If newly opened Sushi Tengoku is ringing a bell, it’s because they’re not actually new. This Kensington favourite was previously a few hundred meters down and on the opposite side of the road, but they’ve found a new (and bigger) home at B/262 Anzac Parade. Tengoku (天国) which means ‘heaven’, is exactly what you’ll walk into at this gem.
Supplied by the generous Narito-san from Sydney Fish Market, the cuts of fish here are huge. Delight while you struggle to fit a whole slice of sushi roll, or a whole slice of nigiri in your mouth, it’s quite difficult to do but that’s all part of the satisfaction. You really won’t believe the size of the slices until they come out. Look out especially for the tuna nigiri – there’s actually a small second slice of raw tuna underneath the top piece.
In hindsight, we ordered too much but that’s not actually a negative. Our dishes came out fast, and our table was very quickly overflowing with food. Our order included shiromi, maguro tuna, octopus, prawn, and squid nigiri; aburi scallops, salmon, and hamachi; tamago (egg) roll, chicken katsu roll, spicy tuna roll, and cooked tuna roll; vegetable tempura, geso (squid arms) kaarage, and finally chawan mushi. I’m drooling just thinking about it….
Highlights are definitely the size and freshness. Narito-san explained to us that the gigantic size meant Sushi Tengoku pays a premium price to get first pick of that day’s selection from the Fish Market – bad fish is easy to spot and hard to digest when you’re eating this much of it! Since they rely on the Fish Market for daily supplies, prices at the restaurant are also adjusted daily and that is why you’ll order on a form. The form is adjusted each day to take off unavailable fish, or add fish they don’t usually have! Every time you go you’ll be able to try something new.
But back to the food.
One of the biggest surprises was the raw squid. I’ve never eaten raw squid before (though I’ve eaten raw octopus) and so the amount of flavour surprised me. The texture is hard to describe, but is delicate and pleasant thanks to the squid being very thinly sliced, almost like noodles. The fried squid legs were also addictive, served with lemon for extra zest it’s crunchy and tender.
The rolls are equally impressive. The chicken katsu roll is solidly packed, and doesn’t fall apart. The salad ingredients make it guilt-free but the fried coating of the chicken gives it a good bite and make this roll stand out as one of the most enjoyable to munch on – we definitely recommend this for a quick lunch. The tamago roll is unusual as Japanese omelette is not usually served inside a roll as the only ingredient, it’s usually a slice on top of a square of rice. The egg is fluffy and tasty, and you can also get a piece of it served the more traditional way, but of course that’s huge as well.
Exhibit A.
Next up let’s introduce chawan mushi. It’s a savoury dish that most resembles pudding, purely because it has the same consistency (it’s not sweet, it’s not a dessert). It has a fish/dashi taste to it, and pieces of fish cake and small pieces of prawn at the bottom. Do be careful though, it’s served extremely hot!
The new space is twice the size of the old restaurant, and they’re very accommodating for big groups. It’s also BYO so perfect to go with your mates. A short walk from UNSW, drop by for lunch during your ridiculously long break between your lecture and tute, or stop by after work to eat the stress of the day away!
WashokuLovers
