08 - Kisume - A photo journey
[Warning: image-heavy post ahead. May cause drooling.]
Here's something new!
Y'all have given a lot of great feedback about needing more FOOD content, so I'm going to make a regular thing about places that I love. I have a whole lot of food photography on my phone that I have nowhere to put so I'll put it here!
The Awakening
Look, I'm not going to remember exactly when I went for each of these sections, but these were mid-late 2017 sometime, maybe 2018, for an assortment of events.
This first time we went was an absolute revelation - previous to this the fanciest Japanese places I had been were Sushi Sushi. Or maybe some all-you-can-eat Japanese place. Nothing like THIS!
I definitely had more food than I'm showing here, but for brevity's sake I shall provide commentary on my favourites...well, as much as I can remember what they actually were!
Some entrees
-
Kingfish Sashimi that looked like SHARKS. An amazing presentation for a beautifully simple dish. I enjoyed this immensely.
-
Tuna, but fancy. I think the black stuff to the right is tobiko? The sashimi at Kisume is always so damn fresh, and always worth a trip for.
-
Delicious tempura (obvi) - nothing too special here tbh. Texture was crunchy and quite nice to eat.
-
I think this was scallops? The main thing I remember is that the leaves they used look like those cute anime ones where they use the leaves as umbrellas! Very delicious :D
-
King crab dumpling which looked amazing, had an amazing texture (it's like...gelatinous? But packed with flavour), but was probably too expensive for what it was...
NB. Sitting at the sushi bar is delightful! You get to watch these master chefs create beautiful dishes for you, and you're up close and (relatively) personal :D
The main attractions
-
Hands down, this Shio Koji chicken (I think that's what it was called) was the absolute BEST chicken I have ever had. Maybe it was because it was the first time I'd ever eaten at Kisume when I ate this, or maybe it was the elation of the moment, but from the first bite to the last, I just could not stop eating this. I really REALLY wanted to get another dish but it was already pretty expensive. This chicken was cooked in...rice? salt? milk? garlic? He explained it to us after I raved on and on about it, but I don't remember it fully - what I do remember that it was ridiculously tender, flavourful, and juicy. Though I love my fried chicken, this dish alone rivals all fried chicken I've ever had. I haven't been able to try it again - they replaced it with a Teriyaki Spatchcock which I do not rate as highly. AGH! Bring it back Kisume!!
-
This was a soba noodle salad that had an outrageously good sauce and sashimi on top. Didn't really care that much for the fish; but the soba was delicious! Then again, I can probably get great soba from Shimbashi Soba in the city for a lot cheaper...
-
Had to steal this picture from the Internet (credit here) for the Tenderloin with Foie Gras as I forgot to take a pic - holy taste-balls this was insane. The foie gras packs this amazing punch of flavour that is expertly supported by the tender-yet-tough steak underneath. The contrast in every bite is spectacular - you get this wonderful, meaty, juicy chunk of beef that is then followed up by a slathering of the rich, creamy goodness of foie gras, coating your mouth in a delicious mix of fats and proteins. Absolute pinnacle of a dish!
Fish on Fish on Fish on Fish
Last but not least, the Deluxe Feature Box: These are two examples of the Deluxe Feature Box (at different times in the year) that you can get from Kisume. This meal alone could be shared between 2 people, without getting any of the entrees or mains above, but I'm a glutton so...
I go hard.
Each time you go back, there are different presentations of the sushi and sashimi that captivate the eyes as much as the stomach, but regardless, it is always a medley of ridiculously fresh and tasty fish. If you sit at the sushi bar, you can watch them actually bring out the fish, prepare it, and present it in the classic Japanese expert, fluid I've-done-this-so-many-times-but-I'm-still-going-to-impress-you-with-my-skill way.
If you're a fan of sushi and/or sashimi this is well worth a trip. It's expensive (around $100-$120 for the box?) but it's DELICIOUS.
Maybe for an anniversary of some sort?
Or just a Tuesday night!
You decide.
Chat soon :)
✔️ Real Life Recommendations
-
The Farewell - a poignant movie about a little white lie...a good lie...to a grandma who has developed lung cancer. More broadly, I adored this movie for the way it explored the differences between Eastern and Western cultures. As an ABC (Australian-Born Chinese), it spoke to me in a very personal way; seeing a culture that's supposed to be yours, but as an outsider.
-
The Sheriff of Nottingham - a wonderful, wonderful game of bluffing and lying to your friends. You play as a merchant trying to import goods into Nottingham to make your stall as full of produce as possible...but wait! Maybe some contraband might have slipped into your cart that someone in the city would pay a high price for...? Whoops! Can't get anything past the Sheriff! Or maybe he can be bribed...? One of the better games that I can recommend - the meta improves the more you play, and you get to see a bunch of amazing strategies emerge as part of your gameplay.
🚌 Adventures on the Information Super-Highway
-
WaitButWhy is back! - Tim from WaitButWhy has finally started posting again. Apparently it has been an absolute massive effort to build out his next series of posts, but they are coming thick and fast! Really excited to see what he comes up with!
-
Is it better to specialise or stay general in your career? - This book, Range, is currently on my book list to read, as it argues that in your career, you should aim to be a generalist. Becoming a specialist is useful in certain fields, but with such a rapidly changing landscape due to new and different technologies, sometimes, staying general is the better choice.
-
The Restaurant of Mistaken Orders - a restaurant which uses dementia patients as waiters and waitresses; don't expect to get what you actually ordered! It's such a charming idea - I love that the framing around this concept was flipped on its head.