California sushi factory is a new Japanese restaurant in Wynyard. I can’t really determine what they actually specialise in, but if there is one thing you have to try it would be their kobe beef steak rice bowl.

Tsukiji Market is the Tokyo equivelent to the Sydney Fish Markets here in Sydney, though Tsukiji is actually the biggest seafood market in the world. Tourists flock here all year around, it might have something to do with a few tiny sushi restaurants which have massive queues. It is apparently one of the top places to have sushi and sashimi and judging by the queues we saw this might well be the case.

We all had cravings for meat and the first place that Minh suggested was Suminoya where yakiniku is their bread and butter. What it involves is grilling your chosen meats, veges and seafood onto a charcoal grill. I love charcoal, it makes the food taste so much better. On Fridays they only have the “premium” menu for $49 per person, pretty good value if you love your meat and sashimi. Once seated, you have 90 minutes to get through your meal.

So you think I’d be sick of Japanese food after a 3 weeks holidaying in Japan, but I was far from being turned off bowls of ramen, sushi or skewers. In fact, I came back and craved each of these foods nearly every day.

As a bit of an experiment I decided rather than write up about the meal, I’d write up an appreciation of the meal and its surroundings, which is really what you have to do if you get the opportunity to experience eating in Japan.

So when you’re stuck on dinner ideas, feeling a little Japan-esy, don’t feel like cooking and TREMENDOUSLY hungry… what better idea than to order a sushi platter from your local japanese/sushi store! Makoto, in Chatswood, is known for its fresh, tasty and authentic Japanese food (mainly sushi and sashimi).

Wagaya has been around for a while now, but I’ve never really had a chance to eat there. After coming back from Japan, I’ve been raving and ranting about how good the Izakaya’s are there. So when I had the mandatory task of organising a venue for Linda’s birthday a few people recommended booking a private room at Wagaya. Considering how much noise our group of friends make in public, I’m glad we did.

From the outside Itaru looks like a typical small Japanese bar or pub. Once you enter the restaurant, we quickly began to realise it was a little more than a drinking hole. We were immediately greeted by the chefs on duty and had our coats taken off and hung onto the coat rack by the waitress. I was already impressed with this joint and I hadn’t even seen the menu yet.

The Mandarin Club has undergone heavy renovations recently. One of the new additions is a modern japanese restaurant called Satsuma. I’m usually a bit skeptical with ‘modern’ and ‘fusion’ type restaurants, but Satsuma gets a little more than a pass mark for it’s effort.

Kushiyaki Azuma specialises in traditional Kushiyaki, Sushi and Sashimi. It is best paired with a comprehensive list of sake, beers and wine. Housed in a contemporary setting, it is definitely one of many up and coming places in the Sydney CBD. Kushiyaki Azuma proves that there is more to Japanese food than sushi, tempura and sashimi.