Glen Waverley 3150
If books were judged by their covers, Shira Nui would sit on the shelf gathering dust. Situated along busy Springvale Road and with a less than inspiring shop front, one could be forgiven to dismissing this little gem as another cheap, unauthentic attempt at Japanese.
As you step into the restaurant, the first thing you notice is how small the interior is. Although the decor can only be described as no frills, it does provide a certain Japanese charm. The disposable bamboo chopsticks, however, are quite a turn off. The staff are friendly, attentive and mostly of Japanese origin.
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| Chawanmushi - Japanese Steamed Egg |
I ordered the Chirashi Zushi Deluxe Set, a lunch special. Other menu items included Sashimi, Momoko Chicken, Tempura, Curry, Katsu Don, Lamb Cutlets and Grilled Fish Head. For $20, you get a serve of Chawanmushi, two small sides (Spaghetti Salad and Fried Eggplant on this occasion), Miso Soup and of course a bowl of Chirashi Zushi (mixed sashimi on a bed of seasoned sushi rice). By any standards, this is great value for money. The Chawanmushi is easily the best I have tried in Melbourne. Incredibly smooth and silky, it melts in your mouth like butter on hot toast. With just the right amount of seasoning and a small piece of Unagi as a little surprise, it is just perfect. The Spaghetti Salad and Fried Eggplant sides are simple yet tasty. The eggplant is well cooked and the salad is dressed with a wonderfully rich Japanese mayo. Neither are terribly authentic, but they certainly hit the spot. The Miso Soup is exactly how an authentic Miso Soup should taste with nothing instant about it.
The star of the show is clearly the Chirashi Zushi. It comes with yellowtail, salmon and tuna sashimi, grilled unagi, tamago (layered fried egg) and a cooked prawn. The striking thing about this dish is just how fresh the sashimi is. The quality of the fish is fantastic and like the Chawanmushi, melts in your mouth. The prawn is sweet and of a generous size. Unlike the Chirashi Zushi served at other Japanese restaurants, the sushi rice in Shira Nui's version is seasoned with a delicious combination of seaweed, pickled daikon (not the mass produced yellow version), pickled ginger (again, made in-house) as well as a vinegar based marinade. The only criticism is that Chef Hiro was perhaps a tad over enthusiastic with the pickled ginger, but this is more a case of personal preference. Shira Nui is a delicious journey into authentic Japanese cuisine. What it lacks in bells and whistles, it certainly makes up for in food quality. A final note - be sure to book early, there is a reason why this restaurant runs two sittings for both lunch and dinner. Casual Dining Food - 4/5 Ambience - 3/5 Service - 4/5 Price - 4/5 Total - 15/20 |
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