Prime Restaurant

Address: 1 Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: (02) 9229 7777
Website: www.gposydney.com

If I were to be a food cynic of sorts, my poison would be steak. The best I've had pre-dating now consists of Hogs Breath (for consistency) and a $6 one from up the pub up the road (maybe because I was more in love with the fact the whole meal only cost me $6). Prime didn't win best steak restaurant consecutively for the past 10 years (2000-2009) for no reason. It's not a budget dining experience, however to me its the price of having a steak cooked RIGHT.

My previous statement comes back to haunt me as the steaks were beautiful however my order was taken down incorrectly. I was looking forward to sampling the minute wagyu steak (I wanted handcut chips *carbs* and the wasabi red wine jus sounded intriguing) but the waitress took my order down as the fillet which is about $100 more. Note to future diners - ask the waiter to repeat the order back to you to avoid confusion because the confusion difference could cost more than your intended meal price. Anyway, as I was cursing under my breath the first bite literally melted my troubles away...

Pictured above (apologies that the photo does not do the dish justice): Full Blood Wagyu Fillet Steak with marble score 9+, served with Ponzu sauce. As I learnt, the wagyu steaks in Australia are generally inter-breed/mixed-breed - this full-blood is bred by David Blackmore and exclusive to Prime. The taste? Blissful and heavenly. Who knew humankind could delight so much from eating a dead cow, bred for our gastronomic pleasure. It is an absolutely perfect cut of meat on its own - no bone, fat or sinew to cut or chew around. The ponzu sauce almost ruined the steak (tastes like a stronger version of your average soy sauce) - I preferred the steak on its own because the flavour was so intense & sealed in its own juices. The texture? PERFECT rendition of Medium. Wagyu is cooked slightly rarer than other steaks but this did not channel a slimy texture at all (the dimmed lighting probably helped me avert my eyes). To me, you can tell a good steak by the moisture in the meat - at Prime there was a little blood but it wasn't watery or diluted, nor dry (sign of being overcooked). Complimented with an assortment of (wild) mushrooms served on a bed of spinach. Very simplistic presentation & accompaniment to leave the wagyu the spotlight.

Pictured below: Fully matured grain-fed, dry-aged (as opposed to freezer aged) Black Angus in Cate de Boeuf cut. It is a sirloin on the bone (not a whole limb, just a small cross-section of bone) originating from Darling Downs in Queensland. This Angus was very tender, definitely a stronger, more prominent 'beefy' flavour from the higher fat content resulting in more marbling (definitely heavier than my wagyu). This was too intense for my taste preferences, however would not folld the most carnivorous of meat eaters. I enjoyed the potato gratinee accompaniment (flip it upside down and pick at the layers so it doesn't feel like you are eating a block of cheese).


Can I just say wow? Mind-blowingly good steak. Quality cut of meat, brought to its potential by a top chef in perfect quantity complimented by simple accompaniments with thought & style. As I left it was confirmed to me just how good the steak was - there was no aftertaste. Just a clean, neutral feeling in the mouth - which is atypical because usually there is garlic or dehydrating or SOMETHING. The flavours were all very natural, not overpowering, and good for you.

If I only have one steak a year - let it be Prime.

xx. A-steak-cynic-no-more

Sushi Bar Rashai

Address: 241 Parramatta Rd, Annandale NSW 2038
Tel: (02) 9560 3007
Website: www.sushirashai.com
Opening Hours: Dinner 5:30pm to 10:30pm, 7 days

Driving past this restaurant frequently through Sydney's bridal district on Parramatta Rd one often wonders how many people take them up on their offer of "if you don't enjoy your meal, simply don't pay".

On this occasion we rocked up at approximately 6pm - I expected the parking situation to be nightmarish but there are plenty of side streets off Parramatta Rd to rat race for a parking spot into. Alternatively, the clearway ends at 7pm so cars are parked along the side of the road, which probably explains the dinner opening hours only.

We were greeted by the friendly manager, Kazu (who is also incidently a sushi chef) who seated us and promised to bring out a few dishes (not big on the sushimi so he held off on that) that would personify the experience at Rashai.

Entrees:

Ebi Katsu (Pictured below) - "Deep fried minced prawns in breadcrumbs". This is quite a lovely dish, the prawn filling was a fluffy texture, the katsu crumb was fried to just the right shade - showing off the chef's skills and the cleanliness of the oil (releases a very pure flavour). This dish was served with a tartare sauce (which reminded me of fillet-o-fish) and a plum-undertone katsu sauce.


Above: Nasu Miso Steak - "Grilled eggplant with miso sauce". I was in disbelief that this was grilled because I would have sworn it was lightly battered and then fried. But no, I was assured that it was grilled (no grill marks or burning or shrivelling which is what usually happens if you have ever tried it at home) to perfection so that it melts in your mouth. The miso sauce is excellent, a medium thickness with sweet plum undertones.

Below: Agedashi Tofu - "deep fried beancurd with special sauce, topped with bonite flakes". What Japanese meal would be complete without agedashi tofu! This was a pleasant rendition with a light sauce.


Above: Chasoba Salad - "Green tea noodle salad with homemade soy dressing". Love this salad! I've never been a fan of soba (cold) noodles however the combination of the "secret" miso sauce and green tea removed that slimy feeling usually associated with soba. The miso sauce can only be described as slightly tangy & vinegary but does wonders for a salad with simple ingredients.

Above: Tempura Udon - This dish consisted of a mixed vege & prawn tempura which was once again, battered & fried to perfection. The vegies consisted of a green bean, pumpkin, carrot and eggplant. The udon noodles were presented in a thin broth and cooked 'al dente'. A classic dish done well.

Below: Chicken Teriyaki Don - I was most impressed with this dish and it fulfilled its role as a crowd-pleaser. The chicken was very tender, a slight crispness in the skin with a very light teriyaki sauce. The rice was a special chubby grain of rice which absorbed most of flavour without it being soggy.


All in all, a most delightful surprise is Sushi Bar Rashai - a little gem in the Camperdown/Annandale region. They are commited to accomodating families (free toy for good children under the age of 10 years), frequent diners cards and a free meal on your birthday (with the chance to win prizes). Very unconventional in this day and age but nevertheless enticing for the next visit!

They also had an intriguing dessert menu which we didn't get a chance to try including tempura banana, wasabi icecream just to name a few.

Give Sushi Bar Rashai a go - a fantastic variety of Japanese dishes at very resonable prices!

Kobe Jones

Address: 29 Lime St, King Street Wharf, Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: (02) 9299 5290
Lunch: Monday to Friday 12 noon to 3pm
Dinner: 365 days a year from 6pm
Website: www.kobejones.com.au

Note: The handy thing about Kobe Jones is the online booking system - use it!

I believe this is some sort of highly-acclaimed Japanese Fusion Cuisine fine dining experience among Sydneysiders rate so a $250 gift voucher later, I am booked in for a 6pm dinner.

Pictured below: MANGALO Mocktail "fresh mangos blended with orange and crushed pineapple juice with a dash of grenadine" - a really delightful blend of tropical flavours in an icy beverage - quality ingredients which don't separate.

For entree: SPICY WAGYU TATAKI ROLL - "asparagus, burdock root, tamago and chilli sauce, topped with seared wagyu and avocado, served with onion soy dressing" (pictured below). I was a little alarmed at how rare the wagyu was served but upon tasting it was a non-issue - I was enchanted by the fact they were not afraid to use a bit of spice and the sushi contained a lot of different flavours - a fusion of soy, peppery, vinegary flavoured with the warmth of sweetness from the egg. Thumbs up for good, flavoursome sushi!

Mains: VEGETABLE DENGAKU (pictured below) - "grilled Japanese eggplant, baby zucchini and mushroom stuffed with Miso marinated tofu baked with dengaku sauce and drizzled with macadamia nut pesto". Can't say that I thought this dish was extraordinary - the dengaku sauce was no more than a Japanese version of a basil/fetta-esque dip. It made the blander vegetables such as zucchini and eggplant taste richer, but went particularly well with mushroom's earthy flavour. Also served with tempura cherry tomatoes, still on the vine which I thought was the highlight of the dish - a surprisingly sweet & juicy treat.


MISO CITRUS LOBSTER (pictured below) - "whole Western Rock lobster served in a miso citrus sauce on a bed of steamed vegetables and wafu thermidor sauce". Wonderful presentation, the lobster meat was cooked to a very creamy texture however certain parts were slightly undercooked to my liking. I was disappointed in the citrus miso sauce because it tasted like neither, and the wafu thermidor sauce was more like an egg-yolk-cream sauce.
Incidently the vegies were the best part - textures were perfectly and a lovely buttery aftertaste.


For dessert: AMA OZEN (pictured above) - "Kobe Jones’s famous selection of dessert eight samplers with our trademark chocolate chopsticks".

Clockwise from left:"Sushi Me 2" which is the 2 slices of cheesecake which look like sushi topped with fresh strawberry slices and a fruity puree topping - perfect cheesecake texture, not overpowering and the topping contained very organic flavours. "Chocolate trio" which is the bite-sized melting chocolate cake served with green tea icecream - simply, complimentary flavours, "Pacific Pearls" tapioca balls cooked slowly in coconut milk with vanilla and sugar, served with a jelly and compote of fresh mango and papaya - I didn't enjoy this at all but would suit like lighter palate because it is not really sweet at all, " Kanpai Trifle" strawberry freshly cut, marinated in crème de cassis and lemon with a dash of sugar, served with a crunchy sable and marble of vanilla and raspberry sorbet - this was my favourite, very light and fruity topped with a surprise of rosewater flavoured fairy floss (looks like artificial hair), Teacup - I actually have no idea was was served in that teacup but it tasted like yoghurt topped with a berry puree, Macaroons - strawberry, vanilla & pistachio flavoured. There was also the famed "chocolate chopsticks" which are on the outer edge of the platter - a divine, rich, quality dark chocolate (also used in the chocolate cake). It also included the "Anko" flambéed green tea crème brulee which came out on fire - I was a skeptic of creme brulee until this experience, the texture was creamy and almost like a green tea-flavoured mousse. A hint of alcohol resided from the crackly toffee-like coating (probably how they kept it on fire) though which was slightly unpleasant though.

After reading many-a-bad-review regarding their poor service, I was delighted to be greeted with attentive, down-to-earth wait staff. It is not the regular fanfare of silver service and pompousness demanded at other eateries so it is not a bad destination for an intimate meal with company. The only critique I will have is that I really wish they didn't have their restaurant planning meetings infront of my table (seemed kind of unprofessional).

Also the menu contains a comprehensive guide for terminology and spice ratings (which I found to be quite accurate).