When I was invited on behalf of foodie cravings to eat at Sushia Izakaya & Bar in Brookfield Place, I was excited. They launched their Eat Drink Perth menu for the festival so I was interested to see what unique dishes they had prepared for the event.
I’ve dined at Sushia before and had such an enjoyable time that I was interested to see if it still delivers the goods. I feel like I write this every time I talk about a cuisine and how it’s a favourite of mine but I really do love traditional Japanese food. My mum is Japanese so I’ve grown up with her home style cooking and travelled to Osaka where she originates from many times over the years. Japanese food is a popular option for people when dining out these days but I am pretty selective about where I like to go to enjoy it.
Sushia is located in Brookfield Place next to the main tower, home to many prominent restaurants. It’s a little hidden; you need to travel down a flight of stairs to find it. There’s an attractive courtyard for alfresco dining or you can experience your meal in a more intimate setting inside. A large bar dominates the entrance with bench style seating or traditional dining tables located towards the back of the restaurant. The kitchen area to the right allows you to see the chefs at work.
Prior to being seated, food bloggers and other invited guests were treated to a selection of tasters from the Sushia menu.
Spicy edamame beans with crispy lotus root, teriyaki chicken skewers and mini gyoza samplers were all on offer. The beans had a generous coating of chilli, which was a nice addition to the saltiness. Edamame beans are the best and I can very easily demolish a plate of them in one sitting. The lotus roots are very addictive and surprisingly light and airy even though they are deep-fried. The teriyaki chicken skewers were delicious with that all too familiar sweet and savoury marinade.
We were then treated to an additional course to start with, the majority being served a Sashimi Trio of salmon, kingfish and seared beef. I’m not actually a sashimi fan but I was told that it was incredible and the flavours delicate and subtle. I was served teriyaki beef skewers and these for me were spot on. Two tender, succulent beef skewers - so tasty, all I needed was a bowl of rice to soak up the rest of that sauce.
The menu for Eat Drink Perth is a three-course meal for $48 and consists of Creamy Jalapeno Pop Corn Prawns to start followed by Robatayaki Pork Ribs finished off with Black Sesame Surprise.
The prawns were lightly battered and then fried so they have a lovely crispy, crunchy coating. Along with a smear of creamy jalapeno mayonnaise, the taste combination worked well together. The salad had a delightful zing to it and was refreshing to the palate.
Robatayaki translates to fireside cooking similar to barbeque where the food is slow grilled over hot charcoals. A generous portion of ribs was presented and the meat was so tender and literally fell off the bone. The dipping sauce, spicy momoko, added a point of difference to the meat. Hidden beneath the ribs were a mixture of potato and sweet potato that were also roasted. The Asian and Western flavours complement one another and it’s the perfect meal for those of you who like a meal with substance.
The dessert that followed was truly beautiful and could be considered edible art. The delicate portions of Chantilly cream and ice cream with artful swirls of black sesame and crushed cashew nuts were gorgeous together. For a dessert, it wasn’t too sweet although I have to admit, I did struggle to finish this as I’d already eaten so much and it was a heavier option with all that cream.
The food is lovely and served so beautifully. I enjoyed it all although it was a little more fusion inspired than what I would normally choose to eat when eating Japanese food. This special menu is a unique option for the Eat Drink Perth festival, which is running from March 16th to April 23rd. I suggest you high tail to Sushia to experience this three-course experience before the month is out.
Disclaimer: foodie cravings was invited as a guest of Sushia, see disclosure policy for more details.
