久しぶり !!!! It's been a long time! A lot has happened in the past 6 months that I've been inactive such as me getting in to my first HR job, my sister finally starting up her handmade jewelry and accessories brand - Anne Made, and my life-changing trip to Japan hehehe
Hopefully a little more on everything to come but lately I have been itching to start blogging again. This long weekend is more than perfect to start the habit again. It's come to an end already but it was good while it lasted.
Anyway, a place that has been on my mind a lot lately is Jazushi.
The name is exactly what it sounds like... Jazz + Sushi. Delicious Japanese food against live jazz music in a small and cosy restaurant. Now I've always had a soft spot for Japanese cuisine. It was my gateway in to my love for cooking, dining and trying new things. You have heard the sashimi story but there's so much more embarrassing stories where that came from. And with my recent vacation to Japan, my thoughts on Japanese food has been elevated to a whole new level because it reminds me of all the fun times I had there. And how I literally had that Shokugeki no Soma moment with just about every dish. I've been searching for that same feeling and taste everywhere but it wasn't until Kat and Fiona recommended Jazushi that I found "it".
So to Head Chef Shota who runs Surry Hills best kept secret, Thank You!
Patrick and I made our booking well in advance and were one of the very first groups of people to show up for the night. It was a little awkward at first as it always is when you're the only people in the restaurant, but not too far in did Jazushi start getting bustling and busy. When the live jazz entertainment began for the night, the atmosphere completely changed as it melted in to an exciting, intimate and romantic vibe.
We opted for Head Chef Shota's Omakase which comprises of 8 carefully selected dishes. The only exception was the Oysters with Mango Ponzu Mignonette which we were allowed to swap out for Cucumber Pickles. I wish I liked oysters, I really do but I really don't.
The price per person is $74. Prices noted below are for if you order it separately.
Mandarin Mikan "Yoshino Monogatari" $13 per glass
I opt for this mandarin flavoured fruit liquor as this is my first time seeing such a drink on any menu. It doesn't disappoint as the mandarin flavour is so sweet, fragrant and uplifting!
Pickled Cucumber w/ Umeboshi plum, shio combu $8
As mentioned above, this is our swap out for the oysters. We don't suspect these cucumbers are going to be special but they really wow us away. They are extremely refreshing and more-ish from the harmony of flavours we find in the sourness of the umeboshi, the crisp and refreshing mint, and saltiness from the shio combu.
Edamame w/ Shichimi salt $6
Not included in the set menu but I can't resist getting a side of edamame every time it is available. And Patrick never helps me eat this so yes, this is a lot of beans. The edamame arrives fresh and warm which is so pleasant! The shichimi is a 7-spice blend which can be notably spicy and it's especially delicious on the edamame.
Hiramasa Kingfish Sashimi w/ Wasabi shio koji and pickled ginger gel $18
Our favourite dish!!!! Like ever!!! Neither Patrick or I have ever been the kind of sashimi-eaters who go for the Kingfish. So when we saw this on the set menu, we really considered trying to swap this out for salmon. So glad we did not because a SHOKUGEKI moment was had.
The Hiramasa kingfish is so sweet and rich, making it the perfect sashimi to team up with the fresh and fermented taste of the wasabi shio koji and the warm, sweet and spiciness of the pickled ginger gel.
A must-try!
Grilled Hokkaido Scallops w/ Nori Butter $14
The salty and rich buttery smell of the nori butter and the round juicy shape of the scallops tempted me the entire time I tried to get the perfect photo in the not-so-great lighting. When I finally got this baby in my belly, I felt like clapping my hands like a seal and embarrassing Patrick. And actually, that's exactly what I did.
I wish this dish lasted much longer but it was one of the most delicious mouthfuls of the night.
Pork Belly Yakitori w/ Grape Chutney and Yuzu Kosho $22
I've had pork belly but this is by far the most tender. The yakitori is covered in a sticky and sweet soy sauce. The pork is perfect on its own with the layers of skin and fat just melting away in your mouth. However I loved it teamed with the grape chutney which was sweet, textured, and slightly spicy like curry!
Roasted Japanese Pumpkin w/ white miso puree, panko and almond $22
When this HUGE and generous wedge of roasted pumpkin was placed down on our table, I thought oh my gosh. How am I going to do this. At Jazushi, they serve the omakase dish after dish and I knew Patrick would barely touch this. It was delicious and I loved the warm roasted flavours of the pumpkin paired with the crispiness of the panko and almond slices. But the white miso in my opinion, barely had any flavour or the saltiness I was craving for this sweet vegetarian dish.
Wagyu MB9+ w/ Shiso, berries and sakura $46
Please excuse the poor lighting!
Patrick asked the waitress if the size of the wagyu in the omakase is smaller than if we ordered the dish separately. She advised us yes it would be slightly smaller. What we weren't prepared for was really how small it was. Only six little square cuts of wagyu beef. It felt quite disappointing and unfortunately the flavours of this dish didn't make up for it either. A few of the pieces were quite gristly and despite the beef being cooked a perfect rare, the beef was on the cold and dry side.
Other features on the plate were the berries, shiso (perilla) and sakura sauces and flavoured foam. It was an interesting combination but it kind of lacked umami compared to everything we had before.
Fried Brussel Sprouts w/ Tempura crunch, Soy Mayo $13
Do you know what this looks like? Because it is exactly how it smells! TAKOYAKI! I loved that the fried brussel sprouts were so crispy on the outside, and doused in a generous serve of soy mayo and bonito flakes, making it taste like a delicious alternate to takoyaki (or okonomiyaki). This really was such a creative and delicious way to serve everyones least favourite vegetable hehe.
Unfortunately I think the placement of this dish in the course of the set menu is slightly flawed. It would've been lovely on the side however as mentioned, the omakase is served dish by dish. By the time we were up to our previous course of the wagyu beef, a whole bowl of fried brussel sprouts (and it was a very generous portion too) was not easily finished. Brussel sprouts are a very filling vegetable after all!
Char-Grilled Tender Chicken Breast w/ Crispy Chicken Skin and Japanese curry sauce $26
This is another dish not included on the set menu. I admit we were quite full by the time we had made it this far but the food was just so delicious that we felt the need to order more. Plus I had so many brussel sprouts to make it through hehe.
You could barely tell this chicken breast was a chicken breast because of how perfectly soft and SILKY it was. The silkiest chicken I have ever had in my life, hands down. It was so good with the salty and thin chicken crackling, and the soft ribbons of zucchini. But it's also the pale and creamy Japanese curry sauce that made this so memorable.
Yuzu Chiffon Cake $12
I love yuzu so much and I was so excited to see a yuzu cake on the menu! It didn't look like much besides a pretty and elegant cake but the taste... oh my gosh. The refreshing and sweet citrusy flavour of yuzu shone through and it was amazing with the cold cream on the side. It's quite a small serving unfortunately but if I could get a second slice then... I could not think of a better way to end the meal!
Matcha Sundae $17
... except we weren't done with the meal yet. There was one more thing we just had to try as we watched a birthday girl on the next table devour one of these. The matcha sundae featuring black rice pudding, shiratama mochi, umeshu strawberry, red beans and matcha cream and ice cream! I loved that the servers took their time to explain everything in this dessert (and the other dishes) and their pride in the food was absolutely glowing. It was such a delicious parfait that really encompassed Japanese sweets in to one dessert. It's not too sweet and has a variety of fun textures so I think everyone would really love this too.
We left Jazushi with quite a huge bill but a very happy stomach! In fact at the time of writing this post, it's my birthday month and Jazushi has generously sent me an offer for a complimentary birthday dinner which I am very excited to take them up on.
I highly recommend this beautiful restaurant and I really hope that after reading my review you will go and make your reservation to check this place out. The food is exquisite, the atmosphere is so fun, cosy and intimate, and the service is amazing.
Jazushi
145 Devonshire St,
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Open Tuesday - Sunday for lunch most days and from 6 PM to late.
