Samurai Sushi, Neutral Bay

Samurai Sushi, Military Rd, Neutral Bay

Wednesday 2 May, 2007

First up - thanks to John Shakespeare for the awesome illustration.

Samurai Sushi is a local restaurant that came highly recommended. Situated directly opposite the new Woolworths on Rangers Rd, it's almost hidden within a series of shopfronts and you really wouldn't know it was there. The only giveaway is the wooden A-frame signage out the front tempting you inside.

We arrived for our 7.30pm booking and walked inside. It was packed and we were welcomed to the only vacant table. The most enthusiastic waiter I have ever come across greeted us and looked like a cross between a Japanese warrior and Casper the friendly ghost. He was gorgeous!

Along one wall is a fabulous series of Japanese warrior cartoons (similar to the illustration above) in a jungle of green grass. The tables are set a little too close together and we were seated next to a young lady who had bought in her own portable TV and proceeded to watch while she ate. Bizarre.

The menu is a tacky plastic covered number and comes with an insert for weekly specials. We poured over the offering and couldn't go past:

- Edamame soy beans - deliciously salty

- Grilled eggplant with miso sauce - sweet, mushy eggplant

- Karage chicken - Japanese KFC

- Teriyaki chicken - skin free chicken coated in teriyaki

- Salmon sashimi - fresh, thick cut salmon

- Tempura platter - light, crispy battered vegetables

Between the 3 of us we gave it all a red hot go but definitely ordered too much. I love the bite from mixing soy sauce and wasabi and washed all my tempura down with a good dose of this concoction. When the tempura arrived at the table we all let out a gasp....there was enough to feed an army and it was piled high on a large white plate.

While we enjoyed our food countless diners arrived without reservation and were turned away and asked to come back later. This is a great local.

Samurai Sushi - Shop 3/ 197 Military Rd, Neutral Bay - (02) 9953 4059