07 Oct Miyako Japanese Cuisine & Teppanyaki, Southbank

Tucked away on the second floor of the Southgate complex, Miyako Japanese Cuisine & Teppanyaki offers authentic Japanese cuisine from new head chef Yosuke Furukawa, recently of Izakaya Den. The restaurant features two teppanyaki grills, and a sushi and sashimi bar serving up market fresh fish. A range of seating options is available, from the regular tables, to the small balcony area (which can even be heated) with wonderful views of the CBD along the Yarra, and private tatami room complete with sunken tables.

We opened with a small appetiser of chilled, yuzu-marinated beef and a slice of mini toast. It was refreshing and perfect for awakening the palate.

Matcha Apple – Green Tea Plum Wine, Vodka, Apple Monin, Lime ($17) and Ocean Jade – Vodka, Frangelico, Chambord, Blue Curacao, Passionfruit Pulp ($19)

We had some drinks to go along with our meal. My Matcha Apple was a mix of green tea, plum wine, vodka, apple monin and lime. It was slightly tart, in a satisfying way. The Ocean Jade was sweeter and more fruity, being made from vodka, Frangelico, Chambord, Blue Curacao, and passionfruit pulp. I particularly loved the nuttiness from the Frangelico and the tropical vibe of the drink as a whole.

Taraba Crab Leg Tempura – Deep Fried Crab Leg, Zucchini, Eggplant served with Miso Salt ($22.50)

The taraba crab leg tempura came with a number of other vegetable tempura. The crab leg had been thoughtfully slit through the middle to ease the process of extracting the tender crab meat. It was perfect with some of the peppery miso salt and a squeeze of lemon.

Tofu Dengaku – Deep Fried Tofu topped with Red Miso with Buckinis and White Miso with Sesame ($10.50)

The tofu dengaku looked photogenic with the skewers, though because of the weight of the tofu it couldn’t be picked up and eaten with them. The bottom was a bit soggy, but they were still delicious. I particularly liked the red miso, and the buckinis added a neat nutty crunch.

Tataki Beef – Lightly Seared Beef Thinly Sliced, served with Black Pepper and Shiso Dressing ($16)

Beef tataki came next. The lightly seared pieces of beef were dressed in a delicious black pepper and shiso dressing, and were firm to the bite.

Assorted Sashimi Deluxe ($65) – Salmon, Tuna, Gunard, Kingfish, Dory, Scampi Sushi

Arriving in a spectacular fashion came the deluxe assorted sushi and sashimi platter. Slices of sashimi, including the melt-in-your-mouth toro (tuna belly) arrived in a magnificent ice sphere, and was surrounded by even more sashimi and a variety of nigiri and maki. Full of fresh seafood, it was a delight to sample a range of produce, including scampi and even gunard, which is a little uncommon to see in sashimi platters.

Grilled Black Cod – Marinated Black Cod Fillet served with Zucchini, Capsicum, Cauliflower, Pickled Radish in a Bamboo Leaf Pouch ($34.50)

Moving on the larger dishes, we came to the grilled black cod. The marinated black cod fillet was served with zucchini, capsicum, cauliflower and pickled radish, all wrapped up and cooked in a bamboo leaf pouch. Gosh this was good. The sweet fish flaked apart easily, was so tender in the mouth and was full of umami. I just wanted more of it.

Wafu Steak (150g) – Char Grilled Miso Glazed Eye Fillet with Garlic Crust, served with Teriyaki Sauce ($28.50)

The last savoury plate was one of their signature dishes, the wafu steak. The miso-glazed eye fillet had been char-grilled to a perfect medium-rare and topped with a crunchy garlic crust, served with teriyaki sauce. The beef was very well cooked, though a tad sweet for us.

Black Sesame and Green Tea Ice Cream, Mango Sauce, House-made Strawberry Mousse

We finished with scoops of black sesame and green tea ice cream. There was also a spongey house-made strawberry mousse, which although was not quite to my tastes, had lovely strawberry flavour.

Though it may be overlooked due to its location a little away from the main hubbub of the ground floor of Southgate, Miyako delivers premium Japanese cuisine in a comfortable, accessible environment.

Disclaimer: I was invited to dine at Miyako as a guest, however, opinions expressed here are purely my own and not influenced by them in any way

Miyako Japanese Cuisine & Teppanyaki
Shop UR2, Upper Level, Southgate
3 Southgate Avenue
Southbank, VIC, 3006
Phone:(03) 9699 9201
http://www.miyakocuisine.com.au/menu/