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Sashimi and eel in the foreground.
There is sometime that draws me back time and time again to the stripped back aesthetic of a good Japanese restaurant.
It is the antidote to the worst of what try-hard restaurants offer. I’m talking about the over elaborate try-hard food that has become the vogue in some of Melbourne’s top restaurants. I won’t mention any names, but there are plenty out there pulling together too many inappropriately matched ingredients in the name of flavour and texture.
Sue, some of these dishes look great and have plenty of height (I believe these are called waiter haters). But if the average diner – and most of us are just that –needs a map or guidance to eat the dish then something is very wrong.
Anyway, I don’t want to detract some the elegance and simplicity of the food offered at Tempura Hajime (60 Park Street, South Melbourne +61 3 9696 0051), which is at the St Kilda Rd end of the street.
When I read over at Tummy Rumbles that it was brought to us by the same people who started-up Yu-u in Flinders Lane – husband and wife team Daisuke and Noriko Miyamoto – I knew I had to visit. Eating with Jack also visited and before that Karen at A Gastronomic Voyage (which has subsequently moved domain). Both were equally impressed.
What is interesting is that it appears this is a place discovered entirely by bloggers all of whose opinion’s I trust, perhaps more so than the experiences I often read about in newspapers and magazines. I just hope I haven’t spoiled it by mentioning this place the mainstream media.
At the risk of repeating what has been written already, you enter through a minimalist entrance to one side of the main entrance to the commercial offices at 60 Park St into a lounge area where you can have a predinner drink.
I don’t because the action is through the sliding door to the next room which sits just 12 around a bar. For $66 you relax into a 16 course meal, including 12 of tempura.
Part of the aesthetic is the handmade pottery from which each diner eats and drinks (unless you choose a wine or beer). I choose to drink a cold saki (trust me it is much, much better than hot) and am given a choice of handmade cups to drink from, each one delicate and unique in appearance.
We sit there enjoying the theatre of the tempura stadium. I felt so much more relaxing than many restaurant experiences.
Don’t worry about filling up though as most of the courses are small an you’ll have a chance later with a rice dish. The meal starts with sashimi and eel.
And then the chef’s attention is on us sensitive to our moods and what we eat. First comes a single tempura prawn. aturally, I eat the lot and Jak gives me her tail.
A single tempura prawn.
What follows is a single baby sweetcorn and a single scallop filled with urchin row and sliced in two. Urchin row can be a challenge for some people but this is delicious. Jak wanting to save room for later gives me half, no dumps half in my dressing of lemon juice.
I find this a bit irritating the way she just dumps thing on my plate, even though I’m more than happy to eat it. The chef senses my irritation and makes his retreat. After asparagus, we enter the realm of a perfect, punctuated fish and chips. The chip comes first in the form of tempura purple sweet potato. The punctuation, if I remember the order, being okra, before we are presented with a perfect King George whiting, sliced in two. I simply dip it in lemon juice and sprinkle it with salt.
More follows each serving small, perfectly formed and well thought out. Eggplant is stuffed with minced chicken, a single mushroom with prawn. These are trumped by John Dory, wrapped in nori, deep fried and topped with umeboshi, a kind of Japanese pickle, and ground sesame seeds.
John Dory wrapped in nori…
All through the service is faultless and the chef engages us in conversation discussing the dishes and Japanese food.
Finally comes a rice dish, in the form of a donburi, a mix of vegetables, fish and prawn tempura. It is served on rice with a choice of sauces. It is time to fill what space is left in our tummies.
Two choices of donburi
Yoghurt panna cotta.
I’m rapidly coming to the conclusion that this is my preferred form of eating, many simple tiny courses prepared with love and attention to detail. Naturally, I can’t eat raw fish or tempura every night. But you know what? I will be back very soon. And again. And again…
Popularity: 18% [?]
April 17th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Nice piece Ed.
Isn’t it refreshing that it can be so consistantly good. I didn’t mention in my piece, as I had already gone on enough about how wonderful it was but upon leaving after my second visit, Noriko said good night by name and said to say hi to Simon, my dining companion on the first visit. I couldn’t believe they had remembered my name, let alone my partners name that wasn’t there this time. Such an amazing personal touch!
I loved this cute little place I’m glad to see them getting some hype, especially now also outside the blogging world.
Jack
April 17th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Hi Ed, good to see this type of food in Melbourne, as opposed to the ‘fake’ Japanese. Unfortunately I cannot believe the prices involved! I guess that is what comes from being in Japan where, after just coming back from a 3 week holiday, I am happy to say is generally MUCH cheaper than Melbourne for any type of cuisine. I almost died looking at the prices of food back home! I think this type of cooking would cost me around $30 including all drinks. Stay on the lookout for something I am going to write to bloggers about - the cost of Japanese food around the world. I will definitely drop you a line to find out what it costs in Melbourne at a Japanese-run Japanese and also non-Japanese run restaurants
April 17th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Great pictures, Ed. I’ve got a booking for next Friday and will blog my thoughts.
Also, I’ve really been enjoying ‘Ed Lines’, however short it may be. Keep it comin’.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:09 am
Cheers Jack,
Funnily enough not 20 minutes ago I was talking with Simon about it!
Lucas,
i can’t beleive Japan is cheaper. I have a friend coming over in a week or so and down your way who will - if she gets around to it - doing some guest blogging. Should I put her in touch?
Thanks Matthew,
I’m stillworking out my Schtick but at least am hoping to offer an alternative voice.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:59 am
Ed
So I have already heard as well, anonymity is no longer sacred to the food blogging world!
Look forward to reading your thoughts on tonights dining adventures… before I had a conflict of interest, I also dined there, loved the experience in general just found the bill folder insert at the end, a bit painful. But the sweet puffed corn helped a bit with that though… (not sure if they still have the worlds best lolly-gobble-bliss-bombs).
Jack
April 18th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
“I’m talking about the over elaborate try-hard food that has become the vogue in some of Melbourne’s top restaurants. I won’t mention any names…”
C’mon Ed - mention names! I’d be very interested to hear which top restaurants you think are a bit ‘try-hard’.
April 18th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Blair
When I upset the Good food guide by writing for the Herald Sun I said I wouldn’t blog the 14 reviews I did. I gues I may get away with a few comments though. Courthouse (taste doesn’t match look), Becco (serving a red wine zabaglioni with sardines), Fenix (that
ridiculousTomato tomato cylindrical object with white chocolate.Yuk!), foam in most places, Matteos (or any restaurant that serves jellyfish with sweetbreads and bugs).April 20th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Hi Ed,
I was there back last Tuesday and seriously impressed.
Is this Jamon Sushi-meet-Tempura?
Judging by the mixture of clients, I am pretty sure it is as good as it gets.
THere were like 11 people in that room back then,
5 Japanese, 5 Chinese and 1 Australian.
Just the right kind of people who demand nothing less, isn’t it?
There is even 1 Japanese businessman from Sydney who are praising our food!
I asked him for some recommendation of Japanese restaurant back in Sydney and guess what, he doesn’t even recommend the most recognizable name of them all!
April 20th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
Nicely done review Ed. And thanks for the plug in the Hun.
I am absolutely dying to get back to Tempura Hajime. Perhaps we could hook up and book out half the place?
Seriously, let me know if interested.
Jack - you in for round three?
April 21st, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Jack, I shall post my review on tuesday.
Marvelous, which one did the businessman recommend?
Mellie, I think that’s a great idea. Could we fill it with 12 bloggers I wonder? I’m in for an evening why don’t you set a date?
April 21st, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Count me in, for a blogging catchup at Hajime…
I’d be interested to see how much Dai has tweaked the menu, its always hard for a restaurant to keep the menu fresh for regulars when there is so many courses; re Tetsuyas latest reviews always mention that it’s a bit same-same. Either way, I’d kill for the sea urchin stuffed scallop again!
Mellie keep me in the loop with Hajime visit!
Jack
April 21st, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Akita in North Melbourne and of course, TH’s older sibling, Yu U.
I have seen their menu but judging from Akita’s menu, I guess it’s nothing to rave or complain. I am sure if you ask for meal to be off-menu or anything ala Jamon Sushi you will be satisfied
May 1st, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Damn…after that very nice review in Epicure today we’ll never get in!
May 3rd, 2007 at 10:31 am
Mellie, bummer. But we should set a date anyway. Do you want to kick-off?
May 12th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Well ED
What can i say,about your veiws on Fenix,I admire your skills of words especially when you aspire to be a food critic in this wonderful city of melbourne,yuk it has a meaning
but not in a adult vocabulary and also good to see you follow the same
path as others in youre reveiws you can’t see the trees for the forest ,lets just follow the leaders as they say ,what happened to being different putting your self and your writing that little bit out there,by the way this recipe for the white chocolate and sorrel idea came from a 3 star michilin restaurant in paris …..maybe you should reasearch what is happening in the world of cuisine..by the way our customers love this dish and was one of the dishes that 3 top sydney chefs thought was brilliant as for a two star chef in europe …i love feedback that is positive not negative ..yuk i would not even consider it’s a shame that you reveiwed us and as the rumour goes we will get one hat again …not to worry our customers come first ..you are the first reveiwer i have wanted to respongd to and will use your blog in many discussions i have in the industry days to highlight the abilitys of your creative mind
May 12th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Hi Raymond
Tomatoes Tomatoes was one of six dishes I tasted that night and for me it just didn’t do it. With food, art – writing –it’s all a matter of personal taste and you are probably right that I was too harsh to say “yuk”. But out of all the dishes I think it’s the one I wouldn’t order again. I’m afraid I hold my own opinions and to me it doesn’t really matter whether it came from a Mitchelin restaurant in Paris or whether what other chefs like it or not. I just approach the food from the point of view of an ordinary punter. I thought the rest was good but a lot of stuff in many many places is trying very hard, TT being one. But you are quite right your customers should come first and if that dish suits their taste and you sell loads of it keep it there. I don’t actually have the power to give or take away hats just make a recomendation to the editorial panel. Hatted restaurants are visited several times by different reviewers and in any case I can’t comment. Rumours are just rumours unless the editorial panel are gossiping to their friends. If you have to, feel free to slag me off – I presume that’s the veiled threat in the message. By the way, I was back at Fenix a while ago and was really impressed what was served in terms of the quality and number of servings. Everybody enjoyed it. I’m not trying to start a war I was just reponding honestly to a reader’s question.
August 2nd, 2007 at 11:21 am
hi ed
if you make the booking for a monday nite, when my boss gives me the nite off ! I’d love to join your group booking, and do hajime again
someones got to kick off
aren’t we lucky in melbourne to now have 2 different omakase japanese kitchens
regards
charles
August 3rd, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Charles, let’s do that. I just got a couple of busy weeks to get through before my boss gives mea night off. We are indeed lucky and I’ve been meaning to get over to yours for a while.