Yayoi Garden (Sydney)

After our visit to Yayoi Teishoku , we visited Yayoi Garden for a more elaborate Japanese meal.

I really enjoyed the overall flow of the meal. The fish dishes were cooked very well. The shabu shabu beef was a highlight. I wish the pork kakuni was softer and there was more unagi on the rice.

And thank you to the staff for being attentive to my wife’s dietary needs and provide substitute dishes.

Details:
Yayoi Garden
38 Bridge Street
Sydney
http://www.yayoigarden.com.au/

Yayoi Teishoku (Sydney)

We took a visitor to Yayoi at the Galleries Victoria building for a quick dinner. Fortunately we went early as a queue quickly formed after 6pm.

You ordered via the touch screen and I went for the Unagi Hitsumabushi Teishoku set. It was a different and refreshing way to have unagi when mixed with the seafood broth and eat it like a soup.

The fried dishes such as pork katsu and chicken namban are also recommended.

Details:
Yayoi Teishoku Restaurant
Level 1, The Galeries,
500 George Street
Sydney
http://www.yayoi.com.au/japanese-teishoku-restaurant/

Unagiya Hirokawa (Arashiyama Kyoto Japan)

We had lunch at Hirokawa, a 1 Michelin star unagi (eel) specialist, during our visit in the reputed hot spring region of Arashiyama, located 15 minutes from Kyoto.

On top of the grilled eel in the traditional sauce, known as kabayaki, we also ordered the sirayaki which was the plain version and the signature kimoyaki (grilled eel liver). The texture of fresh unagi was nice and firm, definitely not mushy like the ones in typical Japanese restaurants. And experiencing the actual taste of eel served plain, only lightly dipped in soy sauce and wasabi if required, was a revelation.

Details:
Unagiya Hirokawa
うなぎ屋「廣川」
京都市右京区嵯峨天龍寺北造路町44-1
Kyoto, Japan
http://unagi-hirokawa.jp