Devon

I was so very excited to see that one of the breakfast/brunch options at Devon was salmon. It’s quite rare to find a Japanese-style breakfast, so we were happy to wait for nearly 30mins to get a table. Seated in the back courtyard, we ordered right away, tummies grumbling from the wait. I chose Breakfast with the Sakumas ($25), clearly a staple menu item, of miso-grilled salmon, smoked eel croquette, 63 degree egg, radish salad and kewpie mayonnaise. The plate was beautifully presented, and I broke open the croquette before cutting my egg, so there was something to absorb the perfectly runny yolk. The croquette was delightful – don’t be put off if you’re not a seafood fan, the eel flavor is subtle, and the brown rice inside makes this a surprisingly filling portion. But the main game is definitely the salmon, which shines brightly amongst all other salmon dishes. Perfectly flaked and tender, and topped with a crisp seaweed and spice crumb (amazingly good), this was a complete delight and something I would go out of my way to eat again. The radish salad broke up the rich flavours of the rest of the dish, bringing perfect balance and sending me right back to Tokyo breakfasts past.

Devon, 76 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills, NSW, http://www.devoncafe.com.au/

Sushi Zanmai

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Reviewing this place twice is ok, but three times is excessive. Well, in my quest to share the best sushi experience in Tokyo, I did venture away from my beloved Sushi Zanmai in Akihabara and tried their flagship Tsukiji store. So, here’s how it went. Unlike in Akihabara, this Sushi Zanmai is multi-storey (oooooh), and at lunchtime it was pumping. We waited about 15 minutes for a table, and then were taken upstairs. Unfortunately our sushi chef was under the pump and had three groups of diners to look after at the counter, along with the table orders, so service was very slow. We started out with green tea and miso, sharing a bowl of the seaweed miso (so good). Next was the tempura squid, which was quite a good size portion and had a really lovely crispiness, along with plenty of salt to season. Then it was sushi time. We went for the classic favourites, having multiple serves of aburi salmon, before another go at the saba – sadly there was a bit too much wasabi on our pieces to fully enjoy this one. The unagi was excellent though – it just melted in your mouth. The verdict? Stick to Akihabara, or go at an off-peak time.

Sushi Zanmai, 4-11-9, Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo                                       http://www.kiyomura.co.jp/ (Japanese only)

Hortas

On a perfectly warm afternoon, Mum and I headed down to Port Noarlunga for lunch with a craving for fish and chips. Wandering around, we saw the beautiful location of Hortas looking out over the water and were sold. We sat out on the balcony and ordered two serves of the fish and chips. The food came out surprisingly quickly, as we were commenting that sitting on the deck felt like lounging at a friend’s place, it was so relaxing and comfortable! The plates were huge, with two pieces of beer-battered garfish, a mound of chips, a bowl of tartare sauce and a garden salad on the side. Whilst the presentation was pretty, it was a bit hard to eat on a plate with no free space. The fish was nicely battered, with the batter leaning more towards the dense side, and inside the fishmeat was perfectly cooked and tender. I found the flavour a bit unusual (just this type of fish? The Coopers beer batter?) but I enjoyed it with the lovely tartare sauce. The chips were a bit on the pale side for me, but were cooked through, and really, you just can’t go past that view.

Hortas, Port Noarlunga Jetty, Noarlunga SA, http://www.hortas.com.au/

Sushi Zanmai

I know I’ve blogged about Sushi Zanmai before, but my experience on this visit was incomparable. We went for dinner, and surprisingly didn’t have to line up (win!). Sitting at the counter, our sushi-san started chatting to us, as they usually do, but this guy was a comedian, and kept us entertained with jokes and impressions all night. Not only did we get the amazing nigiri sushi I ordered, chuo toro (mid-grade tuna), aburi salmon (my ultimate favourite), unagi (top grade eel), saba (the tastiest mackarel ever), we were also treated to a complimentary cube of the most delicious tuna I’ve ever eaten – it was tiny, but had been seared on all sides and salted and it just melted in my mouth. Amazing. To top it off, the gentleman sitting next to us, who was dining alone and joined in on the conversation and jokes, gifted us bowls of miso soup – it must have been their premium soup, as it was packed with fish meat, and had an incredibly complex and hearty flavour. I can’t really explain how much this place makes my heart swell with joy, but I can say that it epitomises everything that I love about Japan. Thanks for another special experience Sushi Zanmai.

Sushi Zanmai, 1F Yodabashi Camera building, Akihabara Tokyo     http://www.kiyomura.co.jp/ (Japanese only)

Sosumi Sushi Train

My colleague recommended a sushi bar near our meeting venue at lunchtime, so off I went into the GPO building seeking a light meal and some raw fish. Sosumi didn’t disappoint. The staff were professional and attentive, and I launched right in with a plate of salmon sashimi. There were 4 slices on the plate with a small salad underneath for garnish, and each slice was plump, tender and very tasty. Yes the pieces were smaller than you would get in Japan, but by Australian standards, it was quite good. Next up was the seaweed salad, which was quite generous and had a flavour just like those I’ve had in Japan. I tried a plate with four mini raw tuna rolls, which were quite small but also very tasty, and I was then lucky enough to scoop up an aburi salmon plate (my absolute favourite) – the salmon was thin and there were only two pieces, but it satisfied my craving for sushi nicely. Be warned though, Sosumi offers quality, not value, so don’t expect to walk away full without a significant spend.

Sosumi Sushi Train, Lower Ground Floor, GPO, 1 Martin Place, Sydney NSW     http://www.gpogrand.com/sosumi-sushi-train-sydney-cbd.html

Shimbashi

I visited Shimbashi once in 2012 and remember a) the restaurant not appearing to have a name and b) the amazing soba they served. On this visit, I ducked in for a late lunch (last orders are 2:30pm) and was reminded once again how fantastic simple Japanese food can be. I ordered the teriyaki salmon special, which came with a rice bowl topped with lettuce and salmon, a small bowl of pickles, and a serve of soba. I ate the salmon first as the hot dish (I’d chosen cold soba), and was surprised at how large the serving was. The teriyaki sauce was sweet and rich, and was just the right amount to coat the perfectly cooked fish and most of the rice. I dipped the lettuce in the small salad I’d received on arrival to give it some dressing, which complemented the pickles nicely. The soba was equally delicious, with spring onion and seaweed to add extra flavour. The noodles were obviously handmade and had a great springiness to them which sent me straight back to Japan. Simple, delicate and authentic Japanese that I will definitely be coming back for.

Shimbashi Japanese soba and sake bar, 17 Liverpool Street, Melbourne VIC     http://www.shimbashisobamelbourne.net/

Walt and Burley

This was my second visit to Walt and Burley and I was very impressed with the whole experience. We went for a friend’s farewell lunch, and were seated at an indoor table, explained how the menu works and encouraged to order at the bar. Having had one of the burgers before, I opted for the cajun tuna loin, as part of the ‘from the grill’ part of the menu. It was a great choice – whilst a little pricier than the majority of the lunch menu, the portion of tuna is large, and when my plate came out the fish was perfectly pink inside. The outside had been seared with cajun spices, something tomatoey and cheese, and the tuna was incredibly tender. Every mouthful was a delight. The salad was perfectly matched and had a fresh spring feel about it – the black-eyed beans and zucchini combination was light and felt healthy to eat. The meal was more than enough for me, although I was a bit cheeky and picked at some of the chips we’d ordered to share – so tasty! Friends ordered the buttermilk chicken, which is the next thing on my list to try.

Walt and Burley, 21 Eastlake Parade, Kingston ACT        http://www.waltandburley.com.au/