Not an End, but rather a New Beginning!

It was 2007 when I started the blog, WenY Wonders Why.  The first post, a simple hello to the world.   What started off as a means of communicating my life to good friends in Malaysia soon turned serious and eventually, it became the food blog it is today.

10 years forwards,  this domain has made me a better person.  From my food experiences, the restaurants I have been to and the people that I have met, it was sensational.   But oh how things have changed!  Blogging went quiet, work became demanding and I soon got posted to Europe for work.

After much thought, it is finally time to stop dragging my feet and to clean up!  Is this the end?  No this is not an end, but rather a new beginning.  I will start sourcing for a newer, simpler platform which fits todays "quick" community.  Is there a time line?  Not yet, but hopefully not too far away!

Thank you all for your support and encouragement over the last decade.  Don’t stop the eating!

WenY

Bites: A better brunch @ Petition Kitchen, Perth.

Breakfast for champions? Head to Petition Kitchen. With 0 surcharge on ANZAC day, this was my place of choice. The cool interior paired with impeccable service was two of the many reasons for my presence that morning. To start I ordered a Matcha Latte, but Petition Kitchen did not have Matcha.  The good folks attempted to use green tea and though it did not taste the part, it was amazing effort.  They even gave me another hot chocolate to make up for it. Simply wow!! 

There are plenty on the brunch menu and it was quite exciting to see the variety on offer. The three breakfast that morning were:

Butter roasted mushrooms, tater tots, baby kale, Onsen egg.

Baked slow eggs, bean, ham hock, Kransky sausage

Everything that morning were typical classics. But the plating was impeccable. I do not think that Petition Kitchen went above and beyond themselves in flavours but as always, classics done are simply amazing. How did they go? Starting with the roasted mushrooms, it was a textural wonder with the crispy tater tots and bouncy shrooms giving the dish a nice bite. Then comes the runny egg which brought everything together. The baked eggs were pretty standard though I do applaud the generosity of the Kransky sausage that gave the whole dish a meaty smokiness!

Grilled chorizo, black pudding hash, slab bacon, fried-egg.

Presentation? Spot on. My breakfast of choice was a meaty feast with so much to love. Slabs of tasty bacon, smoky chorizo and fried egg. Man. There was so much meat and its no secret that I love my meat. This must be Petition Kitchen’s brunch equivalent of a peanut butter milkshake. It was a protein feast that has not lost its appeal of taste. I reckon a little balance would have had this dish on a home run. But that is like adding kale to a peanut butter milkshake right? Who the hell does that? lol.

Did I enjoy Petition Kitchen? Definitely. The food was superb and I enjoyed every moment I was there. From entrance to service it was enjoyable. They swapped my pseudo Matcha Latte for a hot chocolate? Customer service to die for! Food generous, and hearty.  Venue sensational.  Would I return to Petition Kitchen? Yes.

WenY

Bites: Artsy Brunch @ Arthouse Dine, Perth

Art Dinehouse is for me one of those eateries where looks matched with a cool hip venue should mathematically equal to an amazing dining experience.  Did it deliver?  Last week I walked in to Art Dinehouse with a cool 50% off lunch deal thanks to Dimmi.  Needless to say we ordered pretty much the whole menu.

The food at Art Dinehouse is a mix of all cultures.  Whether its a Sambo or Pasta or even Salad, its got a chance on the menu.  Plating here is pretty sensational with the prosciutto slices ever so beautiful.  Amazingly tender and pink, it benefited from the many other elements on the plate.  From the acidic pearl lemons to the salty capers, a lot of effort went into making the dish picture perfect.  Around the table we also ordered the chicken sandwich which featured a deep fried chicken sandwiched between two very buttered up bun for a kick.  Art Dinehouse’s Prawn Pasta is another worthy mentioned due to its generosity with the prawns.

My experience at Art Dinehouse was overall worthy of an OK.  Food was a bit of a hit and a miss with a 50-50 hit rate.  The saving grace for us was that several hiccups like a piece of plastic in the leek waffle and bones in the croquettes were dealt with in an apologetic and sincere manner.  Waitperson was every bit courteous, so what else could I ask for?  Definitely no hate on the plate with future opportunities for a re-visit :)!

WenY

Bites: Brunch by the Sea @ the Shorehouse, Cottesloe

Another weekend, another brunch.  Amongst the many things W.A has to offer, its pristine beaches easily comes close to topping the list.  So why not do brunch by the beach right?  That’s exactly what Shorehouse had in mind.  This popular restaurant takes in the sweeping views of the Scarborough coastline with both indoor and outdoor sitting benefitting from the million dollar view.  Its brunch menu was nice and tasteful with accents of seafood written between the lines.  After enjoying a hot Chocolate, I ordered an omelette to get my daily protein. This was not just any Omelette though! This was Shorehouse’s Crab Omelette.

But can they top the famous Chilli Crab Omelette by Frisch and Barc? For starters the omelette at Shorehouse sticks true to the creamy butter finish of a traditional Omelette. Silky smooth with a strong hit of butter, this was joy.  Topping the protein was some crab meat cooked in miso butter. Umami bomb at its finest with the nutty and slightly sweet Miso flavour serenading the dish.  Moving to the inside of the Shorehouse Omelette, there was a slow cooked leek.  Unfortunately, this was where the joys of the buttery egg and tender crab flesh ended.  The leek was still fibrous and undercooked.  To a certain extent it was hilarious seeing how everyone was busy picking the fibres from their mouth haha.  There was a mound of dental floss on some plates :P  Then again we only had two choices.  One was to take it out, or two we could have swallow it whole lol.

Shorehouse is a promising venue with my sister previously giving them credit for their amazing desserts.  An omelette for $23.50 is pretty pricey even when comparing it to Frisch and Barc who had more crab meat in its omelette.  But look beyond the food, factor in the sweeping shoreline and price soon becomes irrelevant.  The combination of food and views make for a winning meal.  Would I come back?  It will be a definite yes but I would not be in a hurry.

WenY

Bites: Amazing Chinese Fry-Up @ Canton Lane, Belmont

Every now and then my family dines at Belmont Forum for a quality brunch.  Then are the times we go out for a Chinese Meal.  But in my 11 years of staying in Australia, my family have never had a Chinese meal in Belmont Forum, until this week.  So what has changed you might ask?  Well, a lot.  Starting from the rejuvenation of Belmont Forum to the addition of quality bites, the whole Forum is changing.  Rapidly.  From GYG Mexican and Schnitz to San Churros, a new Chinese restaurant called Canton Lane has opened and it was epic.  

Familiar faces at Canton Lane tells me that the restaurant is a quality chain that includes Canton Bay and Hong Kong BBQ.  With that being said, I expect the Roast Meat at Canton Lane to be top notch so I decided to give the Peking Duck a try.

This was the Peking Duck (without the deep fried Mantou).  Describing it in one sentence, Canton Lane has used crispy duck skin paired with juicy duck flesh wrapped with refreshing pickled vegetables finished with a dollop of sweet sauce!  Its been awhile since I had Peking Duck so this was really enjoyable!

We also had another appetiser of XO Radish Cake.  This one ticks all the boxes with their perfectly browned radish cake which is fluffy and soft on the inside.   The XO sauce packed a decent punch with hints of scallops present through-out the fry-up.  If anything, I would have liked it a little stickier (i.e. more sauce)! Nonetheless, it was every bit satisfying.  

Prawns with Salted Egg

Japanese Beancurd on Hot Plate with Diced Chicken and Salted Fish.

The Canton Lane’s main menu has all the usual Canton suspects.  Pictured are the Prawns with Salted Egg, Pan Fried Tooth Fish, and Japanese Beancurd on Hot Plate.  Other favourites like Peking Ribs and Roast Meat are also on the menu.  The cooking at Canton Lane hit all the sweet spots I would want when I dine at a Cantonese Restaurant.  Execution of the Deep Fried food such as the prawn and fish was kept really clean.  No sense of overpowering greasiness in the fragrance or to the taste.   Salted egg dressing was really traditional (and generous)! What more could you ask for?  Even the Garlic Kailan was delicious!

Dad is very critical about his Chinese food and felt that Canton Lane exceeded his expectations for a restaurant soft launch.  For me, I was super keen to know we no longer needed to go through the struggle of finding parking in Northbridge!!  A much welcomed addition to Belmont Forum.  Canton Lane opened on the 10th of April serving Dim Sum during the day and Chinese meals.  From delicious Dim Sum to perfectly Roasted Meats to traditional Cantonese fare, you can get it all at Canton Lane at Belmont Forum.

WenY

Bites: Happy Brunching @ Cherry & Grapes, West Perth.

Cherry and Grapes recently joined the brunch scene in Perth played host to my first morning brunch after finishing onsite I was pumped and the easy parking made it better! After a quick scan through the menu,I was thoroughly pleased to know that non-coffee drinkers are well-taken care off. 

I started off with a Matcha Latte. Green must be good for healthy right? lol.

The Matcha latte was pretty good with a generous layer of froth! Would have liked a stronger hit of matcha but I realised that the Matcha amount was probably right but it needed a little more whisking to make sure all the Match powder was dissolved! And did I mention how good the latte art was?  It is top notch at Cherry and Grapes! 

With over 15 people there were way too many dishes for me to go around snapping photos! So I stuck to getting a few popular choices!

Queen Z’s Truffle Burger.

Featuring a house made patty, tangy relish, and truffle aioli, this burger looked ready for a model shoot alright! Sandwiched between two nicely browned buns, this burger looked the real deal and tasted good too.  Who is to forget the hand cut chips made in house!  Best thing about these chips are the crunchy edges and fluffy insides! Filled with potato flavours unlike the powdery packed ones!  Note: pure beef aficionados with a stronger preference for bovine heaven in its original state (basic salt and pepper), you might find the addition of herbs be a little overpowering!

Cake by the Ocean.

This was another interesting dish by the folks at Cherry and Grapes with a cod filled croquette taking the centre stage. Topped with hollandaise a sprinkle of what appears to be Paprika my friends thought it was good and flavoursome!  I liked how there was more acidity in the dish beyond the hollandaise with the addition of the gherkin and caper salsa! That was a nice touch.

Lamb Shank with crushed potatoes and grilled peppers.

Every week, the restaurant puts a special out for their diners and this week its the slow braised lamb shank.  I got the last one for the week and it was a damn good feed.  Tender braised shrank meat was fall-off the bone good.  Then comes the sauce that is herby, rich and full of flavour with a whiff of wine! It was the perfect sauce for the carbs on the plate.

Easy weekend parking and great drinks are only part of the enjoyment at Cherry and Grapes bring.  With lots to offer in their menu along with weekly specials keep things interesting, I have to say it was a memorable brunch with good company! Sure there were hits and misses like the over seasoned burger patty but for a place that has opened just a few weeks ago, I expect a lot more to come from the good folks at Cherry and Grapes! 

WenY

Bites: Is this the best Japanese in Perth? @ Nobu, Burswood.

Nobu is a top tier Japanese restaurant with an International presence. Since making its mark in Perth some 5 years ago, Nobu has gone from strength to strength and even took out the title of best Japanese fine dining on some blogs.  But for some reason, I was never quite curious enough to step into Nobu, until today.  Nobu’s menu is a  cross between Peruvian and Japanese but is it a winner against my preferred French and Japanese fusion?  Lets check it out.

New Style Sashimi, Kingfish with Jalapeño.

This is one of Nobu’s most popular dish, but I was not convinced that the freshness and touch of citrus burst in the soy was enough to justify its popularity.

Seared Salmon YUZU KARASHI SU MISO 

This dish on the other hand was wow!  Start with the thick slices of perfectly seared salmon, wrap the fried leeks in the salmon before dipping it in the complex sauce of yuzu, miso and hot mustard.  Its a real act of balancing here. So many things happening in one bite.  The citrusy beginning followed by a nice salty-almost sweet miso and to end it all was a hint of heat from the mustard!  Complex flavours working in harmony with one another.

Popcorn Prawn with Spicy Mayonnaise

Another Instagram favourite, the popcorn prawn.  Unless you have a prawn allergy, there is very little to dislike about crispy battered prawns.  Crunchy, salty and juicy in each bite, it is a crowd pleaser on its own. Unfortunately these did not pack the crunch I wanted.  Then comes the spicy mayonnaise.  I have had plenty of spicy mayonnaise but I was not satisfied by the spicy mayonnaise in Nobu. It tasted flat and perhaps a little boring.  Perhaps they could bump it up with more Sriracha?  Or maybe I am just too used to having Spicy Mayo made from Sriracha and Mayo!

Black Cod Miso

I talked about favourites at Nobu earlier but if Nobu is famous for something, it has to be its Black Cod Miso.  Presentation was everything I had expected to see and the flakiness of the cod was perfect.  There is something therapeutic about layers of fish flaking off one layer at a time.  It is like enjoying the marbling of a fine Wagyu!  Flavour wise the caramelised miso was nutty, sweet and salty all at the same time! Another high point!  Was it deserving of the hype? It sure was. If only the skin had more appeal hmmm.

Chicken Anticucho

The Yakitori is to the Japanese what the Anticucho would be for the Peruvians (according to google).  Yay/Nay/Ok? At best, it was only going to qualify for an OK.  The Anticucho was unfortunately drier than expected and it not for the punchy sauce, it would have been a write-off.  I guess after going to the Michelin Star Tori Shin in NYC, very few chicken skewers  are able to satisfy me with the exception of a finely executed Chicken Satay :P!

Pork Belly Spicy Miso Caramel

With my favourite Buta No Kakuni not on the list, I thought I would give the Miso Caramel Pork Belly a try.  Bad choice.

Fillet Mignon with Truffle Teriyaki Sauce.

The last savoury dish of the night was the Fillet Mignon with a Truffle Teriyaki Sauce.  Was it simply Beef Teriyaki with a fancy price tag?  Fortunately not! The advantage about using a quality meat like the fillet mignon is that it packs a good beefy flavour without the fat. The Teriyaki sauce was OK, but I was hoping for a more impactful truffle taste in the Teriyaki.  The addition of Truffle from Nobu would struggle to compete with the flavours I get from the drizzling of a quality truffle oil on regular steak.  Sad but true.  Another bummer was that we ordered medium only to be served medium-well! Bummer much?  =/!

Last but not least was dessert to share.  Pictured below is the Miso Cappuccino (we also ordered another Nobu Dessert Bento!)

Talk about Miso overkill!  This was the 4th dish with Miso and while I disagreed with  the order at first, I was actually glad my sister got it.  The Miso Cappuccino was delicious!  Frothy, at the top with a hint of miso.  It was not plain miso in your face but rather layers of frothed milk, miso, chocolate creme and I think some biscuit crumbs? Also, that shine on the froth with that perfectly positioned Nobu badge!  Absolute precision!  Enjoyable in every bite.

The bill was $300 for the night (without drinks) and was not as expensive as I thought it would be.  So yay or nay?  I am giving Nobu a yay but it barely got there!  My expectation for the  night was a 9, but it ultimately delivered a respectable 7.   So where did it go wrong?  Well lets start with what it did well.  The seared salmon with a complex taste composition was definitely a winner along with Nobu’s signature Black Cod Miso.  I also quite liked the Mignon with Truffle Teriyaki but was let down by the lack of truffle flavours.  Oooh did I mention the really delicious Miso Cappuccino too?  Then comes the let downs which were the Pork belly, and the Chicken Anticucho.  Sashimi King Fish and Popcorn Prawns  which are popular among Nobu’s diners lacked a punch!  Sister reckons we should give them another try perhaps for lunch as they are usually less busy and the food is much better! Perhaps I will one of these days. For now I will stick to French Japanese combinations.

WenY

Bites: The Crispiest Pork Stir Fry @ Bangkok on William, Northbridge.

Bangkok on William was a place that I visited before actually going to Bangkok again last week.  But does Thai food 5,000 kilometres from its home have to taste all that bad?  Surprise surprise, it was actually not bad at all.  Bangkok on William was good with courteous service.  One that you would expect when visiting the land of smiles.  That night, my hungry family of 4 ordered a meal enough to feed 6.  

The serious highlights that day were the strong set of appetisers and amazing dish of vegetable.  Spongy, and tasty spiced up fish cake was perfection while the fresh Som Yam (Papaya salad) was impossible to dislike with its tangy sauce giving the mouth a refreshing feel.  Then comes the Tom Yam Goong that just amazes with its rich prawns flavours and generous amount of the crustacean.

Som Tam (Papaya Salad)

Thai Fish Cake

Larb (Meat Salad)

When the rice came,  we enjoyed a few other dishes like the Panang Curry, Basil Stir-Fry Chicken and the most amazing Crispy Pork Roast with Kai Lan.

The Basil Stir Fry here was so much better than the Basil stir-fry dishes my friends and I had in Thailand.  Bangkok on William ensured the meat stayed juicy while spiking the dish with generous amount of basil, fish sauce and chilli! Just the way I like it!

Then comes the most amazing crispy Pork Roast with Kai Lan.  As vegan as this sounds, this dish was more a carnivore with generous amounts of pork roast.  From that amazing stir fry sauce to the crunchy pork, this was spot on when served with steamed rice.

With my food palate now toned to the level of quality that Bangkok provides, I expected myself to feel slightly concerned at writing about a Thai restaurant in Perth  But this post was easy as.  That night the 6 dishes (not all pictured above) were a mix of the good, the bad and the ugly.  The favourites that night were the Som Tum, Tom Yam Goong, Basil Stir-Fry and Crispy Pork with Kai Lan.  The larb was slightly to salty while the Panang Curry was too bland!  Definitely needed balance there.  One thing I noticed was that just because I was in Bangkok, it does not guarantee that I was getting the best food as proven by the Basil Stir-Fry and Thai Fish Cake.  If you are looking for a well-priced Thai place with great food, I would most definitely recommend Bangkok on William.    That night the bill came to $130.

WenY

Bites: Crispy Bacon @ Floyd's, Subiaco.

Having an interesting Sunday brunch is a surefire method to killing off the oncoming Monday blues.  But when you are ordering stacks of deep fried guilt at 10am for brunch, it is likely that even the Sunday is going to be a long day.  I hit Floyd’s, a gourmet family-run cafe in Subiaco for brunch a couple weeks back and the menu is pretty damn intense.

That morning I ordered the Panko Crumbed Eggs served with charred asparagus, fried potato hash and crispy bacon (as the prosciutto was not available)

The dish itself was technical marvel considering how there are still cafes in town that struggling to even poach eggs right. Floyd’s move to deep-fry poached eggs was a dangerous one. But when executed right and the yolk flows, it was a sight to behold.  I was impressed by that aspect but the combination of fried bacon, hollandaise and crumbed eggs felt too heavy.  Very heavy.  Almost like a 3 piece KFC dinner box in the morning ha ha.  But hey, I knew it before I ordered it.  Guess I got a bit ambitious there!

My dining companion on the other hand decided to go for something a little healthier and settled for the Seared Avocado and Bacon stack.

Think smashed avocado but something more worth the buck and less worthy of an insult.  The bacon at Floyd’s is crispy by default but her preference was for a softer more meaty bacon. Other than that, she thought her choice for brunch was fine.

Over all the morning at Floyd’s was decent.  Not great but decent.  Food wise, they have a few daredevils on there but other than that the creativity on the plate did not really excite me as much as I thought it would.  After brunch that day I felt really heavy from my fried foods overkill!  Definitely something to be vary off the next time I pick my brunch dish!

Bites: Glorious Italian! @ Lulu la Delizia, Subiaco.

Life is too short to be wasted. When you’re working 10 hour days, 21 days at a time I tend to have a natural need to consume, as you guess it food.  This time around, Italian food.  While I am no Italian food expert, I know that it spans beyond pizza, pasta and salad!  I am finally at Lulu la Delizia and I was super pumped.  This cafe is super small making it cosy, and very Melbourne-esque (sorry Perth!).  The service from the door to the table was warm and welcoming making it an enjoyable entrance.

The menu at Lulu la Delizia has a group of “staples” paired with seasonal and daily specials.  The appetisers here are out of this world starting with a strong statement from the salty, crispy Parmesan paired with the earthy grounded shrooms.

Complementary Parmesan crisp with ground mushroom

Then comes the fruit King Fish Crudo which surprised me with the ripeness of the dish yet refreshing with the acidity of the lemon juice.

King Fish Crudo with Stone Fruit

Speaking of ripeness, what pairs better than caramelised slowly grilled figs with a Parmesan that is nutty in fragrance but absolutely robust with flavour in each bite. Super good!

Grilled Fig & Parmesan

Sister’s favourite the marrow was luscious and rich with an nice meaty flavour.  What was even better is that is spreader like butter on the toast that was soaked with the herby beef ragu.  Droolworthy!

Bone Marrow with Ragu

Pork sausage pasta, saffron, peas (Left), Ricotta gnocchi, blue swimmer, tomatoes (Mid), Lagoon clam pasta (Right).

Three pastas from Lulu la Delizia were superb.  Whether its the warmth of the saffron or the briny seafood explosion in the clam pasta, the pastas were top notch.  Was it faultless?  Perhaps not 100%. What went wrong you might ask?  Don’t get me wrong I loved the Gnocchi’s sauce but I felt like the pasta itself should be softer, fluffier and more delicate. Might just be me though!

The meal at Lulu la Delizia was really enjoyable.  The cafe got a little noisy as Lulu la Delizia got busier and prices are not cheapest.  But Lulu la Delizia pairs good service, with quality handmade pasta and tasty appetisers for an amazing Italian night.  Will I come back here again? Definitely so.

WenY

Bites: Casual Thai Dining @ Piyawat The Sweetery, Victoria Park.

Piyawat the Sweetery first came under my radar a couple months back while I drove through the Vic Park strip. With its bright orange sign board saying “the Sweetery” I initially thought off it as a dessert only place.  I soon found out that they did proper meals too and decided to come in for lunch on a Thursday.

Piyawat the Sweetery has the usual one dish suspects with a few interesting additions.  For lunch, I enjoyed Crispy Prawn Tom Yam.  A dish that truely has its own bragging rights with its super creamy tom yum sauce being the highlight.  It was simply awesome when paired with fluffy steamed rice.  What more can you ask for?  Crispy prawns, and fragrant tom yam! Flavour bomb, Definitely not your traditional Thai dish but super potent and delicious!

We also ordered the Pad Thai Gai which is Pad Thai with Chicken.   While it did not blow me of my socks or anything, it was definitely cooked well. Which means it is one of the more decent ones out there.  I will go back and try their stir fry flat noodles the next time! My sis said it was pretty good when she went there.

Alas, Piyawat the Sweetery is known for their famous desserts.  Whether its the Mango Sticky Rice or their Dessert Toasts, the ending is always sweet here.  

Piyawat’s Thai Milk Tea Toast was the highlight of my meal. Probably the best I have had since my first encounter with the amazing buttery bread in Taiwan. Fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside with generous amount of butter. Then you have the silky Thai milk tea which was silky smooth and fragrant without an overpowering sweetness courtesy of the tea. Lastly, the coconut ice cream was generous bits of coconuts making it absolutely brilliant! So much to like on that dessert plate.  Very well executed and not just your boring toast with “vanilla” ice cream though sometimes that might be all you are craving for.

If you are looking for something new, fun and different to eat in town the definitely to the Victoria Park to try Piyawat the Sweetery.  Also note that Piyawat the Sweetery closes at 6pm every day folks, so definitely do not plan a dinner here unless they change their timing which you can always check on Zomato!

WenY

Bites: Sensational Izakaya @ Ichirin, Leeming.

It is another beautiful day for dining out in sunny Perth.  It was my sister’s birthday and her Japanese cravings kicked in.  After scouting around she decided on eating at Ichirin, a small suburban Izakaya in the southern suburb of Leeming.  

It is not my first time here and I know that Ichirin serves pretty decent food for good value.  Whether its a crunchy Karaage or Fresh Sashimi you crave for, Ichirin has it all.  Do note though that if you are coming in for their Omakase Menu aka “Trust the Chef”, that you book at least 2 nights in advance.  As we did not make it for the Omakase, dinner was going to be a simple Izakaya meal.  To start was some skilfully plated sashimi before going to a favourite of mine, the Agedashi Tofu.  Simply crisp on the outside and sitting in a bath of soy, radish and finely grated ginger.  Lean and tasty.

Then we go on to Ichirin’s Sashimi Carpaccio. Consisting of thinly sliced fish cook, this dish was almost like a Ceviche in the sense that the salmon that came out look slightly cooked by the Citrus Yuzu and Miso mixture.  Refreshing in every bite, one simply could not stop with one bite.  Then we stopped having the raw stuff as my dad calls it and move on to the more conventional warm dishes.  The usual suspects made their appearance such as the Chicken Karaage and Gyoza.

As simple as it seems, Ichirin’s execution of these classics were people-proof favourites.  Both juicy and moist on the inside, it was hard to fault.  But if I had to pick the winner, it would be the Gyoza as it skin was cooked spot on and the mince on the inside was sensationally seasoned.  The Karaage on the other hand, despite packing a load of crunch lacked an essential bite of ginger.  Still it was very good.

But my seafood odyssea has not ended yet.  This time with a sensational plate of octopus.  At this point we did not expect the meal to get better only to be surprised by a melt in your mouth octopus.  I looked on Ichirin’s website but could not find the name.

Not to be forgotten is the superb Teriyaki Beef Fillet.  The marriage between a balanced Teriyaki sauce and a tender beef makes for heaven in mouth when paired with fluffy steamed rice.  This was no different. 

After finishing the night with some Matcha Ice Cream topped with Azuki (red beans), we were on our way home from Ichirin.  A count of how many dishes we had, I had actually ordered about 9-10 dishes for the table with the crispy squid and tempura prawns not shown above.  Was it too much?  Definitely not as the Izakaya dining style consist of small plate in a social environment so you get more variety throughout the meal. The bill price at Ichirin? A very fair  $170 with two bowls of ice cream and rice for a group of 4.