| Mino Restaurant
Kaiseki cuisine is otherwise known
‘cha’ (tea) kaiseki, because it was originally
served during traditional tea ceremonies. It was thought
that the tea would taste better if people weren’t
hungry, so an endless array of tiny, exquisitely presented
dishes were served up along with the tea.
Expecting Mosman prices and kaiseki grandeur, I did
a double-take when I first glanced at Mino’s
menu. Tagged ‘Mini Kaiseki Banquet,’ the
five-course meal (a degustation except for the main
dish which can be chosen from nine dishes) came with
a humble price tag of $40.
My eyes darted back and forth between the two ‘mini-kaiseki’
menus: ‘goshu’ and ‘mino’.
They look almost identical. Later, I am told that
goshu is more Aussie-friendly, with fewer raw options.
Mino kicks off with an appetiser of seared salmon
and sea urchin wrapped in yuba tofu skin, whereas
goshu starts with less adventurous steamed prawns.
The appetiser of sea urchin wrapped with mango is
delectable, and also available as a main for $14 from
the a la carte menu. The kaiseki banquet is excellent
value but it’s nice to have the a la carte option.
Mains such as tempura and sukiyaki hotpot are hearty
and well executed, but chef Nakochi’s assorted
grilled entrée truly shows off his 25-year
experience as a kaiseki cuisine chef. The barramundi
is served up hot in foil with a fantastic mayonnaise
concoction flavoured with walnuts and soy. Seared
scallop is succulent and is artfully presented with
dill and salmon roe. ‘If I find an ingredient
I like, I test different recipes until I am satisfied,’
says the chef. This experimental approach ensures
delicious, constantly evolving flavours.
|
