Since our first visit to Minamishima, we've been looking forward to coming back ever since. It is our most anticipated restaurant of the year and a big draw for us visiting Melbourne. We thought Minamishima would be one of the last restaurants to change as it upholds the highest standards in sushi making. Did it meet our expectations? Keeping reading to find out...

The Omakase is $185pp.

Counter Seats (only take bookings for 2 people)

Eating at the counter allows the diners to develop a personal connection with the chef, as the chef gives a brief explanation of each sushi. And if Minamishima san is not too busy he might even have a little chat with you. For the full Omakase experience, I highly recommend the counter seat. However, counter seats can only be booked for groups of two guests (we didn't get them this time as we came in a group of three).

Table Seats

Whelk

Whelk is the hero ingredient of the first appetiser. It is served in a seasoned seaweed dressing, made with yuzukosho, sweetened soy sauce and Japanese extra virgin olive oil, and then topped with fresh radish and flying fish roe. The whelk had a nice chew to it, which paired well with the crunch from the radish and fish roe.

Chawanmushi

A one-two punch with a hot appetiser immediately following the cold whelk, the chef was awakening our taste buds. The steamed custard was silky smooth, and taken to another level by the smokey powdered millet roe and dried seaweed flakes. Just when you think you've reached full umami, the salmon roe bursts in your mouth and kicks in yet another wave of umami. 

Takiawase

A simple looking dish that hides the amount of effort behind the scenes. Takiawase is a traditional Japanese culinary technique where each element is cooked separately before assembly. The taro, which was simmered for 3 hours at precisely 86 degrees, was sweet, soft and mushy. The black cod was tender, yet firm enough to hold its form, and had a hint of smokiness. A dash of yuzu juice added a subtle fragrance and tied the elements together. A good combination of colours, tastes and textures.

Charcoal Grilled Wagyu

Strawberry & Sakura Sorbet

If you thought this was a peeled tomato then you are not the only one. A palate cleanser before the sushi course, we wish there was more of this sorbet and would have absolutely enjoyed it as a dessert. We couldn't really taste the sakura flavour, but never mind, the strawberry flavour was so intense, eating this sorbet felt like taking a tongue injection of a concentrated dose of strawberries. 

King George Whiting (L) & Hapuka (R)

We began the sushi course with a couple of pieces of mild fish. The King George was paired with a plum sauce and shiso, while the Hapuka was topped with pickled daikon and ponzu. 

Braised Octopus Sashimi

We were not big fans of this octopus. The texture was slightly on the rubbery side, and the miso didn't help to enhance the octopus's natural flavour. Mr Piggy was also sad to find one of his pieces a bit stenchy and bitter. 

WA Amaebi (L), Seared Hokkaido Scallop (M), and Seared Flounder Skirt (R)

We were excited to see a return of the seared flounder skirt and were ready to order a few more. It was our favourite sushi on our previous visit, and sent us on a pursuit of this particular sushi wherever we travelled. This time however it was more firm, and we would have preferred the softer, melt in your mouth texture. The amaebi was soft and sweet, and surprisingly only to be surpassed in sweetness by the Hokkaido scallop. 

Akami (L), Toro Aburi (M), Maki with Dried Gourd (R)

The Akami set the scene with a full-bodied deep oceany flavour that was clean and sharp, whilst the Toro had a softer texture and creamier taste from the melted fish oil. However, we missed the Otoro, which would have completed the full tuna experience. 

Uni $22ea

We enjoyed the uni, but a crispy nori would have created a better contrast.

Kanigohan

The rice had fully absorbed the crab essence and was paired with porcini and carrot for added depth and sweetness. It was a subtle dish to end the savoury part of the meal. 

There was also a stingray soup with a smoked dashi broth, which went done so fast we forgot to take a picture!

Tamago $10ea

Kuri Wagashi

Resembling the shape of a chestnut, this dessert was a concentrated bomb of chestnut flavour, crafted to immerse you in the full chestnut experience. The sweet runny custard centre matched perfectly with the nutty chestnut paste.

Tea Chocolate

We took our time to savour each chocolate and our final moments of the omakase experience. The distinct flavours of matcha, genmaicha, and hojicha highlight the skills of the chef in exemplifying the various aspects of a simple ingredient.

Food: 7/10
Service: 8/10
Atmosphere: 8/10
Highlight:

• Desserts
• Mostly impeccable dishes

Lowlight:

• Significantly fewer pieces of sushi than before
• You have to pay extra for the uni and tamago, which should have been included in the course
• Barely enough food after paying extra for additional pieces of sushi
• A table of noisy diners disturbed the calm atmosphere of the night, and the staff did nothing about this

Website: https://minamishima.com.au/
Address: 4 Lord Street, Richmond, VIC 3121, Australia
Hours: Mon closed
             Tue-Sat 6-10pm
             Sun closed