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It’s been rainy and cold in Sydney for the last few weeks, and especially this week. Angela’s colleague was having a small soirée to welcome a new addition to the office and celebrate the birthday of another. So I hiked it up to Chatswood after work and met Angela outside her office. We had decided to get a bite to eat before the party and on my way I had passed a new Japanese restaurant that looked like it could be good. It was actually easy to miss, as it has a small black exterior and it is nestled between two bright and competing retailers. Even the sign is inconspicuous, favouring a more minimalist and arty look over grabbing your attention. Regardless, I did see it and Angela was up for trying it too.

Iwa Japanese Restaurant

The restaurant seems to specialise in Yakiniku, or “grilled meat”, though we didn’t try any of those dishes on this visit. The setup, however, is geared towards grilling in comfort with each table having its own copper exhaust fan hanging above. It’s a nice exhaust pipe as exhaust pipes go, but it was a bit imposing to have a large metal tube reflecting the gleaming spotlights into your eyes while you tried to chat. It probably would have been better for Angela and I to sit on the same side of the table.

The exhaust for Yakiniku, but it looks like something from an old steam ship

The decor of the restaurant is quite attractive. The downstairs has a long wall of tables where the outside chair consists of small, round, blocks of wood – much like a tree stump. We were ushered past these tables and up the stairs to a more intimate section that we decided was for all the couples. The stairs were especially cool with a stylised graphic of fish stencilled on the wall. And, I think if you are an especially great couple you get the booth overlooking the street and sectioned off from the rest of the restaurant by a small hanging curtain. Another nice touch was that, even though we were sat at a long table that could accommodate two separate parties, there was a curtain hanging from the ceiling to just above table height that created some privacy without being in the way. Nice touches indeed. Other than the copper exhausts, black wood furnishings, and privacy curtains, there was also a plethora hurricane lamps hanging off of everything. I don’t know if that is traditional for restaurants in Japan, but they seemed like an odd accent to the decor.

Upstairs at Iwa

Angela and I enjoying our romantic corner of the restaurant

Ah, but people don’t read this to hear about the furniture, it all about the food. And I’m happy to say the food is great. And not only is it great to eat, it is a thing of beauty to beold. The Sashimi was almost too striking to eat. Almost.

As we sat down we were given a small appetiser of a combination of Japanese and Korean Miso paste with minced meat. It was served with some raw vegetables. It reminded me of kind of a moist beef jerky. A nice flavour and consistency, but I think it might have been better with some type of crisp cracker or bread than carrots and cauliflower. Still, unexpected and very good. We reviewed the menus which are more like a foodie magazine than a list of dishes. Beautiful photographs begin each section, almost daring you not to order something from every course. The menu was quite robust and prices seemed very reasonable for a mid to higher tier restaurant.

Miso Paste and Minced Beef, served with raw vegetables

We started our order with some Gyoza that was pan fried really nicely. A little bit crispy, a little bit chewy. We often order the Gyoza when it’s on the menu as it is one of those good “standards”. If they do that well, they should be able to do everything well.

Tasty Gyoza, pan-fried dumplings

After the entrée, our main arrived. There was going to be hors d’oeuvres served at the party so we didn’t want to fill up too much on dinner. We thought that the large platter of Sashimi would be good and were quite surprised by what was served. We were expecting a nice plate of assorted fish. What we got was an artistic tableau of seafood that was almost a bit intimidating to dig in to. But, since we were hungry, we got over that quick. Everything was as tasty as it looked, although there was a heavy use of roe that is like sunlight to a vampire for Angela. Too fishy for her. But I like it fine.

Iwa’s large Sashimi Platter

Raw Oyster with Salmon Roe and Scallion

Tuna Sashimi served in a hollowed-out Lemon

Prawns and Calimari over a bed of Tuna Tartare

Creative styling of the ingredients with a great attention to detail

As you can see from the photos, the food looked fantastic. We were happy that it tasted just as good and plan to go back to try a wider spread of the menu. The staff was cheerful and gracious and we were taken care of nicely. I even suspect that the Wasabi was the real thing, but that’s only becuase it had the consistency of fresh horseradish, unlike the stuff you usually get, and I have no idea what authentic would actually be like. Regardless, it was good.

If you find yourself near Chatswood station, you’d be well rewarded to take the short walk over to Iwa and enjoy the atmosphere as much as the food. The prices were quite reasonable for the quality of the meal and the attention to detail. Certainly more fun than the Sushi Train – and I love the Sushi Train. The only down side is the decor is quite dark and you are likely to miss the entrance if you don’t know what you are looking for.

Iwa
380 Victoria Av
Chatswood 2067 NSW
Phone: (02) 9419 7009