Control Your Tempura at These 5 Japanese Restaurants

March is cherry blossom season in Japan…everyone awaits the arrival of the pink, fragrant blossoms around the country, in fact there is even a countdown as to when the first blooms will appear.

It is not only the pretty flowers we embrace, but the whole culinary expectations that Japanese cuisine brings. 

With preparation and presentation honed over the centuries, Japanese food is refined and elegant, highlighting flavours, textures and colours of seasonal produce. Visual beauty is also important and when possible, food is eaten in its most natural state – think sashimi, or dishes that are lightly pickled with vinegar or salt.

Here are five of our favourites to get your Japanese on:

Expect an exclusive Japanese omakase fine dining experience at Takashiya on Grey Street in South Bank. Nestled in the Emporium Hotel, this Brisbane restaurant exudes elegant charm with flowers cascading from the ceiling, Japanese accents and a well-stocked bar promising rare whisky and sake, along with cocktails.

 

Overseen by Chef Takashi Nami, one of the deftest hands at slicing sashimi, crafting nigiri and other technical wizardry, Takashiya fans the flames of omakase-style fare with delicate flavours, fresh ingredients and more than a touch of showmanship. Choose from mini, standard and premium menus and delve into the likes of lobster nigiri and caviar, or pearl meat with truffle garlic butter and shaved black truffle.

Tokyo Den on Burwood Road combines the flavours of traditional Japanese cuisine with the dynamic trends of Sydney’s food culture to present an all-you-can-eat experience to Burwood diners. Expect authentic surrounds of dark wood table settings with red accents and feature wall; while softly glowing lights add a romantic touch for evening meals.

 

Under a strong team of culinary professionals, the menu has more than 50 mouth-watering dishes including a wide selection of traditional charcoal hibachi like teriyaki chicken and char-grilled squid with housemade seaweed butter. With everything cooked fresh to order, delve into all-time favourites such as tender braised pork belly, dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sake.

Tucked in the heart of The Rocks you'll find the shining Kobe Jones venture, The Rocks Teppanyaki. Situated in a heritage-listed building built in the 1880s, The Rocks Teppanyaki retains its original, historic shell with an interior revamped with a classically stylish layout. Salmon pink walls and fine furnishings grace each of the five intimate dining rooms, all of which are fitted with a gleaming teppan grill.

 

Enjoy a pre-dinner drink at the cocktail bar before dining on teppan-seared Hokkaido scallops, with Parmesan motoyaki sauce, followed by Wagyu sirloin, with asparagus and mushrooms, or succulent Patagonian toothfish, basted with saikyo miso and served with finger lime dressing.

Offering an ideal respite from the worries of the world, Kumo Izakaya on Lygon Street in East Brunswick features eclectic Japanese style and a creative menu. Seamlessly blending the industrial and Art Deco influences of the former bank building, this sleek izakaya and sake den has striking artwork on feature walls and a moody vibe for that romantic dinner with your special someone.

 

The Japanese equivalent of Spanish tapas, izakaya presents a range of grilled, steamed, vegetarian or rice dishes; alongside platters of sushi, sashimi and desserts. Delve into starters like grilled oysters, miso and sesame, or Wagyu beef tataki; then devour signature dishes such as blue swimmer crab and krill fried rice.

Sharing is caring especially when it comes to food at Hanasuki restaurant on Anderson Street in Chatswood. This Sydney shabu shabu dining destination is a unique space devoted to this seriously delicious Japanese specialty, which sees family and friends gather over a bubbling hot pot of thinly sliced meat and vegetables.

 

Shared food, shared stories and shared memories are the kind of dining that warms the heart and soul as well as the belly; think appetisers like raw fish sashimi tartare, topped with an egg, moving onto house specialty Shabu Shabu like konbu and bonito dashi with Wagyu sirloin.