When the sushi craze first started sushi bars began popping up all around us, the sushi was made fresh, by sushi chefs and it always tasted delicious. Then (as is a common theme when anything gets too popular) we began to become inundated with sub-par sushi bars, serving [at best] mediocre sushi - now there is a 'sushi' bar in every busy precinct around Adelaide. So these days due to a few too many bad experiences, I for one am often quite hesitant to try a new sushi spot. Sushi Q however was recommended to me. I do really enjoy sushi so I rustled up a couple friends and went to try it out.
Sushi Q
Sushi Q is actually an Asian-fusion restaurant most predominately Japanese & Korean cuisine. The restaurant works around the conveyer belt concept - where patrons are seated around the conveyer belt and they choose which dishes they would like to eat.
Sushi conveyer belt
We decided to head in for lunch. Once we walked in, we were greeted by a smiling waitress as she asked if we were eating in; we were, so she ushered us to a booth. One side of the conveyer belt has booth seating, the other side has a bar and bar stools.
Sushi Q booths
Once seated in our booth, our waitress then brought us two menus, one was the sushi that was on the conveyer belt, the other was a menu of 'made to order' dishes.
Sushi Menu at Sushi Q
Made to order menu
Standing in the middle of the revolving sushi and the hungry patrons is a sushi chef. The sushi chef continues to make sushi and adds it to the conveyer belt as it circles. We were happy to eat straight off the train, but I did over hear another booth request a certain dish which the chef was more than happy to oblige.
The Sushi chef preparing sushi at Sushi Q
Disposable chop-sticks and forks await you at your table, along with napkins, soy sauce and sauce bowls.
Chop sticks, forks & soy sauce
As the sushi scrolled past, we noticed there were both raw and cooked options to choose from. Seafood options included salmon, grilled or panko-crumbed prawns, grilled scallops, eel and tuna. It was quite a show to watch the chef grill the scallops and the prawns; they were placed on a grill and then with a blowtorch she went over the top so not to turn the seafood. I am a lover of seafood and I can say, both the prawns and the scallops were cooked perfectly, both placed atop a rice pillow and drizzled in sauce; they were delicious. The thin cut beef is also cooked on the grill, only one side is browned off though so it is still pink and tender.
Sushi at Sushi Q
We all really enjoyed the 'gyoza' (Japanese dumplings), I'm unsure what the filling was, but they were tasty none the less. The tempura vegetable sushi is also one to try. One of the main favourites around the booth was a particular salmon dish (pictured below); it consisted of lightly cooked salmon filled with rice, topped with green onion, red onion and drizzled in sauce.
The photo does not do this salmon sushi dish justice
We observed our waitress emerge from the back kitchen and place a small steamer on the sushi conveyer belt. Intrigued, we quickly pulled it into our booth and peeked inside. Lifting the lid let out residual steam and then revealed three small dumplings. Two were the same, the third different. I never asked what the filling was, though I'm sure two were salmon. The dumplings were quite a hit, we pulled down another steamer once it passed our booth.
Steamed dumplings
As the plates continued to pass, we were getting quite full, so we were being quite selective as to what we pulled down. I then saw a plate of something I had never tried before; three deep fried battered balls on a skewer. I took the plate off the conveyer belt and added it to my collection. Once I bit into them, I knew what I was eating, 'Takoyaki' (octopus filled batter balls). I have been trying to track this dish down ever since I'd become aware of it whilst watching Destination Flavour, a television program where MasterChef's, Season 2 winner, Adam Liaw did a food tour of Japan. They filmed a chef creating balls by adding the chopped octopus to the batter and frying them on a special grill. Personally, I really enjoyed them, the batter was cooked through and the octopus was still tender, drizzled with a Japanese mayo and another sauce.
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Takoyaki (Japanese octopus balls)
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A dish that we didn't try but I had to attempt to photograph were the crab balls. We used the excuse that we were too full, but perhaps we just weren't game enough to try them. Those are the crab claws sticking out the top of those balls. On reflection, I wish I had pulled them down and cut one open to see inside, but none the less, an interesting dish, I thought.
Note the crab claws!
None of us were chilli eaters so I took the photograph while the sushi was in motion. There is a little stick in the top warning diners that this dish is chilli hot - the image of a little red chilli is quite a universal language, don't you agree?
Note the stick with the little red chilli
We also had cold rolls pass us and with a similar notion the stick said veg, informing customers that this was a vegetarian option.
Vegetarian option
As we devoured our dishes, we staked the empty plates into a couple of towers. Once we were ready to leave the waitress came over and counted how many plates we had eaten (each plate is $3). We then made our way over to the front counter to pay. Sushi Q do accept EFTPOS they have minimum spend of $15.00.
Remnants of our devoured sushi lunch
Sushi Q offer a range of drinks starting at your regular Coca-Cola variety to imported drinks like coconut water. Sushi Q are also licensed offering beer and wines and something very cool is they also sell 'sake' (Japanese rice wine). There were a few varieties of the sake, cartons, sharing bottles and single serve bottles.
Sake (Japanese Rice Wine)
Sushi Q has renewed my faith in Adelaide Sushi Spots. The sushi is always quality and always fresh. I have since been back a few times for takeaway, every time the service is very prompt and the sushi is great. For the quality of the sushi at a price of $3 a plate, it's the best value sushi around.
Sushi Q are open for lunch and dinner.
Monday - Saturday: 11am - 9pm
Sunday 11am - 2pm
Approx 500 meters south of the Royal Adelaide Show Grounds (just over the tram line). Parking at rear (enter via Railway Tce)
