Sushi Studio Japanese Restaurant
Sushi Studio Japanese Restaurant is usually booked out. It’s rare to be able to just walk in and get a table. You would not be able to figure that out simply based on the entrance. A standard, basic restaurant sliding door entrance with common white Formica top tables in a minimalist eating area makes this look more like a glorified food court than the premier Japanese sushi gastronomy fantasy that it really is. The place is legendary among other sushi restaurant chefs and you are likely to find other restaurant owners and sushi experts dining here too. So, not for a romantic evening, this place is purely for those interested in taking their taste buds to Japanese seafood heaven. (No, I wasn’t invited to review them. This is a purely personal post!)
We went one afternoon around 5:30pm (booked as we knew we would not be able to get a table if we were any later.)
The waitress was very polite, friendly and accommodating, and she helped us with our choices. (I heard on subsequent visits by my partner and friends that she had remembered our names!)
Once we’d placed our order we also saw that the person behind the little sushi bar was distinguished, took his work seriously, and was confidently choosing the best cuts of sushi for our plate.
Many of the items on the menu are available in Sydney city but the sushi restaurant prides itself in distinguishing between a simple piece of fish and the best part of the fish. A sashimi salmon at an average restaurant in Sydney City tastes completely different to that at this restaurant, purely because they use a better quality part of the fish for the sashimi. This means, of course, you pay more, but if you are interested in tasting what real sushi and sashimi tastes like, then saving up for the foodie experience of a lifetime at Sushi Studio is something you might want to consider doing at least once.
We enjoyed the fried white bait, which was not too oily. The oil chosen was light and fresh and the flavour was nice and crisp.
The oysters were full and creamy and at the right temperature, the spring onion slices and fish eggs complementing the salty and juicy flavour.
The sushi plate was amazing. There were recognisable pieces here that were not when in the mouth as the quality was so much better than your average corner sushi takeaway. If your budget is limited, just have this one (though you may want to get two as cutting them in half with chopsticks to share can be a bit complicated!)
And other dishes. Once we’d tried the first few we just had to try more!
Tasty shiokara
Fried Karasumi (special order)
Aji no Namero
Whenever we go out to a restaurant we always try some of the alcohol on offer. This might, of course, mean that some liver surgeon in the future is going to make some money from us, but when there is such as fantastic selection of drinks on the menu, we’re prepared to risk a few hospital visits. 🙂 Sushi Studio had some delicious sake available that complemented the food beautifully.
We got to try the Mutsu, the Dassai and the Kamoshibito sake which helped us to appreciate the variances and differences in sake. The Mutsu was light and slightly fruity, the Dassai was smooth and the Kamoshibito was mild but with an interesting flowery bouquet. All were delicious in their own way.
I was blown away by the quality, the service and the variety. I highly recommend a visit. Just make sure you have plenty of cash on you!
The restaurant can be easily reached by bus from Clarence Street in the Sydney CBD.
Parts of their menu changes every now and then so check their website for updates.
