Archive for the ‘japanese’ Category

We were drawn in by the smell of meat cooking. Also by the plans we had made just prior to be meeting people there for dinner (Pepper Lunch FAQ #2: Can we have dinner at Pepper Lunch? A: Yes of course. Pepper Lunch is a name thought up by the founder, Mr. Kunio Ichinose. But we are open from brunch to after dinner). But mainly by the smell of meat cooking. A hearty “Irasshaimase!!” was hollered in our direction. I jumped. It’s possible Miss Shiny did too. “Oh, hello.” said we. “Please, order?” said they, in response. But there was a line building behind us, and we weren’t sure what to do. So we stood back for a touch before picking our meals. “This is” we thought “different to what we are used to.“

Pepper Lunch is a “fast steak” restaurant concept that originated in Japan when its inventor had a hankering for some quality fast food. Quality fast food that also involved steak. It has since been exported to numerous Asian countries such as South Korea, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. Oh, and of course, Australia.

waiting for the food to arrive

It’s a different kind of fast food restaurant. After we order at the counter, we’re given a number and invited to sit at any of the many tables that may take our fancy. Cutlery is collected from a receptacle. As are napkins. And then, with a hissing sound and a brief puff of meaty smoke, our meal comes atop a “patented electromagnetic cooker”, adorned with a paper collar (to minimise splatter).

poster advertising the patented cooker

“Have you dined at Pepper Lunch before?” we are asked, as the plates arrive. “No.” we reply, studying our plates curiously. “Please stir!” replies our server, motioning in a circular motion. “And you,” says said server, pointing at the one who is no-an-accountant “wait first, and then flip”. We nod and the server, like magic, disappears. (Pepper Lunch FAQ #6: What if I don’t know how to cook? A: Our staff would be glad to help you, just ask.)

Regular Kimuchi Beef $9 or $11.20 for the set

Ever the adventurous, I have ordered a Regular Kimuchi Beef Set. A larger version would have set me back $10.20, with the set ringing in at $12.20. Rice, thinly sliced strips of beef, corn and a kimchi (or kimuchi) topping sit on top of a sizzling, spitting plate. “While the plate is hot!” exclaims the paper collar that has, thus far, saved both me and my companions from being splattered in assorted hot, red coloured sauces. I grab my chopsticks and stir.

Regular Kimuchi Beef (post stirring)

And stir. And stir. And as I stir, all sorts of wonderful smells are being released. There’s the pepper! And the garlic! Oh, some vinegar from the kimuchi topping! And then, the sizzling retreats somewhat, and I am left with this. Golden kimuchi coated grains of rice interspersed with juicy kernels of corn and tender shavings of beef. Tasty – this much is true. And aided even more so by the garlic sauce that sits on the table. “Shake first, then pour” we are instructed.

Regular Beef: $7.80 or $10 for the set

Miss Shiny, not quiet sure about what to make of it all yet, has gone for what she calls “the safe option“. It is the same as mine, but sans kimuchi, and resplendent in its pepperiness. Have I mentioned before how much I love pepper? I’m sure I have, and if I haven’t then you know now. I love pepper. And this rice is beautifully peppered. Spicy and earthy and absolutely delicious. I’m almost disappointed that I didn’t pick the safe option myself, as the pepperiness here has been masked by the overpowering flavour of the kimuchi in my own order.

Regular Salmon $9.90 or $12 for the set

Others have ordered the salmon. (Pepper Lunch FAQ #4: What if I don’t eat red meat?? A: We have the best chicken teriyaki in town. Some people prefer salmon with or without teriyaki sauce. We have really good salads and desserts.) And whilst it smells nice, I’m far preferring the smoky pepperiness of the red meat.

Regular Salmon post-stirring

It is, however, well recieved by its owner, who declares it “Delicious!“. I am too busy sneaking mouthfuls off Miss Shiny’s plate to notice.

“Nitokuchi” Cut $9.80 of $12.80 for the set

Finally, a different order. “Steak!” declares the one who is not-an-accountant. “But how will you eat it?” we ask, looking between his plate and the chopstick / spoon combination he is holding. “Umm. Not sure.” he replies. But our worries are ill founded. The steak has been thoughtfully pre-cut into slices for easy consumption with the beansprouts and rice provided (rice not pictured). I’ll be straight. I’m a very fussy steak eater. But this patented system seems to do a very nice job. The meat has a lovely brown colour once cooked, and is even more tasty when doused with the garlic sauce (remember: shake, then pour!) though I hear it’s quite good without. A tip for the uninitiated: to stop your meat overcooking, place it on top of your bean sprouts once it’s done to your liking. That way, it stays warm without drying out, and the beansprouts get a whole heap of meaty lovin’. Yeehah! Or should that be Oishii!

Pepper Lunch
537 George Street
Sydney NSW 2000
ph (02) 9264 3222

(note: link is to the Phillipines’ Pepper Lunch site)

You wouldn’t know it, walking down George Street, that there were so many little gems hidden just behind the facades. You may, on the odd occasion, look up through the crowds of people that regularly pack the pavement, and see a KFC. Or a Pepper Lunch. Or a shoe shop. Or the cinemas. You may even, if you are feeling alert and possibly a little hungry, see that the big block that used to be all boarded up (that you subconsciously still see as boarded up) is boarded up no more. And is also, conveniently, quite nice to look at. And even nicer to meander into.

And then, once you have made your way past the Japanese skincare shop and the shop where the shoes are sold for $30 and less, you may spot a clearing. And when you spot it, you might do a little squeal inside (it is all a bit nice still to do a real life squeal). Because there, in the middle of Regent Place, that brand new building wedged in between KFC and the Cinemas, is TonTon. And you may even grab your compatriot excitedly because you’d never made it all the way to Chifley Square to eat said famed ramen, and now you can.

tonton regent

TonTon Regent is a takeaway store with limited dining facilities. Order at the shopfront, grab yourself a number and sit at one of the tables to its right. Or, after dark, you can grab one of the tables that has been set up in the neighbouring jewellery store. Strange? Yes. A bit. But also quite novelty, and a little cosier than sitting in the open space.

noodle set special

A noodle set special is advertised on one of the big, red, shiny panels that sit behind the counter. “Noodle Set $12.50″ it says “Choose Ramen or Udon Soup Noodle ($9.80 or under) + Hand roll sushi OR Gyozas 3pcs OR Small Curry”. Miss Shiny is automatically interested. She had wanted noodles you see, as had we all. But the thought of Gyoza too? Well, that was just, as she would say, “fabulous!”

sukiyaki beef udon $9.80

Miss Shiny decided on udon. The sukiyaki beef udon arrived in a big bowl, complete with a sweet bonito soup, thin slices of sukiyaki beef, seaweed and spring onion. I’ll tell you now. It will look like a small serve when it arrives at the table. That is not because the serving is small, it is because the bowl is big. So, it is likely that (unless you, like some, have hollow legs and/or worms) you will be quite happy with the amount given to you.

gyoza on rice – part of the $12.50 set menu

The three gyoza arrive on a plate of rice, much to the glee of Miss Shiny, who has been known to eat rice with everything (schnitzel, steak and lasagne included. I know! Lasagne! With Rice!) I manage to snag one of them and find it a little watery, as if they had been cooked prior and kept in a bain marie for the last couple of hours. I hear they taste quite okay if left to lounge around in the soup for a bit. It does spoil the crunch though.

kogashi ninniku ramen is popular

I, on the other hand, had spotted a highlighted sticker. “Popular!” it had said. And, I reasoned, if it was popular, I should probably give it a shot. Nothing to do with the fact that I absolutely love sesame seeds. And gelatinous slices of braised pork. Nothing at all. *cough*

kogashi ninniku ramen $12.80

At a whole 30c more than a regular ramen set, I figured it should be good. Oh! Readers! It was! The ramen was cooked just right. None of this stuck together and over boiled business here. Oh no. The soup had a wonderful burnt, nutty flavour to it. And it was the soup that made this dish. It was just so delightful. Truly. I made the mistake of tasting everyone else’s dishes after having a mouthful of my own, and really, they couldn’t compare. Please, try. It’s popular you see.

shio ramen $9.80

The shio ramen came adorned with a hulking great piece of toasted seaweed. It looked and smelt lovely. But then, ramen is such a comforting food to me that it will always smell lovely. I hear the shio soup was light and sweet and, as this whole bowl was munched to completion, I don’t believe there were any complaints.

coloured water cups

Dan arrived late and ordered a tonton ramen off the bat. I swear I took a photo of it. I’m almost certain I did. But it has disappeared. Which is a pity, because the tonton ramen was lovely and porky and fatty, just like it should be.

Instead, you will have to look at some cups. Which I did photograph. And which were just so cute that I wanted to smuggle them home with me. I didn’t though. I’ve decided to go visiting them instead. Because I love me some ramen, and here suits me just fine.

TonTon Regent is open 11am to 10pm daily.

“Do you want to join us for dinner?” said the message “We’re eating at Yama”. “Hrm…” thought I, recalling previous conversations I’d had. Overpriced, underseasoned, overseasoned, confused. But I was on a mission to meet new people and be what some may call sociable. And I’ve never been one to judge a place based on other people’s views. One man’s foie gras is another man’s green jello cup – and vice versa, depending on which end of the spectrum you lie on. So I said “Sure! Why not!” and went along.

I like the QVB. I like its high ceilings and it’s quaint shop signs. I like the patterns in the tiles on the ground floor, and the way the stairways curl around and have a slight depression in the middle – memories of hundreds and thousands of feet that have trampled there day in and day out.

I don’t like about 60% of the shops in the QVB though. The baubles in Pandora, the old-people’s-clothing with no discernable cut or shape. And I don’t like the new escalators that hang suspended, almost from nowhere. Don’t like how the platform wobbles when you (or someone near you) jumps on it. Don’t like that they seem out of place in the otherwise beautifully heritage building. But thems the times, and there’s no stopping progress. Or so they say.

the “specials” board

My trip to Yama was a bit like my feelings towards the QVB. Nice, nice, nice – and then a bit “hrm, ergh, ahhh…”

Take the decor, for example. Clean and simple. Cafe style but with a whole wall’s worth of gorgeous quilted gold on the right hand side. Nicely padded too, for optimal lean-back-and-relax quality. The wait staff were polite, and unobtrusive. The position (on the very topmost floor of QVB) allowed for views into the streetscape through quaint old style windows. And the food, well, there’s a lot of variety.

“Vegetables Undon” $10.90

Yama is a contradiction of sorts. Japanese in name, not so Japanese in location. And so I think the menu has been engineered to reflect the cultural dissonance. I would have preferred Yama to have been either a Japanese resturant or a cafe. The vegetable udon smelt good, looked ok. Nothing to write home about, but nothing to complain about either. I understand that rent in the QVB is not cheap, but $10.90 for a vegetable udon is on the steeper side, especially when you compare what you can get just downstairs.

“Tori Kara age Udon” $13.90

Having eaten myself silly at Bar Reggio earlier that day (yes, this post is delayed somewhat) I was only up for something light. The Kara age Udon appeared with a whole lot more chicken than I was expecting (good) but, unfortunately, the batter was slightly underdone (not so good), meaning that while it was lovely and crisp, I could also taste the flour in some parts – especially after it had been in the soup for a little while. The noodles were cooked but not soggy, the broth was light and clear. Again, not terrible. Also not the best I’d had. But I wasn’t expecting the best.

“Vegetable Soup with Grilled Chicken Breast” $9.80

The kids (I mysteriously have taken to calling them this, though one is older than me and the other much wiser) decided on soup. When we looked quizzically at the Rainman for ordering a Vegetable Soup, and for dinner, he merely said “I need protein. There’s chicken in it”. There was also a decent serve of cream in it, from the looks of things, and I (strange yes?) declined to have a taste.

“Herb Infused Pumpkin $ Sweet Potato Soup” $8.90

I did, however, have a taste of Miss Shiny’s Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Soup. Again, I tasted a lot of cream, though I will concede that some people like a good creamy soup. I’m more a thick, warm & flavoursome kinda girl. And the sweetness of the veges really came through. The herbs, not so much.

“Fish steak of the day” $24.90

Finally, Ike had the fish of the day. Which looked beautiful and smelt almost as good. It was most likely the best dish we’d ordered. But by the time it came out, I was fairly disinterested. And a little more enthused by the *zzzt…zzzt…* sound my nails made against the quilted gold padding that I was leaning on in true lean-back-and-relax style.

Yama
QVB
Shop 2, George St
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9269 0080

By now, most twitter-followers would have gathered that I am a fairly fish-friendly person. This was not always the case. Back in high school, I used to not-so-obviously call home to see what was for dinner and then make frantic plans if anything fishy was involved. And then I met the salmon. And the kingfish. And the sardine. And the mackerel. And suddenly, unexpectedly, I turned into a cat. Chowing down on tins of tuna, sneaking the last bit of flathead from the serving dish before anyone else noticed.

So when my parents mentioned that they’d been to this place, this wonderful Japanese place in Chatswood, where one could order grilled mackerel, I was there. Pronto.

Toraya sits on the top floor of the Mandarin Center in Chatswood. Way back when, it used to be a vietnamese pho place (and one of the better ones too). That was a while back, before the new train station, when the library was a time zone and the kids I tutored would sneak off “to the bathroom” and come back having gone mental on a DDR machine. Or something like that.

I digress.

lunch special! only $17.80

We arrived early for lunch, it being a non-pancake Saturday, and snagged a table next to the window. Menus were perused, water brought to the table and 1x special was ordered (with much anticipation).

And how the anticipation was met!

mackerel set (comes with rice and soup)

Half a mackerel, sliced lengthways down its middle. Grilled to smoky, charred perfection. Oily and fishy and firm and salty. Everything a fishy fish should be! The reaction on my face must have given the game away because my parents (kind, thoughtful, gracious) immediately pushed the plate in my direction and told me to go for it.

So I ate. And I ate. And I ate some more. I ate mackerel with rice. I dipped mackerel in my miso soup. I ate mackerel rolled up in a piece of lettuce and I ate mackerel in between mouthfuls of the beef (below). I ate mackerel until I was, and I thought this could not occur though it did, fished out.

down to the bones!

And when the fishing-out occurred, I saw that there was still fish left. And so we picked at the bones. And we picked at the bones some more. And when we stopped picking at the bones, this is what was left.

all gone!

I was so happy.

I should probably show you what else we ate, seeing as I have gotten the fish out of the way.

beef set (of indeterminable pricing)

I think, though I realise I should know, but don’t, that this was a beef set. Well, I know it was a beef set, but the name of the beef set and the price escape me. It was tasty, that’s for sure, though strangely tough and chewy. I found it hard to tear the pieces of beef apart with my teeth and ended up swallowing most of them partially chewed and mostly in large chunks. Hmm.

demolished

It was, in any case, demolished. Part because it was so tasty (despite its chewiness) and part because there was just so much fish that we had to eat something else to distract our palates. Even if momentarily.

We also (after the fish, and because my dad has a mild obsession with xiao long bao - think me + making pancakes, but squared) stopped by to pick up a post-lunch snack at Shanghai Gourmet.

xiao long bao

Well, hmmm. They weren’t bad if they were just steamed dumpings. As xiao long bao? Well, I’d order elsewhere. And otherwise. So possibly not ordering those again.

(I will, however be back for the fish. Did I mention the fish? Fish fish fish.)

Plus I thought their side plates were really cute.

Toraya Japanese Restaurant
Mandarin Centre
Level 2, Shop 212, 61 Albert Ave
Chatswood NSW 2067
Ph (02) 9884 9620