Koi Restaurant, Woolwich

Monday, 26 Apr 10

Ok, so it’s been a long time since I’ve blogged.  But believe it or not, I do occasionally step in and help Chris out on the blogfront, whether it’s by labelling photos, editing, writing a paragraph or two here and there.  It’s not often that I’ll actually do the whole write-up myself.  But special occasions call for a special touch.  That Chris is catching up on uni work after her assessment week might have influenced things too.

Some couples celebrate major milestones in their relationships, some celebrate annually, some bi-annualy.  Although we’re usually tied up in our respective hectic worlds, we always find the time to take a night off each month, and so this month, we found ourselves driving through the quiet streets of Woolwich, to a small secluded restaurant that feels in the middle of nowhere, but is just opposite one of the best views in Sydney.

Koi doesn’t look like much from the outside at night, especially since Woolwich is so poorly lit.  Step through the front door, however, and the intimate surrounds make you feel like you’ve been invited to a hidden secret in Sydney; dim mood lighting, gorgeous wooden decor, and welcoming staff dressed in faux-kimono aprons (both attractive and practical).

Without getting up and exploring the restaurant, Koi appears to have several small function rooms – just right for a dinner of 8, perhaps.  The layout and the environment generally feel like it isn’t suited for large raucous parties, but is perfect for the small intimate dinner between friends.  And that suited us just fine.

Miso soup in a beautiful lacquer bowl

Seared scallop carpaccio in soy butter, topped with roe

We have both heard a lot about Koi.  And right away, we understand why it scores such high reviews by foodbloggers, critics and the general public alike.  The scallop carpaccio was the must-have dish chosen by Chris from the menu, and it lived up to the anticipation – its simple presentation belies its perfectly prepared taste.

Mixed sashimi – medium

The medium ‘chef’s choice’ mixed sashimi revealed a platter with more scallops, bonito, kingfish, tuna, salmon and seared salmon.  Each piece was fresh and of excellent quality – considering the parlous state of tuna sashimi in Sydney during recent times (or is that my bad luck?), it was nice to be able to enjoy my favourite sashimi for the first time in a long time.

Port Stephen Oysters with Japanese lime

The not-on-the-menu special of the night were the Port Stephen Oysters.  Again – simple presentation, but a wonderfully refreshing feel from the lime.

12 hour braised Bangalow pork belly with squash puree and green beans and crackling

The pork belly was the biggest surprise of the night.  Crisp pieces of crackling garnished along the surface, each cube of pork belly was ultra-soft and melt-in-the-mouth tender.  And even for me, the carnivore of the family, the green beans and squash puree went well with the dish.

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Kamo – braised duck served with confit potatoes, snowpeas, miso and mustard sauce.

It’s not immediately visible from the photo, but there are also three small balls of spinach arrayed across the plate as a further garnish.  Individually, each element of this dish was excellent – the duck was succulent and tender, and went well with both the miso it was presented on, and the mustard sauce on the side.  The letdown for Chris was the visual element – she believes that the chefs could have done a bit ‘more’ – the four slices of duck on the left almost seemed like an afterthought, as if they realised the dish would feel empty.

Wagyu beef , grade 8, japanese pickles and tarragon butter.

The last main, and my must-have order from the menu.  Perfectly cooked slices of medium rare wagyu beef, with a flavoursome tarragon butter to go.  Tender goodness, and a great end to a great meal.

Pre-dessert: Chamomile foam and lemon granita

But, it wasn’t the end – as dessert was ordered, a complimentary pre-dessert cup of granita and foam was presented before us.  An interesting combination, but refreshing after the heavy mains and definitely welcomed.

Cherry souffle with fresh raspberries and dark chocolate icecream

I must admit here – I didn’t necessarily vote for the cherry souffle, the dessert special of the night.  I personally had my eye on the opera gateaux at the head of the menu.  But with room for only one dessert, I was impressed by what eventually came out.  A silky smooth dark chocolate ice cream, a light textured, rich flavoured souffle, and with the tang of fresh raspberries in the centre, it would have been a perfect way to finish the evening…

Post-dessert: Dark chocolate koi

… except that we weren’t quite done yet.  Resting atop a cold stone plate were two chocolate koi, the final touches to a great experience.

The view from the street

Chris felt that the chefs could have done more with the mains, that it was too simple.  I disagree – the dishes looked simple, but to me, that was part of Koi’s charm.  There’s a certain intimacy to Koi that was enhanced by the presentation, and any more would have disturbed it.  And so, with camera not ready to be put away, we turned our gaze across the road and over to civilisation, just down the river.

Lightning strikes, and we flee from the chilly wind as best we can, mind and body sated.

What does it take for you to get out and do something you enjoy?

4 Comments

1. wow beautiful photos! the scallop carpaccio looks fantastic!

   Comment by chocolatesuze — April 28, 2010 @ 1:00 am

2. beautiful photos, this place looks really nice and worth a visit

   Comment by betty — April 28, 2010 @ 3:38 pm

3. I enjoyed reading your really good writeup. Koi seems like an understated but beautiful place to dine.

   Comment by Belle@OohLook — April 30, 2010 @ 2:22 pm

4. I rave and rave about this place to anyone who likes Japanese food and I’m glad you both made a special evening out there. The wagyu with tarragon butter is to die for!

   Comment by mademoiselle délicieuse — May 2, 2010 @ 1:16 pm

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