmth. 

Chicken Yakitori ($13.9)

We started off with a plate of Chicken Yakitori ($13.9), which was prettily presented with a side salad of rocket and citrus. The grilled chicken was tender and lightly smoky-sweet, but quite uninspired. The side salad however, with its bitter, sweet, and sour notes, was wonderfully refreshing. 

Miso Soup ($3.9)

My bowl of Miso Soup ($3.9) was rich and nutty, the turbid clouds hiding wobbly pieces of tofu and crunchy wakame. 

Beef Sirloin Teriyaki ($22.9)

The Beef Sirloin Teriyaki ($22.9) was very well executed. The beef was still pink in the middle, resulting in juicy, flavoursome strips of beef, glazed with sweet soy. 

Scallop Sashimi ($10.9, 9 pieces)

I don’t usually indulge in scallops, as I often find them to be watery and not very fresh at all. Thank goodness the Scallop Sashimi ($10.9, 9 pieces) served up at Taketori was plump and silken, all but melting its way down the throat in a trail of refreshing brininess. 

Assorted Sashimi ($20.9, 15 pieces)

Assorted Sashimi ($20.9, 15 pieces)

The grand finale of the night was a platter of Assorted Sashimi ($20.9, 15 pieces), served up beautifully on a dark stone slab. There were the usual suspects – tuna, kingfish and salmon, which were firm and fresh. The slivers of octopus were quite chewy and bland, but compact curves of oily mackerel brought the dish back up.

Taketori is quite a nice place to be on a Friday night, but it would be even better to come as a group. The generous spaces and the downstairs tatami sections would make throwing large parties a breeze, and the food is nice, albeit simple and rather expensive. I look forward to seeing where this restaurant will go in the future.

Rating: 13/20 – nostalgic for japan.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.

Sweet and Sour Fork dined as a guest of Taketori Fusion Japanese.

Ramen Museum

2 Chome-1421 Shinyokohama, Kohoku Ward

Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture 222-0033, Japan

http://www.raumen.co.jp/

I have always been a ramen fanatic. That seems like a funny thing to say considering that I had never had a ‘proper’ Japanese ramen, but I fell madly in love with the idea of a rich, delectable noodle dish that had thousands of incarnations to enjoy. I spent years in Melbourne trying to find ‘the one’, but as any noodle lover knows, Melbourne just can’t seem to get the ramen right. So when I finally got to Japan, I wasn’t content with just slurping ramen next to the local salarymen. Instead I took off with my travelling buddy, Sneha, to the Ramen Museum in Yokohama to taste the best of the best.

Not only is the ramen museum a place where famous ramen shops congregate, it is also a replica of olden day Japan (around 1958) bathed perpetually in an enchanting dusky glow. After we had walked around the narrow alleyways, taken a few tourist snaps, and explored the old-fashioned sweet shop, we sat down to discuss which of the 9 types of ramen we should try. 

Men no Bo-Toride

Men no Bo-Toride

Being a firm lover of tonkotsu, I insisted on the Men no Bo-Toride, which the brochure described as follows:

A tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen shop representing Kyoshu’s Finest. Head bones are used for their pork bone soup – simmered slowly with care for 20 hours condensing the umami taste element. Their noodles are handmade, super thin and straight.

And Merlin’s beard was it amazing. Whilst looking pale and innocuous in the bowl, the soup had an unbeatable richness from the slow simmer, and a depth of flavour augmented by generous usage of roasted garlic. The noodles were, of course, perfectly al dente. It’s the best noodle dish I’ve ever had, hands down. 

Mini Gyoza

We also had a serve of their signature Mini Gyoza, which were adorable bite-sized morsels with a crisp, translucent skin, and a filling that hit a perfect balance of delicacy and flavour. 

Sumire Miso Ramen

Sumire Miso Ramen

I couldn’t go past the Sumire Miso Ramen, not when it had a description that went something like this:

The most famous miso ramen shop in Japan. This miso ramen shop has a name recognition that spans the entire country. Their soup is so thick and yet so fragrant, you’ll never forget a spoonful of it. This, coupled with distinctively Hokkaido-style noodles, medium thick, that doesn’t let the rich soup’s magnificence get the best of them.

This was one helluva heavy ramen. Sifting past the centimetre-thick layer of oil on the top, I made my way to a bowl of soup that was deep and tasty, and noodles that had the perfect bounce in its curls. 

Sumire Shoyu Ramen

We had originally wanted to try 4 or so ramens out of the 9 shops, but unfortunately due to the policy of each customer having to order at least one dish, we had to end our journey with the Sumire Shoyu Ramen. I actually enjoyed this one more than the flagship miso ramen. Whereas the noodles in the miso were a tad flavourless, these ones absorbed the deep smoky flavours of the soy sauce and roast pork. However, the strong flavours imparted by the soup meant that by itself, the soup was nearly undrinkable in its saltiness. So we slurped up the noodles in the shoyu ramen, then drained the soup in the miso one, leaving us full to the brim. 

Narisawa

Minami Aoyama 2-16-15 Minato-ku, Tokyo
107-0062, Japan

http://www.narisawa-yoshihiro.com/

Anyone up for lunch and a show? For those of you who’ve been following me on Tumblr, you’ll know that I spent a couple of weeks in July eating my way around The Land Of The Rising Sun. And even though I had already spent over three grand on the holiday itself, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have just one ‘splurge’ meal; not when I’m in the country that holds the most Michelin stars in the world. So after extensive research, I settled on Narisawa, a 2-Michelin Star restaurant in Tokyo, placing at number 20 in the San Pellegrino’s Top 50 Restaurants In The World. 

Having booked months in advance (tables go fast, predictably), I was extremely excited when the big day rolled around, and subsequently ended up at the restaurant 15 minutes early. But like any good restaurant, they took my eagerness in stride, and soon I was seated in a deep leather chair, ready to begin my 11 Course Lunch Degustation (12000 yen/person)

The food at Narisawa may be French Fusion, but the restaurant itself is undoubtedly Japanese. It shows itself in the modest decor, the restrained but attentive staff, and the menu itself, which was very much a reflection of nature and the changing seasons. When I visited it was the peak of summer in Japan, and the theme of the meal, Evolve with the Forest, gently but insistently drew attention to the beauty of the summer landscapes. 

The meal began with a marvellous display of bread being made right at the table. Instead of commercial bread churners and ovens, the dough rose with the aid of a candle flame, and was then scraped into a blistering hot stone pot, sprinkled with herbs, and left to sizzle in a nest of leaves and bracken. 

What resulted was a hot little egg with a crispy shell and a fluffy, delicate center. The pale butter, disguised cleverly as a moss-covered rock, added a subtle creaminess to the sweetly herbed bread. 

And because it would be a crime to let good butter go to waste, I slathered what was left of it on crusty wedges of sourdough, and a tough little round of green tea bread. 

Essence of the Forest and Satoyama Scenery/Sumi

The first course was named Essence of the Forest and Satoyama Scenery. This dish made for a beautiful tableau of the understated, organic beauty of a summer forest. It was evoked by a simple display of Japanese herbs (raw and tempura) as leaves, fried some-sort-of-root (I know, very professional of me) to look like bark, and a mossy soil cleverly made with green tea and charcoal. A little cylinder of wood at the side contained a refreshing drop of spring water infused with oak. It was at this point at which I sorely wished that I had lugged my DSLR from home.

Oh and see that black thing on the black plate in the background? I didn’t realise it at the time, but it was the 2^nd course – Sumi. Sumi is a signature technique used by the chef, Yoshihiro Narisawa, which involved deep frying in charcoal to form a delicate batter. And whilst i really liked the light and fluffy batter which left the sweetness of the onion petal intact, I didn’t find anything remarkable about this dish. 

Okinawa

My third course, Okinawa, was a tribute to the southernmost prefecture of Japan. It comprised of a delicate sea snake soup, in which bobbed 2 cubes of crispy-skinned pork, and a yam dumpling. I got a little excited over this one and ate some before I remembered to take a photo, but it was justified, given the clear umami soup that balanced a faint brininess and an unctuous porkiness. I was especially enamoured with the yam dumpling, which was a fluffy yet slightly sticky mouthful that soaked up the soup wonderfully. 

'Gion Festival' Eggplant

The next dish, ‘Gion Festival’ Eggplant was as beautiful as the geisha that grace the district. I was lucky enough to see some of the floats parading during the summer festival, and this did indeed reflect their elegance and the delicacy. However I found that this dish lacked substance. Whilst it was described to consist of eggplant cooked 2 ways, shiitake mushrooms, flowers, and tomato jelly, all I could really taste was soft pan-fried eggplant, sour jelly, and none of the umami the ingredient list promised. 

‘Ash 2007’ Scene of the Seashore

Let me start by saying that ‘Ash 2007’ Scene of the Seashore was a magnificent dish, definitely one of the best things I’ve eaten all year. A pearly piece of squid was placed in front of me, looking very naked all by itself on the large plate. This dish is meant to represent the fishermen charcoal-grilling their catch on the seashore, explained the waiter. I was confused; all I’m getting here is raw squid on a pier.

‘Ash 2007’ Scene of the Seashore

But one spoonful of the ash dressing and the entire scene came alive. All of a sudden I could see the endless ocean, glowing charcoal, and hungry workers after a long, hard day. The squid was tender yet retained just the right amount of bite, and the dressing – a simple affair of olive oil, lemon, and paprika – was invigorating, a beautiful backdrop to the freshness of the seafood. 

Luxury Essence 2007

The theatricality was continued with a clear broth of chicken, ham and pork, suspended in a glass bulb like a large golden droplet. It really does earn its name of Luxury Essence 2007. 

Luxury Essence 2007

The soup, having been cooked for over 6 hours, was smoky but gentle. It formed a delicate backdrop to the moist and flaky tilefish, fresh pieces of wintermelon, and the intriguing pieces of watergrass jelly that slipped and popped in the mouth. By this point in the meal, I had to surreptitiously loosen my belt by one buckle. 

Langoustine, Odawara Bay

Langoustine, Odawara Bay

The spectacle of nature continued with the Langoustine, Odawara Bay, a bouquet of summer vegetables hiding a butterflied scampi. Having been cooked in three ways – steamed, grilled, and not at all – the vegetables were a lovely tango of textures, from fork-tender okra, to summery grilled yellow zucchini, wrapped up in fuzzy raw fronds of fennel. And don’t even get me started on the pearly crustaceans, its sweetness brought out by the savoury sauce and so very tender with just a little crunch.

Free Range Pork, Kagoshima

The final savoury dish was the Free Range Pork, Kagoshima. The pork may look raw, but it has actually been slow-cooked through in olive oil at 60^oC to retain all its moisture. It was a prime cut of meat well-cooked, and the buttery richness needed nothing else but a swish through the aged garlic sauce.

Matcha

I was stuffed at this point, but luckily my dessert stomach came to the rescue when I was presented with the palate cleanser, Matcha. The simplicity of the name was reflected by the dessert, a simple affair of matcha panna cotta and matcha sauce layered in a martini glass, topped with Japanese jelly. It was the perfect in-between morsel, the bitter grassiness of the green tea sauce countered by the milky panna cotta, and the sweet little globes of jelly. 

Pina Colada

Then came the most magnificent dessert I’ve ever eaten, the Pina Colada. It was essentially the famous cocktail in dessert form, a hollowed out pineapple housing pieces of fresh pinapple, mango and passionfruit, coconut jelly, mango sorbet, and lime foam. It even came with a rim of cream and toasted coconut. And just in case that wasn’t luxurious enough, the pineapple was then drizzled with a shot of the creamiest pina colada, shaken and strained at the table. It was a meticulously thought out dessert, light but still indulgent after the long meal. 

But wait! There’s more! Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly eat another bite, the fabled dessert trolley was wheeled out, groaning under the weight of tropical fruits and a boggling range of petit fours. Maybe, just maybe, I could make a little more room. 

Petite Fours

Unfortunately my gluttony had a limit, so I chose only 5 pieces from the trolley – Blackberry Tart, Chocolate Cake, and three Maracons in Coconut, Caramel, and 66% Cocoa. Each morsel was made to perfection, but I particularly enjoyed the salted caramel macaron, with the fluffy yet chewy shell, and oozy center. I was also offered tea/coffee, but I’d be kidding myself if I said I could fit it in.

Because I’ve been more than sufficiently verbose up until this point, I will end by simply saying that, whilst Narisawa doesn’t serve the most stunning food in terms of flavour (though there were a couple of outstanding dishes), I can easily understand how it earnt its 2 Michelin stars. It goes back to the roots, paying tribute to the lands and seasons for the produce that is reaped. It is one heck of an experience.

Rating: 16/20