Hana Jurin - Crows Nest, NSW

Oh, it's been a bad month for me....not July itself, that was amazing but more end of July until now...Aside from the Mrs being sick the last week or so, I feel like I've been in a bit of an emotional slump. I just haven't had the motivation to do anything at all (go gym, blog or cook) and so, the last month has resulted in me gaining a significant bit of belly baggage, emotional baggage (as a result of stress at work) and some. So, I really have to make a conscious effort to get back into the routine of things that make me happy....starting with blogging.

I had one of the MOST memorable meals of my life on the 22nd of July (my birthday) and I didn't even find the time to sit down and blog about it! So, for months now, I've been pestering the Mrs about what she had booked for my birthday dinner. I never used to like surprises (the element of having to deal with an unknown factor unnerved me severely) but since being with her, I've grown accustomed to and have started to enjoy when people plan pleasant surprises for me. So I've been asking her for months what she had planned for me knowing that the one thing I wanted to have (omakase) had to be booked months in advance (for all those people who want to know how I managed to book Sashimi Shinsengumi...I got lucky). Month on month, the Mrs would tell me "Nah, haven't booked anything...sorry" when secretly, she'd organised omakase at Hana Jurin months ahead! Sneaky fox!

Obviously, she could only really keep the secret until the day before because I had to drive there but upon hearing that I was going to get omakase for my birthday dinner, I was ecstatic! I spent that weekend treating myself to the Overwatch World Cup and on the night, just before we were due to go, the Mrs met me in the city and we drove off early to avoid being late. Omakase is Japanese for "I'll leave it to you" which is a traditional Japanese method of dining where a diner leaves themselves completely at the will of the establishment. The chef decides exactly what is fresh and what is right to serve at the right time to maximise the diner's enjoyment of the meal and the experience.

If Sashimi Shinsengumi was the cheaper entry-point to this exquisite world of sushi enjoyment and if Sokyo is the high-end decadent version, then I would say Hana Jurin is the mid-tier cost but super authentic and traditional experience. If you want to get the most real sushi omakase experience you can, I would recommend coming to Hana Jurin. But be warned, omakase is for the true sushi fanatics and those who are open to following tradition. Do not mistake yourself into thinking that it's a great date idea (unless of course, your date is a sushi nerd) or a casual dinner with friends because just as much as the master is to respect you as a guest, you are equally supposed to respect the master and the establishments rules and ceremonies for the entire process.

You must:

1. Always be on time. 
2. Never cancel last minute...last minute cancellations are never ok
3. Try to eat the nigiri as quickly as you can as it's served exactly at the time and temperature it's intended to be eaten at
4. Never ask for soy sauce or wasabi...each piece is designed and season as it should be eaten.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, if you're still keen on the experience, I would highly, highly recommend it. Chef Tomoyuki Matusya is a second generation sushi master and his skills and passion for sushi are second to none. I assure you that if you enjoy sushi, Japanese cuisine and the general aesthetic and philosophy behind the Japanese way of doing things, you will absolutely LOVE the experience that you have here. Each piece of sushi down to each grain of rice (I kid you not, each grain is perfect) is carefully crafted so that you can have the ultimate eating experience and you really, really taste the every bit of skill the chef has acquired with each piece.

I'm not going to go in depth into each piece but I will post the pictures of each piece in chronological order so you have a flow of the night. For in depth reviews of each nigiri piece, please visit the @mrandmrschopsticks instagram for more information though the piece you get if and when you go will be somewhat different as the pieces are seasonal.

This experience was memorable for me not JUST because it was my (perfect) birthday or the fact that I got to indulge in one of my most favourite food items but because the whole night made SUCH an impression on me. Chef's skills are supreme and the journey he takes you through is one of profound discovery of different flavour profiles and textures. Not only that, the other guests on the night also had a wonderful time and near the end of the night, we all sat around the sushi bar in a strange sense of comfort. I legitimately feel like I was transported to a small, intimate sushi bar in the more traditional parts of Tokyo. This sort of experience was something I thought I could only get in Japan and if only for that, it was WELL worth every cent paid. 

Restaurant Sasaki - Sydney, NSW

I think I've really slowed down lately on the blogging....not that I've eaten any less but I think, I've had many outstanding meals but none that invoked an emotion in me. A post-meal elation that has prompted me to immediate action, a meal so good that it's stoked an intense passion in me to sit here and put my thoughts to keyboard. I had a meal like that just last night when the Mrs and I visited Restaurant Sasaki.

Sasaki has been open for a short while but has amassed immense fame in the community for the aesthetic and philosophy behind the food. The philosophy was to bring Japanese home cooking to the Sydney public. The store is fitted out with a strong Japanese influence with clean lines and perfectly balanced contrast between darkness and light. Everywhere you look, the organisation and simplicity of your surroundings just mesmerise you. Looking from the outside, you would be forgiven for mistaking the area for suburban Tokyo (at least, that's how I felt). I felt instantly transported back to my favourite country when I saw the big, blue noren outside. As I walked in though, that nostalgic familiarity disappeared but was replaced by a fascination with the interior. The inside made me feel like I was in someone's well-organised and fitted out home in rural Shimane prefecture.

At 6:15, the restaurant was already packed out (a measure of just how popular they are) but we were fortunate enough to still be able to get my favourite seating, right at the bar. This was the most optimum seating as the lighting was perfect and we had front-row seats to see it all happen. When I said everything was aesthetically pleasing, I really meant it. Even the menu was made out of Japanese washi paper which meant it had a really delicate yet clean feel to it. The Mrs didn't really want to go with the Omakase because it had duck on it so we decided to order straight from the menu.

First to come was the Salmon, Fennel and Caraway Seed which consisted in a mix of fresh salmon cubes that had been marinaded in white miso, mixed with cucumber and topped with pomelo. This was a perfect start to a wonderful dinner as this really demonstrated the skill and technique of each dish to come and set the bar for what we were to expect. The flavours were fresh and distinct, each one layered in a way where you would taste each after the other in perfect clarity as if you were lead from point to point whilst being lead by a gentle river current. The crunchy texture of the cucumber really accented the soft, fatty mouth feel of the salmon and the nutty, moreish flavour of the white miso marinade gave it a buttery, sweet finish.

Just before we finished the salmon, the next dish came which was the Egg and Crab Chawanmushi. This was the Mrs favourite dish of the night as the egg had a custard like consistency. Smooth, delicate and delicious in every way, the dashi used provided a really clean but intense umami with the sweetness of the flaky crab meat accenting each spoonful. We legitimately did not leave a single bit left in the chawan and the Mrs was visibly in utter bliss with each bite.

Despite the small kitchen and space, the dishes definitely come at a blistering page because as we were just finishing the chawanmushi, the third dish came which was the Prawns with Apple and Coriander. This was another dish that was immensely impressive to me....the thought and balance of flavours was absolutely sensational. I could legitimately drink that vinaigrette since it was so light and appetising. The apples and herbaceous flavour of the coriander really gave the sweet, raw prawns another dimension of flavour. Though it may seem a bit daunting to eat at first, it really isn't that hard. The method I found easiest was bringing the flesh up to your mouth and swallowing it whole from the middle, leaving only the head and tail exposed outside your mouth. You can then use your teeth to gnaw out the remaining flesh in the tail, leaving the head for your enjoyment if you're into sucking on prawn heads.

Then, came the "piece-de-resistance" moment of the night for us...with dishes of this extremely high refinement and calibre, you would imagine the dish would have to be exceptional to rise above the other already amazingly delicious dishes but IT WAS. The Wagyu, Satoimo and Peashoot dish had to be my favourite of the night just for the pure heavenly delight it brought the Mrs and I. Each bite made me pause and savour each drop of flavour and each lashing of sauce. I've had a fair few dishes of hanger steak but I can say with certainty that Sydney wide....none have the balance that Sasaki has. The beef was cooked pink end-to-end with a meaty, tender texture and rich, intense flavour. I almost cried....that's how good this dish was.

Whilst we ate the beef, a bowl of the rice of the day (Chicken, Mushroom and Mackerel Dashi) was waiting for us to consume it. We were fortunate enough to be able to capture the moment they opened the pot and mixed the rice just before serving and what a sight to behold...the perfectly cooked grains of rice being separated from the edges....just a hint of charring on the grains closest to the sides of the pot. Upon tasting the rice, I can say that you would not have had rice as good as this unless it was prepared by a seasoned master. You could taste each grain individually with the sweetness of the rice and the savoury flavours of the chicken, mushroom and mackerel permeating your mouth.

To finish our savoury selection, we had the Shiitake Mushrooms with Cheese Sauce. Now, I'm normally very anti-vegetables but I generally make exceptions for fungi. This dish? I will have over steak. Big call....but hear me out. This is the most perfect arrangement of mushrooms I've EVER had...deep fried and crunchy mushrooms coated in a thick, intensely cheesy sauce with an onsen egg hidden at the bottom with a savoury, umami-rich tare. Amazing....just, amazing.

Whilst I would have LOVED to double down on a few of the dishes I had last night, alas, our reservation only covered us up until 7:45 so we had to hustle. We quickly ordered dessert which consisted of three items we found interesting: the Chocolate with Red Miso, Matcha Meringue and the insta-famous Caramel and Nuts Monaka. Now, I told the Mrs that my favourite was the Matcha Meringue but in all honesty? It was definitely the Monaka. Don't get me wrong, like everything else we had last night, the desserts were ALL amazing too, but the Monaka was next level. The toasted flavour of the monaka wafer shell really accentuated the sweetness of the caramel and the nuts.

I hope to....no, I will return to Sasaki many, many times in the future. Sasaki envokes the same emotion in me as Japan does...it's like my spiritual home and by default, Sasaki is one of my favourite restaurants in Sydney right now. Japan is one of the few places on earth that makes me feel like I could stay there forever (others being Hong Kong, Hobart and obviously, Sydney) and Sasaki definitely gives me the same feeling. I truly, truly hope to become a regular at this fine establishment.