5 OF THE SASHIMI BEST
There’s an art to the Japanese delicacy – Sally Coates says these five venues have mastered it
YAMAGEN JAPANESE RESTAURANT
QT HOTEL, 7 STAGHORN AVE, SURFERS PARADISE
Yamagen executive chef Adam Lane says there’s plenty of fish in the sea, so diners shouldn’t be afraid to branch out. “Salmon and tuna are certainly still popular favourites, however, we are really encouraging our guests at Yamagen to be a little more adventurous and try dishes like our new thinly sliced snapper with truffled tosazu, shio kombu, ume boshi and yuzu sesame, or the sakura smoked ocean trout with negi, fennel, crispy leek, ikura and lime zest. Too often we have guests say to us that they don’t each sashimi, but once they try it they soon realise they do actually quite enjoy it.”
KIYOMI JAPANESE RESTAURANT
THE STAR, BROADBEACH
Kiyomi’s chef de cuisine Yonge Kim says they have a secret sashimi weapon. “We are lucky to have our specialty sushi chef of 15 years, Lenny Lim, working his magic behind our nine-metre-long sushi bar. We often direct our guests to try the sashimi sampler, which contains a selection of seasonal sashimi. Each fish has a unique flavour and trying it in this way is a great opportunity to experience that.”
TEN JAPANESE RESTAURANT
2679 GOLD COAST HWY, BROADBEACH
The sashimi selection at Ten isn’t written on a set menu, with head chef Yuta “Yoshi” Yoshimura saying it’s dictated by the best quality produce. “It depends on the market and the ingredients that go with it. Normally we have five to six fresh fishes, such as tuna, salmon, a white fish, snapper, groper. We use shiso, wasabi and daikon radish to complement the fish without overpowering it.”
ETSU IZAKAYA
2440 GC HWY, MERMAID BEACH
The vivid hues of fresh fish contrast with splashes of citrus in Etsu’s eye-catching sashimi arrangements. Owner Mitchell McCluskey says their sashimi falls in line with Etsu’s overarching values. “With traditional dishes like sashimi we do have to constantly tread the line between tradition and staying modern. It just naturally looks amazing so we keep it simple and let the fish stand out.”
SATO JAPANESE RESTAURANT
1/90-104 SURF PARADE, BROADBEACH
For a truly authentic little piece of Japan in the heart of Broadbeach, Sato is a must. Known and loved by Gold Coast industry professionals, the sashimi selection is flown up daily from the Sydney markets to ensure optimal freshness. Sometimes, if the delivery doesn’t come, they don’t open. The hot tip at Sato is to order off the daily fish menu and not the standard menu.