Sashimi, sushi and saké
Secret Foodies guests were lured to one of the hottest eating precincts in Sydney, The Streets of Barangaroo where we were hosting our Tokyo Sunset event at Zushi. Situated directly opposite the waterfront on Barangaroo Avenue, Zushi have been offering Japanese flavour and flare into this vibrant foodscape since opening its doors in late 2016.
Due to popular deman we hosted the event over two nights. Guests on both nights were sent the ‘secret meeting spot’ at 5pm instructing them to meet at Zushi Barangaroo by 7pm. Upon arrival, they were greeted by Ms Darlinghurst. They then took the time to absorb their surroundings. With some yet to have discovered Barangaroo, they were marvelling the many restaurants and bars at their disposal in this concentrated area. Others took the time to snap photos with colourful parasols that were scattered around the restaurant.
With everyone having arrived, it was time for the first drink of the night – ‘The Venceremos’ Cocktail, made using Bacardi Carta Blanca, coconut liqueur, pineapple juice, cucumber juice, lime juice and sesame oil. Many noted how it tasted just like a Pina Colda, minus the cream! The incorporation of sesame oil gave the drink a slight oriental twist which people also really loved.
With names exchanged between guests and plenty of communal ‘cheers’ chants travelling around the room, it was time for Japanese feast to begin! A round of oysters went round to get the evening started followed by the Sashimi Deluxe. On a beautiful plate lay freshly sliced tuna, kingfish and salmon. Dipped in soy sauce with dollops of fresh wasabi, it made for fresh and delicious start to the night.
The next dish to hit the table was the Sashimi Tacos. This was a clever meal with layers of delicios salmon sashimi, served fresh and cut into cubes. On top of that was a layer of avocado and then finely diced fresh tuna. Crunchy taco chips acted as the ‘scoop’ so that you could get a taste of everything in your mouth. You had to be careful though not to get a huge dollop of fresh wasabi in your mouth!
With the first round of cocktails consumed, a beautifully light Jeanneret ‘Doozie’ Aged Riesling from Clare Valley SA was then served. This light white wine made for the perfect accompaniment to the seafood. Speaking of seafood, it was time for the next dish – the Scallop Carpaccio. On yet another beautiful plate was a scattering of scallops, cut paper thin. On top was a dusting of salmon roe and some edible flowers.
For the meat lovers in the room, the Wagyu Tataki landed at the table. The marbled wagyu was something to behold, and made for a delicate and very tender mouthful. The saltiness of the sauce also worked well, balanced out by the spring onions. With guests starting to get thirsty once more, a new wine was brought to the table – the Alpha Box & Dice Semillon Viognier from the McLaren Vale in South Australia.
Always the crowd pleaser, plates of Zushi’s Signature Roll were next to leave the pass. They were made with tempura prawn, avocado, Kewpie mayo and avacado. Following this was Zushi’s Salmon Saikyo Miso, served with zuchinni flowers. Complimenting the fleshy texture of the salmon was a buttery wine – the Pemberly Chardonnay sourced from Pemberton WA.
Guests then indulged in yet another meat dish – the Wagyu Sirloin. This decadent meat required a punchy and robust red wine. The Ned and Henry’s Hewitson Shiraz, Barossa Valley SA fit the bill nicely.
Guests activated their second stomachs as plates of Yuzu and Chocolate Cream Mini Tarts landed on the table. The last drink of the night was a small glass of Yuzushu, a citrus sake. The citric notes of this sake worked particularly well with the tarts.
At the end of the night we spoke to Serena who, along with her brother, owns Zushi. Zushi Barangaroo is the third restaurant for the duo who also own Zushi Darlinghurst (the original) and Zushi Surry Hills.
This Secret Foodies event was so much fun, made all the better by the hospitable crew at Zushi Barangaroo. If you haven’t visited Zushi Barangaroo for yourself, do yourself a favour and check it out.
You can check out more photos from the event here.
Zushi Barangaroo
10/33 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo NSW 2000, 02 8072 7383
Open Dinner Mon-Sun 6pm-10pm, Lunch Mon-Thurs 12pm-3pm, Lunch Fri-Sun 12pm-10pm
http://zushi.com.au/