Sushi Rio, Chinatown Sydney
All aboard the sushi train
I’m back. It’s been 3 weeks since my knee reconstruction and as a result, I have not been going out all that often (let along eating). I’ve mainly been eating at home due to the fact that I have been partially immobile with a knee brace and hobbling around on crutches. It’s been a draining few weeks recovering from surgery, but I’m at the stage where I’m off crutches and walking albeit with a limp. Unfortunately it’s still another 5 months before I can return to soccer, but I figured that I shouldn’t dwell on it too much as there are people out there with bigger problems than I have.
My first venture out post surgery is at Sushi Rio. I wasn’t even planning on eating out, but I had to stay back at work to finish a few things off. It meant I missed out on Masterchef and the State Of Origin decider which I wasn’t happy with, this better be good sushi,
Sushi Rio, it’s one of those places you always walk past but you never think of trying because the queues are always too long at the time. Being a Wednesday night at 7.30pm, we managed to get a seat straight away at the sushi train counter.
Copious amounts of wasabi (free)
Sushi Rio has a nice ambiance to it while attracting a relatively young crowd. I was surprised at their variety of dishes available and it seems they have a few dishes which are not usually available at most sushi train joints. The majority of the seating is around the sushi train though they do have tables scattered around the restaurant for a more private dining experience. The staff are quite attentive and very friendly, drinks came out very quick despite the relatively busy crowd.
Octopus ($3)
We get stuck into the food almost immediately after we are seated. First up is the octopus on top of sushi rice with a sprinkle of scallions. The chewy texture of the octopus goes nicely with the soft and moistness of the sushi rice. There is a strong hint of wasabi in this, it almost feels like I am playing sushi roulette at Wagaya though this time it is me who has the wasabi bomb.
Scallops ($3.50)
I was eying the chef whilst he was preparing these and he seemed to notice. He deliberately put the first dish near me on the conveyor belt which was nice. The scallops are lightly seared and seasoned with a squirt of Japanese mayonnaise. Fortunately, the scallops were seared to the right level. The most common mistake I find is that scallops are usually overcooked, not in this case.
Unagi (eel $3.50)
The eel is tender and covered in a sweet based soy sauce. I wonder if they grill it themselves or whether it comes pre made ?
Grilled Salmon ($3)
Almost identical to the seared scallops in presentation, the salmon is lightly grilled instead of seared. Despite this, it is still served rare which makes the contrasting textures quite pleasing.
Shark Fin Sushi Ship ($3.50)
This was a new dish to me, I don’t think I’ve it at any sushi trains I’ve been to previously. As with most shark fin dishes, I question the amount of shark fin which is actually in the sushi. Though for $3.50, what more can you ask for ? It does taste a lot like sesame flavour seaweed though.
Scallops ($6.50)
Unfortunately I stayed away from these as I still can’t quite stomach raw scallops yet. I have a similar fear of lobster sashimi as well.
Top shell ($3)
Salmon and kingfish ($6.50)
If your lucky, the sashimi is cut right in front of you. The knifesmanship of the chefs is pretty good, as is the sashimi. It’s relatively fresh and still maintains it’s vibrant colour.
Surf clam ($3.50)
I’m not the biggest fan of sush trains, but Sushi Rio has actually surprised me. The variety of dishes is fantastic and the value is impressive. There were still plenty of dishes which we didn’t get the chance to try. Our bill ended up being $48 for 2 people including drinks which was pretty good value considering we ordered a bit more than usual because we were starving.
While the quality of food is not quite ‘top tier’ Japanese, there is no denying it’s bang for buck if you’re after a quick dinner in the Haymarket area away from the hustle and bustle of George St and Chinatown. I also found the sushi rice was a little bit too soft, but this might be just personal preference rather than Sushi Rio not delivering. Either way, I’ll be quite happy to return if I ever need to get rid of my sushi train cravings.
Sushi Rio
Shop 7, 339 Sussex St
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9261 2388
BYO only.
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By Howard
We started eatshowandtell in 2008, it was meant to be just a journal of where we ate. The first thing I usually do when I'm looking for a restaurant is check out eatability and the restaurant website. But what is usually missing is pictures of the food, how do I know I'm getting what I expect? This blog hopefully plugs that gap.
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This article was written on 16 Jul 2009, and is filed under Japanese, Sydney, CBD.
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Welcome back Howard!! Glad to see your surgery went well and soon you’ll be able to go out, eat and impress us again with your photos!
.-= Karen´s last blog ..Chocolate and Orange Crèmes =-.
Good to hear about your fairly speedy recovery. That sushi looks pretty good – nicely priced and not too overly decorated!
.-= Y´s last blog ..Green tea macarons =-.
This place is fantastic!!! so fresh! great value, and can always get a seat!!
.-= Tim Elwin´s last blog ..Organic Fruit & Vegetables =-.
welcome back
theres one cheap sushi place i usually go to – the sushi train on bathurst street close to the corner of george st?
but ill give this sushi rio a try (its arnd the corner from french riviera, right?)
.-= betty´s last blog ..The Fair Trade Coffee Company =-.
Wow that was a fast post. Weren’t you just here last night?
Gorgeous pics and oh you must learn to embrace the scallop sashimi. It’s so sweet and so good!
.-= Helen´s last blog ..Mamak, Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney =-.
Welcome back! Great to hear you’re recovering well, though that does suck about the soccer. You have to try the scallops raw sometimes, it’s seriously the best way to eat them…though searing them just on the outside is pretty awesome too…it’s a tight battle for which is the best I think
.-= Steph´s last blog ..Simple Dinners – Neil Perry’s Soy Sauce Chicken =-.
It sounds like fun watching the chefs make your sushi, and it’s great that they noticed you watching the scallops.
.-= Arwen from Hoglet K´s last blog ..A Physician’s Feast =-.
Ahh glad to hear you can go out and eat again
! And now you made me crave Jap! I wannntt! I am always in the search of the perfect salmon aburi hee hee so I must try!
.-= FFichiban´s last blog ..Adriano Zumbo Café Chocolat – Balmain, Sydney (6) =-.
it’s so true! the always walking past but never thought to try it thing! well i don’t have an excuse not to now after your yummy post hehe
.-= K´s last blog ..Glutinous Rice Balls/ Yum Cha Style Mochi =-.
This is my favourite sushi place, maybe becasue i like there drinks variety, i really like calpis!!
Welcome back! The sushi looks good, good value too.
=-.
Hey, I’m passing on the Kreativ Blogger award to you and your crew, check our my blog for details
.-= Betty´s last blog ..Thank you Trish & Steph for the Kreativ Blogger Award
@Karen : Thanks! Still a while to go but I’m glad I can walk.
@Y : Agreed! I think we both agree that the best sushi was in Japan where they let the natural flavour of the fish shine through.
@Tim : The queues are long on a Friday night but it doesn’t seem to bother most people!
@Betty : Yep it’s near French Riviera, massive sign which says Sushi Rio in Blue I think.
@Helen : I was, I think it’s the first time I’ve posted on the same night I at somewhere lol. Yes I’ve been told to get use to scallop sashimi, slowly but surely as I use to dislike sashimi (salmon etc)! There is hope.
@Steph : I preferred seared, but will have to eventually get use to sashimi style.
@FFichiban : I’m still on the search for perfect tuna belly in Sydney!
@K : It’s funny isn’t it, we try to find new places to try but sometimes the most decent ones are the most obvious we pass every day.
@Sydneyguyrojoe : The calpis was nice, I think I had the lychee one. Good variety of sushi here as well, might be my new favorite.
@Betty: Thanks! Value is top notch, especially for the city.
IF this is your new favorite, you got new taste!!
A bad joke but my japanese friend i easy way to remember calpis is is cow piss…………..
Hey, don’t forget to try their green tea latte next time, it’s our favourite drink there!
Howard, i think Makoto is better. Sushi Rio use to make nice eel hand rolls but their standards have gone down heaps!
Awww I saw your twitter post saying you were heading there! Only if I noticed it earlier… (I ended up staying back late too and was in surry hills! Not too far!) Hope you are recovering quick!
.-= Yas´s last blog ..Late night self-indulgence. =-.
I think Makato is what you expect from a good sushi train, but admittedly i havent been to Sushi rio in a while, its a shame if there standards have dropped
@Sydneyguyrojoe : Yeah, I havn’t visited many sushi trains in the CBD so I am easy to please!
@Elf : Will have to give that a go, I love anything green tea.
@Marie : Sad to hear standards have gone done, I’ll have to give Makoto a go as there seems to be alot of good things said about it.
@Yas : Recovery is good! We’ll head out next time, plenty of places to eat.
@Sydneyguyrojoe : I’m still looking for the perfect sushi counter dining experience here in Sydney, I had a few in Japan and it was amazing.
So whats the perfect sushi counter for you then?
@Sydneyguyrojoe : It would be a sushi counter where the sushi chef makes everything on order. All the seafood should be fresh in front of the counter, it’s great to see the chef in action from cutting the seafood to making the sushi. Jurin in Neutral Bay kinda has this, but that’s the only one I’ve tried. I think Azuma in Chifley plaza has a sushi counter style seating as well, I need to try that out!
Well im sure there are place like that but i think for convience the “sushi trains” RULE!! But you also got places that has both, u been to http://www.umikaitenzushi.com.au
i did a review and they said that they can do whatever you want to order, not everything is on the train and there are chefs right in front of you,next time your in the city, check it out
@sydneyguyrojoe : Is that the place near Capitol Square ? Looks pretty trendy. Will have to give it a try cheers.
YEP thats the one,
ive only been there once and it was a little pricey,but the again it had lots of seafood options there. Go onto eatability.com.au, i think u can print out specials from there or they are just daily specials anyway,cant remember which one (like late afternoon plates are cheapers)
just reading eatabilty,some people have said there “specials” are not fresh,also they put less expensive items (like $3) onto the $3.50 plates and that ALL PLATES doesnt really mean all plates,one reviewer said some $3.50 plates were $4.50, a bit dodgy!! IVe only eaten there once during peak lunch time but admittedly it felt more expensive than other sushi places,well i hope i havent put u off
I don’t think the prices are fair, to be honest. But the presentation is great.
.-= Kym´s last blog ..Yummy Seafood Restaurant =-.
V nice photogrpahs of the starring sushi – what camera are you using?
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