| Azuma Japanese Restaurant
Authentic Japanese cuisine done simply. Sounds like
an easy task but few can do it with more elegance
than chef Kimitaka Azuma, owner of Azuma restaurant
in Sydney’s Circular Quay.
His passion for superior produce and 30-odd-years
of experience in kaiseki-style cuisine (Japan’s
ultimate degustation menu) has won him accolades across
the local media. “I no longer serve dishes that
are excessively artistic or over the top. My regulars
prefer straightforward, simple Japanese food,”
says Mr. Azuma.
His expansive menu includes delectable dishes such
as grilled silver cod fillet marinated in Saikyo miso
(imported from Kyoto) and highly-marbled wagyu beef
steak with garlic soy sauce. Azuma’s unique
nigiri (hand pressed sushi) of seared kingfish belly
is a must—the menu recommends dipping the nigiri
in salt & lemon juice. If you are a heavy soy
sauce dipper, you may find this combination a delightful
surprise.
Azuma’s many regulars say they appreciate the
every-changing artwork strategically placed throughout
the dining room. Stand-outs are ceramic pottery by
Sydney’s famed artist Mitsuo Shoji and dyed
hemp artwork by acclaimed dye artist Shumpei Kobayashi.
For dinner, the room is seductively lit and the décor
restrained, mirroring his cuisine. With Azuma’s
ten-course degustation ($110), the artwork finds it
way to the table in a procession of tasty morsels
displayed on his exquisite dinnerware. |
“I
have been cooking since I was a teenager growing up
in Kyushu,” says Mr. Azuma. As an apprentice,
he rose daily at 4am to catch the local river fish
and worked until midnight. Even now, he does not mind
the hard work of chefdom. “I love seeing the
happy faces of my customers. That is why I cook.”
On his rare days off, he enjoys visiting local ceramic
artists. “It is amazing to see their work. I
am introducing a menu soon that matches the work by
a glass artist I know.”