Maguro (tuna)

Maguro is the most well-known and popular type of sashimi because tuna is a readily available and commercially marketable fish that Japanese people have favoured since ancient times. Did you know that in Japanese there are three different names for tuna meat, depending on which part of the fish it is taken from?

"O-toro" is the choice fatty meat taken from around the fish's belly area. It is the most expensive as it is very succulent and almost seems to melt in the mouth.

"Chu-toro" is the marbled meat taken from the fish's lower belly area and is cheaper than o-toro. Its exquisite combination of firm meat and marbling has made it the most popular of the three types with Japanese people.

"Akami" is the redder coloured lean meat taken from the fish's back. It is the cheapest of the three and its simple and refreshing flavour combined, with its affordability, make it the most popular type for home cooking.

In Japan sashimi is always eaten with a special soy-sauce and wasabi, but many people often dissolve wasabi into the soy-sauce, destroying its taste and characteristic fragrance. For a more traditional and refined way of eating sashimi, put a small amount of wasabi on to the middle of the piece of sashimi with your chopsticks. Fold it in two halves sandwiching the wasabi in the middle, and then dip the two ends into the soy-sauce before eating. If you have not eaten sashimi this way before, give it a try next time.

Delicious recipe with soy sauce
Grilled Soy Chicken

(serves 4)

Grilled Soy Chicken

4 chicken breasts, skin on
1/2 cup Kikkoman Less Salt Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon mirin

Place chicken in a flat, non-metallic dish. Combine next three ingredients and brush over chicken, covering both sides. Marinate for 20 minutes while you prepare the dipping sauce.

Presented by Kikkoman Australia Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup Kikkoman Less Salt Soy Sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
15ml rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon picked ginger, finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons coriander, finely chopped

Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined. Place in small individual serving bowls.
Meanwhile, preheat grill or barbecue and cook chicken, turning occasionally, until the skin is crisp and the chicken is cooked through. Serve on individual plates with the dipping sauce.

Presented by Kikkoman Australia

Real, chef-made Japanese sushi　BOKKEMON

Sydney is overflowing with sushi restaurants, but where do you find an authentic and stylish Japanese one? Bokkemon is a Japanese sushi restaurant that stands out from the rest. With its stylishly simple Japanese interior, welcoming atmosphere and expertly trained sushi chef with more than 20 years' experience, it offers Sydney's best reasonably-priced sushi. Order from your table or sit at the counter and choose from a line-up of the freshest neta toppings. Bokkemon also serves a range of other Japanese dishes - popular selections including chirashi-zushi (sushi in a bowl) and maccha udon (green tea udon noodles).

316 Pacific Hwy.,
Crows Nest NSW
Tel: (02)9966-5811
Noon - 2pm Tue - Fri,
6pm - 10pm Tue - Sun

The tiger's lair　TORAYA

TORAYA Toraya is a traditional yet creative Japanese restaurant that seats up to 100 diners. Conveniently located near Chatswood Station in the foodcourt area of Mandarin Shopping Centre, Toraya offers a reasonably-priced modern and classic menu assembled by their experienced chefs and highly-trained resident Japanese chef. Toraya specializes in exquisite sushi and sashimi, lobsters from on-site tanks and abalone as well as a wide range of other fresh seafood. Australian-produced Japanese beef and pork meals and various specials-of-the-day abound. Lunch deals are particularly filling and customers may park free for up to three hours in the centre's basement carpark. BYO wine is permitted.

Shop 212, Mandarin Shopping Centre, 65 Albert Ave., Chatswood NSW 2067
Lunch: 11:30am - 3:00pm (7 days)
Dinner: 5:30pm - 9:30pm (7 days)
Tel: (02) 9884 9620

A pure Japanese dining experience　Sakana-Ya

Seafood at its best! Starting with the freshest ingredients, the chef treats them with respect to let their flavours mix and come out in their own way for a memorable dining experience. Sakana-Ya, Japanese for 'fish shop', serves best quality fish either raw as sashimi or cooked in a variety of alluring ways to tease your pallet. The mackerel, simmered gently nimino-style and served in mirin-sauce will make you want to return to this particular 'fish shop' again
and again.

Sakana-Ya is a small, very inviting place, exceptionally popular with Japanese people, so please book to avoid disappointment.

336 Pacific Hwy.,
Crows Nest NSW
Tel: (02)9438-1468
Lunch: Mon-Fri 12pm-2:30pm
Dinner: 7days 6pm-10:30pm

For relaxing Japanese meals in Sydney's centre　NAZIMI

NAZIMI Nazimi is a Japanese restaurant conveniently located near the QVB. It has a modern and sophisticated atmosphere and offers reasonably-priced tasty food and great service. Their diverse menu includes entrees, mains and a la carte items and, for busy students and businesspeople, quick take-away specials such as bento-lunchboxes, don-bowls and udon noodles are available as well. Nazimi's sashimi and sushi are made from fresh daily seafood and their Nazimi Shabu-shabu (meat and vegetable hotpot) and dinner boxes bring back many repeat customers. Catering services are also available for parties and functions.

Lwr GD, 141 York St., Sydney
Tel: (02)9283-2990
Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-3pm, 5pm-10pm

Sensational Sushi Specialists　KAORI JAPANESE RESTAURANT

KAORI JAPANESE RESTAURANT Kaori is a Japanese restaurant where food is a seriously sensory experience. Nestled in Sydney's cosmopolitan Bondi Junction, "Kaori" is Japanese for aroma.

A favourite with locals, Kaori's menu is as authentic as it is diverse, featuring sushi and sashimi standards as well as combination lunchbox sets and the chef's specialty - udon created from an ancient family recipe.

Kaori's delicate entrees such as hiyayakko (raw tofu with ginger and green onion) and intriguing mains such as katsu-don (pork schnitzel on rice) will fill you with the desire to come back time after time.

143 Oxford St.,
Bondi Junction NSW
Tel: (02)9386-4514
Mon - Sun 10:30am - 9pm

A pure Japanese dining experience　MOMIJI

MOMIJI Nestled in a bustling CBD food-court in the Town Hall area, Momiji offers quick and authentic Japanese cuisine at an affordable price - their home-style dishes a favourite with Sydney's Japanese residents since 1990. Popular dishes include udon combo, fried chicken with pon-vinegar sauce and Japanese-style curry. Momiji boasts 20 different dishes and customers are able to choose up to three selections when ordering from the combination menu. There is also a happy hour period from 3-5pm every day where all 12 don-bowl menu items are reduced to only $5. All menu items can also be prepared as takeaway.

Basement Shop BE,
303 Pitt St., Sydney NSW
Mon - Fri 12pm - 5pm
(Closed public holidays)
Tel: (02)9283-3835

High class Japanese dining UMI KAITEN-ZUSHI

In the ultra competitive Japanese restaurant market only the strong survive. Umi Kaiten-Zushi has not only survived, it has truly flourished - garnering a reputation as one of Australia's premier Japanese restaurants.

CBD situated, Umi Kaiten-Zushi mixes urbanity and tradition - a culturally fused environment setting sleek interiors against modish Japanese ambience.

Then comes the food: a lesson in Japanese fine-dining. Seared wagyu beef nigiri marinated with kaffir lime leaves captivates while wagyu beef steak topped with ground radish and shredded shiso enthralls.

The seafood is also gorgeous, highlights including the delicate soft shell crab handroll and seared tuna with mustard sauce and chives served with sweet soy sauce.

Shop 1, L/G, Sydney Central Bldg.,
477 Pitt St., Sydney NSW
(Corner of Hay St. & Parker St.)
Tel: (02)9281-2006
http://www.umikaitenzushi.com.au/
Mon - Fri: 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5:30pm - 10pm
Sat - Sun: Noon - 3pm, 5:30pm - 10pm

Classic Japanese-style pub FUJIYA

FUJIYA Experience the traditional atmosphere of a Japanese izakaya pub-restaurant right here in Sydney. Conveniently located on the edge of Chinatown, Fuijya offers diners authentic Japanese interior decor and seating. Typical Japanese dishes such as tempura, yakitori, teriyaki chicken, yaki-soba and karaage are available and the special fried-rice with slivers of sauced eel meat is exquisite. Naturally there are an extensive range of Japanese alcohols, beers and spirits to choose from and with their new range of sake-infused chu-hai cocktails you will forget you are actually in Sydney. Their prompt buzzer service and huge seating capacity will not disappoint.

Level 1, 605 George St.,
Sydney NSW
Tel: (02) 9283-2268
Hours: Fri-Sat 6pm-midnight
Sun-Thu 6pm-11pm

Great sushi choices! SUSHI PLAT DE JAPON

Enjoy our wide variety of handmade, fresh sushi from $2.50 to $4.50. Come in during happy hour between 2.30pm and 3:30pm when all sushi are only $2.50!

Level 1, Hunter Connection
7-13 Hunter St., Sydney NSW
Mon-Fri 11am - 3:30pm Tel: (02)9232-3310