KarateParty.org - Arashi Kushiyaki Bar

Good things: Fast Service, Toothpicks, un-rationed mints.

Bad points: Slightly dry rice.

Me: Beef Teriyaki Set: Served on Lettuce, with Miso Soup, Rice, and Green Salad.

Friends had: Chicken Teriyaki Set, Chicken Don, and Pork Don.

Wine (BYO): Brookfield 2004 Ohiti Estate, Cabernet Savignon.

d’Arenberg The Stump, Jump, 2004, Grenache, Shiraz Mourvedre, South Australia

Prices: $15-$20 Mains. $5 Bottle fee for wine.

Rating: 65%.

Any culture that places value on including soup in their main course is clearly already far on the path to the heaven of happy stomachs, this much I know to be true, and so it was with something approaching joy that I went to Arashi Kushiyaki on Courtenay Place. Well if truth be told it was a slightly sad kind of joy, as the restaurant I really wanted to go to was full up. Booking ahead is for suckers, suckers who get to eat where they want.

The restaurant is reasonably new, being in that unfortunate part of town where restaurants seem to have a high turnover, however I have been there once before, so it passes the second visit test.

Not eating seafood rather limits the possibilities when eating at a Japanese restaurant, however being a man of simple tastes I was satisfied with the Teriyaki Beef Set. Our meals came reasonably quickly, especially given the general business of the restaurant, for which I think the rice suffered just a little, being overly dry. When washed down with Miso soup and too much French dressing this was not such a problem.

The beef itself was reasonably tender, but well done, as requested. You would be surprised how many restaurants seem to think that when a diner asks for well-done meat what they really want is medium-rare. Quick lesson chumps, the preference for rare red meat is a purely subjective choice, what you find flavoursome and tender others might find watery and chewy. Don’t be an arse and assume your customers don’t know better, give them what they order.

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