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. 

Sashimi Shinsengumi - Crows Nest, NSW

My deepest apologies to everyone. In the middle of outfitting our apartment with new furniture, I've come to neglect this blog a little. Actually no, that's only half true...I've allowed myself to use that as an excuse to avoid blogging for a little while. I've recently had a dining experience that left such a deep impression on me that I may have been a bit too afraid to blog about. I was afraid that my writing skills would be inadequate, so much so that the wonderful and eye-opening experience I had wouldn't have been able to be translated through to my readers. So, with that in mind, I've kept it to myself for almost a month. But now, I need to tell you about the time we ate at Sashimi Shinsengumi.

I've known about Sashimi Shinsengumi for a while now (they are pretty famous on the insta foodie network) but I'd never really had an excuse to go. But in conversing with my best man, Simon (before the wedding), he mentioned that he wanted to go too! So I jumped on that immediately and made a booking for 8 people the next day. I didn't exactly have 8 friends to dine with but I made the booking then extended the invitation to everyone hoping 6 other people would join us...which worked out! Seriously, we wouldn't have been able to dine there otherwise. Our booking was on the 30th of March, 2016 and I made my reservation at the end of November, 2015...that's how long the waiting list is for this place.

Sashimi Shinsengumi is situated inside a small shopping complex in Crows Nest so it's rather easy to get to. I'd still try and get there early anyway because although there's parking in the back, it can get taken up rather quickly by people dining at restaurants within the area. Enter into this unassuming local business centre through the back and the restaurant will be immediately to your right. And unassuming is really the best word for it since the store is quite literally to stainless steel islands fitted out like tables and a kitchen in the back. As you enter and sit down, you get the feeling that you're about to become audience to a spectacular theatre act. You're encouraged to go next door to fetch drinks or to go to the local bottle shop and buy alcohol (BYO with no corkage).

Before the meal starts, each diner will have a plate of appetisers waiting for them. This is, I believe, seasonal as each item is altered for each instagrammer I've seen dine at this restaurant. For our time, we had marinaded vegetables, karaage tuna fin, fried prawn and a fresh, raw oyster served with ponzu sauce. Each item is made with meticulous care and is well balanced in flavour and impact. Certainly, a great way to start a spectacular dinner.

As you and the other guests slowly finish your appetisers, Matsui san steps up to his station like a lone actor on an elaborate stage. All attention is immediately drawn to him and his hands, his speed and his knives as he quickly but precisely prepares morsel after morsel of delicious nigiri. I can't even begin to describe how technically amazing it was to watch Matsui san at work, and what amazed me more was that he could find the time to converse with me and my broken Japanese (that I spent 3 years studying mind you) and still dish out fantastic food. In keeping with tradition, I do away with the chopsticks and pick up each piece with my hands, making sure to only dip the tip of the neta (sliced fish) into soy sauce if needed. The whole 18 course meal starts off on the lightest fish and then moves through different stages and textures. about a third into the meal, Matsui san takes a small break to attend to the other table of guests who've also chosen to have an omakase meal that night.

When I said that this meal was like a theatre act, I really wasn't joking. As diners, you're given an intercession to breathe, talk, laugh and discuss amongst yourselves the progression of your dinner. Quite literally, none of the other diners had much of a chance to make conversation whilst eating as all of our attention was solely on the chef and his art. After Matsui san returns to our table, he picks up the pace again effortlessly and moves back on to the heavier flavoured fish. This time, our courses are much more distinct and pronounced. The more memorable pieces were the mackerel and the anago eel. The mackerel had a very strong flavour from the little dab of freshly grated ginger it was served with. This was most likely to help balance the intense and potentially overwhelming flavour of the fish. And the anago...oh man, that eel quite literally melted in our mouths. I've never in my life had another piece of eel sushi that was as good as this.

About two thirds of the way through, Matsui san again departs to tend to the other table and you and your friends are again left to reflect on the meal so far between yourselves. Despite having been a month ago, I still vividly remember the profound impact this meal had on me....it was everything I could have hoped for and more. I'd always, always wanted to eat a proper Japanese omakase sushi meal but I'd never had the chance to in my previous visits to Japan. So being able to dine at Sashimi Shinsengumi and share that with my friends...it was a life changing experience. As Matsui san returns to our table for the final act, you feel the meal really hit a climax as the flavours of each fish steadily becomes fattier and more moreish. The very last piece I had was the most memorable for me...despite my experience and research into sushi, I couldn't identify the last nigiri...all I knew was that it was overwhelmingly, mind-numbingly good. The torched smokiness melds together with this barely cooked flesh that melts away in your mouth with absolutely no difficulty. The perfectly cooked rice then carries and and helps the flavors linger for just a bit longer before your mind reluctantly returns to the dining room.

Overall, I can say with absolutely certainty that my very first omakase meal was my favorite sushi experience so far. I'm sure that I'll have many more chances to experience more expensive and exclusive omakase experiences in the future but it's this humbling experience that truly earns Matsui san my respect as one of Sydney's most valuable sushi chefs. Unfortunately, if you're planning on going soon, they won't be able to accommodate as their current location will be torn down in May/June for renovations. From our conversation, Sashimi Shinsengumi still has yet to find their next location but when they do, I guarantee that word will spread and they will be booked out again immediately. No matter how long the waiting list is, I implore you...try to get a booking. You will not find a more humble yet gratifying sushi experience anywhere in Sydney.