Venturing to Wynyard for a small birthday gathering, I headed out expecting an enjoyable sake and soju drinking affair. Situated in amongst the tall corporate buildings of O'Connell Street, Masuya Japanese Restaurant immediately left an impression on my senses as a place that a chic, modern and clean shaven business man would enjoy in preparation for a great Friday night out.
The clean, well-lit and immaculate look of the place exuded professionalism both in service, taste and presentation. Starting off with
Masuya's Sashimi Boat, the
Sushi Deluxe Platter, the
Spider Roll and the
Tempura Seafood, I was particularly impressed with the freshness of the ingredients used, especially in the Tempura dish. Here, the crispness of the batter perfectly juxtaposed the succulence of the vegetables and seafood, with the sweet potato and oyster my personal favourites.
For drinks we had a variety of hot sake, cold sake and the
Choyu plum wine with ice. I took note of the plum wine, which was a lighter, whimsical, Asian style drink reminiscent of a fruity dessert wine. Complementing the clean taste of the Japanese cuisine well, it gave a light yet aromatic taste without overpowering the meal yet at the same time leaving an impression with its straightforwardness.
One thing I love about Japanese cuisine is their philosophy in cooking (which I seem to have concocted myself but is something I have found true in all great Japanese cuisine that I have eaten). I find that Japanese cuisine truly allows the flavour and purity of the ingredients to shine by minimising the amount of spice and competing tastes in its dishes. Here, simplicity and minimalism really emphasises the character and freshness of the parts that compose a dish. There have been so many times where I have relished a simple sushi roll of purely salmon and avocado. In the same light, I thoroughly enjoyed the next course of a Japanese Styled crumbed
Chicken Parmigiana, as the marriage of cheese with the chicken and broccoli really resonated that clean Japanese attitude toward its cuisine, allowing me to appreciate the ingredients on their own merits.
An overall professional yet relaxing experience: four out of five wasabi laced sushi roulettes.
Masuya's Sashimi Boat
