TOUKA 東家 Japanese Yakiniku Restaurant & Bar - Parramatta, NSW

The Mrs and I have been to Touka once before and during that first dinner, we were so impressed with the decor, the food and the concept that I named it one of the top 10 Japanese restaurants in Parramatta. Today, the Mrs and I were lucky enough to have been invited back to try their new lunch menu and boy, were we even more impressed! 

Before we jump straight into it, the Mrs and I were discussing this earlier today and it occurred to us that westies might not have an idea about what Yakiniku is and what's differentiates it from other table-top barbecue experiences (i.e. the more commonly found Korean BBQ and Chinese style skewer barbecue). Since more yakiniku restaurants are now open in the west, it should be about time that we spread awareness about why people should know about yakiniku and why it's so amazing.

What is yakiniku?

Yakiniku (焼肉) quite literally translates into "grilled meat" and is the Japanese form of table top barbecue. If my facts are correct, this method of eating was introduced to Japan as "Korean cuisine" and became wide-spread in Japan after the second world war. This will be why a number of cuts found in yakiniku have Japanese translated names of cuts you would regularly find in KBBQ (i.e Karubi). In Sydney, the practice was popularised by the chain of restaurants opened by I's Group (Rengaya, Suminoya and Koh-ya) and is quite common place in the city's CBD and northern suburbs. It's only within the last few years that I've seen yakiniku restaurants open up west-way (with the most recent addition being Yakiniku Kosu in Castle Towers).

How is it different from Korean BBQ?

You might say "isn't it exactly the same as Korean BBQ? You still grill meat on a table don't you?"...well, if this is your response I urge you to try Yakiniku once and tell me it's the same. Though the roots of yakiniku might well be Korean, the methodology and execution behind it is so, SO different. Like with everything the Japanese take in, they really put the effort into honing it, perfecting it and elevating something simple into something spectacular. Whereas with Korean BBQ, you have some decently good quality meat that's grilled tabletop, no different from how you would grill a steak at home...yakiniku serves the various cuts of meat in thin, bite size slices and from the moment you bite into any piece of yakiniku meat, you can already tell that the quality is so much higher.

I'm not saying Korean BBQ is low quality or that it's in any way, not good enough but do give yakiniku a try. Literally, the moment you do give it a try, you'll immediately be able to see the difference in the quality of the meat.

So now that we've established what yakiniku is and why you should try it, the next question might be "why isn't it as common or as well known as the Korean counterpart?"...well, the most obvious answer to that would be population spread and the relative price-point to entry. See, to my understanding, Sydney's Japanese population is largely in the CBD and the North, whereas the west is where the Korean community chose to settle (Strathfield, Burwood, Blacktown). Obviously, restaurants will first pop up to serve the local community who has a demand for it and then, people of other cultures will eventually venture out and try stuff if they're told it's good (I imagine, that's how most people learnt to appreciate Korean BBQ). 

In terms of price-point, most yakiniku restaurants operate an All-You-Can-Eat/Order for 90 minutes model for anywhere ranging from $35 - $85 p.p (bit expensive to ask everyone in your party to pay that much when in KBBQ, you can order a number of plates and split) and if they don't operate in that model (like Rengaya which has that option but focuses more on providing higher quality meats on an ala-carte basis) the number of pieces of meat you get for each dish you order might turn people away (like I said earlier, it's generally thinner, smaller slices and based on first glance alone, KBBQ might seem like a better value proposition)

If either of the above points has ever stopped you from trying yakiniku, this will be why you should try their special lunch! The Mrs and I left lunch today singing Touka's praises because we had such a great time and we truly, truly believe that what we got today was FANTASTIC value-for-money! So, for myself, I ordered the 4 choice BBQ Set where I chose the Ox Tongue, Beef Rib, Beef Inside Skirt and the Pork Belly. On the menu, this is costs $22.50 whereby you also get a bowl of rice, miso soup and a salad. On arrival, the each portion of meat had five slices available totalling a variety of 20 slices of decadent, delicious meat for one person. To help you put that into perspective about just how good that is, my parents went to Musou Yakiniku in the CBD (on Pitt Street) where they also had a similar special lunch menu....except they charge $29.90 per person, you only get to choose 3 meats and according to my parents, you get 3 slices of meat per selection. That's a difference of $7.40 and 11 pieces of meat...you can't that value. Not saying don't visit Musou Yakiniku (we've also been there and we loved it) but maybe, splurge and treat yourself to their BBQ buffet.

And it's not just value, the meat was genuinely, supremely delicious! I ate it in the order of Ox Tongue first (cause it cooks the quickest), Inside Skirt second (my favourite cut at Suminoya), Pork Belly Third (so fatty and savoury) and I saved the best for last and cooked the Beef Rib to finish. My GOD that Beef Rib was delicious...barely any chew at all and so much marbling that it coated the back of my throat in delicious sweet beef fat. Honestly, I whole-heartedly intend to eat at Touka a lot more now that I know that kind of deal is available and next time, I'm going to just treat myself and quadruple down on the beef rib. It's actually amazing that they've set up the menu where they don't explicitly restrict it to one order per meat type...at Suminoya, you can only order as many plates of Ox Tongue as you want IF you order the higher-end buffet...the standard buffer limits it to one order per diner!

*EDIT*: I've recently been informed that the menu didn't state it but there is a limit of one order of each type of meat for the special menu. Mental note: always get the Beef Rib.

Unfortunately, this is not that Beef Rib (just harami)...the Beef Rib was so delicious I ate it before I realised I hadn't taken a photo....

The Mrs opted to try their other lunch menu items and ordered a Karaage bento. This is another point where Touka shines in that for groups containing people who don't want to eat barbecue, you have a variety of other items (Bento Sets, Lunch Bowls etc) people can choose from. The Mrs and I have this one friend who is a notoriously picky eater (she refuses to eat anything with sauce and is very hard to convince to try anything new) and even then, we'd still take her there and be confident she'd find something to eat. The karaage was crispy and juicy with ample pieces to fill your belly as well as four slices of salmon and tuna sashimi to satiate any cravings for sashimi lovers. The Mrs was very, very satisfied after finishing that bento.

Just for kicks, the Mrs and I also ordered the Yukke which is a raw beef tartare that I always get at any yakiniku restaurant if it's on offer. For $13.90, it was a pretty decently sized portion with a very nice sweet soy tare (marinade) that made the dish heavenly. Even amongst all the Yukke I've had previously (I've been to a LOT of yakiniku), this actually stood out to me as one of the better ones as the flavour was very pronounced.

Overall, the Mrs and I can confidently say that we had an amazing time dining at Touka. I whole-heartednly wish that everyone goes to try out Touka's special lunch to make their own assessments but in my heart, they take the cake for best value. The restaurant is only a short walk from Parramatta station and did I mention it's situated in a historic house? Literally, the fit-out is beautiful, clean and elegant which makes the entire experience so much more enjoyable! The Mrs said she's gonna hit them up more during her school holidays but I intend to be back (by myself) much, much sooner. Thank you again to Lila and TOUKA 東家 Japanese Yakiniku Restaurant & Bar for inviting us to lunch!

Jian Tai Zi - Castle Hill, NSW

I recently read an article about how Shanghai-nese food is taking over the food scene in Sydney...which, in my opinion isn't entirely true but we're definitely seeing the impact that this distinctive cuisine is having. Areas where there are a larger demographic of Chinese people (Chatswood, Hurstville, Eastwood, CBD) seem to be benefitting the most from this with places like New Shanghai, Taste of Shanghai and Chef's Gallery opening their chic new eateries. But even with new Shanghainese restaurants opening up, I've still always found it difficult to find a good xiao long bao in the West...that was until the Mrs introduced me to Jian Tai Zi at Castle Hill.

Located in a small arcade just outside the Piazza, this restaurant looks like it could seat no more than 20 people but if you stumble upon this little gem and decide to dine in, you're in for a treat. Their menu is short, sharp and sweet with anything to you'd typically find in your local Shanghainese restaurant to satisfy your cravings. Trying to impress the Mrs, I tried to order with my limited Mandarin only to confuse the staff serving us (he understood what we wanted but I was so bad that it took him a much longer to register it all)

After a short wait, our orders arrived one after the other, the first being the Sliced beef noodle soup. Tender, fall apart slices of five spice marinated beef sitting on top of a sweet yet savoury broth with abundant noodles to slurp down. I really loved how appetising the soup was and how well it complimented the springy noodles. If you like a bit of spice, add some of the chilli bean paste provided as a condiment.

The second dish to come was the chilli oil dumplings. These are the Mrs favorites as no matter where we go: if this is an option, she will order it. They certainly do it well here: the dumpling skins are the moderately thick meaning they give a bit more bite and spring. The filling is really well seasoned and compliments the vinegar and chilli oil really well...there so much to be enjoyed in the simplicity of this dish.

At this point, the Mrs and I were already getting very full but when the last dish arrived at the table, we just couldn't help but demolish it. The pan fried pork buns are normally quite hazardous to consume as they contain scolding hot soup inside which may squirt in a random direction if the bun is not opened up and allowed to cool down. Our favorite way to eat this bun is to open up the top of the bun with our chopsticks and to pour the black vinegar directly into the middle. The combination of dough, meat, soup and vinegar makes each bite more delightful than the next.

I'm really rather glad the Mrs introduced this place to me as I'd always been looking for a great dumpling joint in the west to indulge my occasional cravings but I'd never been able to find one that lived up to my standards. It's great to know that if I'm ever in the area and I'm craving dumplings, they won't be too far a drive for me to get to anymore.

Temasek - Parramatta

I think of all the recent trips I've taken overseas, Singapore left he most lasting impact on me. The cleanliness, convenience and modern feel of the city thoroughly impressed me. But what impressed me more was the food which was so mesmerisingly tasty. The family and I gorged on kaya toast, laksa, fish ball noodles and hainanese chicken rice the whole time we were there. Post-Singapore depression really hit me hard....but luckily, I had Temasek to sate my immense hunger for chicken rice.

That's why I was so ecstatic when the Mrs and I (accompanied by the in-laws) went to dinner there after church. Having worked in hospitality for a long time, I normally really don't like waltzing in close to closing time but in the case of Temasek, I can always make an exception because Temasek is normally really busy. All good though, because it meant we ordered and got our food really quickly.

First to arrive was our roti and to be honest, we really weren't expecting much for Temasek. After All, they are more well known for their Hainanese chicken rice. However, we were really surprised by how flakey and buttery the roti was. Crisp, perfectly smoky and charred on the outside...it made for a perfect entree when paired with the immensely flavoursome curry. I (regrettably) demolished my portion almost immediately.

Roti: $2.50 a piece and $3.00 for curry on the side. Well worth it.

The in-law's dishes came next: Nasi Goreng and Fried Chicken rice. According to the father-in-law, it was the BEST Nasi Goreng he's had and I have to admit, it was pretty damn good. My experience with Nasi Goreng is that it's normally rather dry and lacking in flavour but they really pack in the kecap manis here which means the rice grains were nice and saucy and packed with umami. The fried chicken rice was good too though the chicken wasn't nearly as moist and I didn't enjoy the five spice flavour as much.

The highlight of the night had to be the Hainanese chicken rice though, I mean it's what they're known for right? The Mrs and I shared half a chicken and a pot of chicken rice (I wanted to go for two pots...lucky I didn't). The most tender, succulent pieces of boneless Hainanese style chicken paired with the fragrant rice made for an unbeatable meal. I won't deny it, I was mainly there for the rice. The Mrs likes chicken more and isn't nearly as picky as me when it comes to the choice pieces so she ate most of the chicken but I managed to polish off most of that bucket of chicken rice. I wasn't entirely too comfortable afterwards but I can't say I wasn't super satisfied.

After this meal, I can definitely say that my PSD (Post-Singapore Depression) has been staved off...for now. I still miss the delectable foodie treats that country has to offer and I'm most definitely hankering for a nice and affordable Singaporean chilli crab but it's places like Temasek that make it so wonderful to live in Sydney and it definitely makes the Mrs and I anticipate our eventual move to the west.