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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

When one thinks of a “hole in the wall” restaurant, it is often with a fondness for a simple (or extremely basic) atmosphere complementing great food that belies the setting. Ramen Kan in Haymarket is more literally a hole in the wall. Not the restaurant itself, actually, but the entrance. If you don’t know what you are looking for, you are likely to walk right by it. And even if you happen to locate the small poster-covered glass door, nestled between two busy storefronts, you have to pass a logic test in elevator navigation to make it to the correct floor. As all the front door leads to is a small foyer, only big enough for three, that has several competing buttons that give only the most subtle clues as to which is the restaurant you seek.

The only clue to the restaurant’s entrance is the sandwich board on the sidewalk.

Navigating the elevator can be half the challenge of getting in. Also, the top two buttons in the picture on the left don’t actually do anything

If you are lucky enough to have weathered the gauntlet, you will be pleasantly welcomed by a small, but well-appointed Japanese restaurant overlooking the busy street. The motif evokes a more traditional setting with ropes on the ceiling and rock-filled trenches on the floor that hint at a japanese garden. I hazard to guess that the ropes represent drying racks for udon, ramen, and soba noodles. The atmosphere is comfortable and stylish and the staff welcome you as you step into the equally small waiting area.

The restaurant’s decor adds to the ambiance

But we’re not there for the nice decor, we’re there for the food. So let’s just get down to it.

Angela and I usually like to start with an entrée, especially when eating Japanese as there are usually several great choices to pick from. On this trip we ordered the Gyoza, Edamame, and a Sashimi plate. The Gyoza was perfectly prepared with a strong, but not overly intense, garlic flavour, and was cooked to perfection with a crisp pan-fried side and a satisfyingly chewing and tender steamed side. The pork filling was hot and full of flavour, mixing well with the dipping sauce. They also prepare a prawn version, but its subtle flavour does not compete as well with the dumpling, sauce and garlic. I suggest staying with the pork.

Gyoza, Pan-fried Pork filled dumplings, with dipping sauce

The Gyoza are pretty hearty, and almost a meal unto themselves. It was nice to accompany them with a plate of fresh Sashimi. The selection of Tuna, Salmon, and Prawns was both visually beautiful and very tasty. A big part of the enjoyment of raw seafood is not just taste, but also the mouth feel, and this dish had both. I think Angela and I wondered if we shouldn’t have just ordered a Sushi and Sashimi platter instead of our other mains. But that is the whole point of these excursions – to try many things to enjoy, and not try and get stuck on something that you know is good at the expense of trying something new.

Fresh Sashimi Entrée

One of my favourite aspects of eating at a Japanese restaurant (and typically Korean as well), is a simple order of Edamame, or soybeans. They can come hot or cold, salted or plain, but they are always tasty and simple. They’re the equivalent of movie popcorn for the restaurant experience. Probably more accurate to describe them as eating peanuts from the shell, but you get the gist.

Edamame (salted soybeans) next to Miso Soup and a simple Shredded Cabbage Salad

Ramen Kan is ostensibly a noodle house, but the fare includes Katsudon, Sushi, and a few other non-noodle dishes. But it is one of the soups that make this place unique – specifically the Tonkotsu, or pork-bone stock. This soup is the epitome of “comfort food”, but it is difficult to enjoy a whole bowl of comfort, as it is also the epitome of “rich”. The stock serves as the basis of many of the noodle soups, but we enjoyed the basic Ramen with sliced Pork.

Pork Tonkotsu Ramen (Pork-bone Stock with Noodles)

Each main also came with a small salad comprised mostly of shredded cabbage and a light soy dressing. Both crunchy and tangy, the salads went very well with the more robust soup and the rice dish. And, as always, a small bowl of Miso soup. I’ve always found it a bit odd to get soup with your soup, but I’ll never pass on a chance to have some Miso. It sits somewhere between a meal and a hearty tea. It is especially welcomed on a cold day, although it was quite warm out on this visit.

Small Cabbage Salad with Soy Dressing

Without actually planning it, we ended up making a wise choice not to order two Tonkotsu-based dishes. They are so rich, it is actually difficult to eat a whole bowl by oneself. We supplemented the rich, salty ramen soup with a bowl of Fish Katsudon. This is made up of fish cooked in batter and then served on top of rice with a sweet soy glaze. To say this is unbelievably good would be an understatement. Easily one of our most enjoyed dishes, although our enjoyment was due in a large part to the whole meal. But it is definitely something to go back for. The fish was melt-in-your-mouth tender and the glaze was just delicate enough to be enticing, without an overwhelming sense of cloying sweetness.

Fish Katsudon (battered fish fillets over rice with a soy glaze)

And, although the food is fantastic, it really impresses us when the little things are done well too. All the bowls and plates are beautiful ceramics (except for the miso bowl which was plastic that looked like ceramic) and even the ladle-like wooden spoons that came with the noodle dishes were wonderful. The wide, wooden spoon allowed you to pile on the long noodles with your chopsticks and still have an amble drink of broth. The rustic, bamboo-handled tool evoked a faraway, timeless place.

Even the utensils are beautiful (Hot and Spicy Udon, in Chicken Broth)

If you are in the mood for inexpensive and well prepared Japanese food, leaning towards the noodle dishes, you’d find it difficult go wrong with Ramen Kan. In fact, you’ll be happy you ventured through that hole in the wall to see what lies beyond.

Ramen Kan, Japanese
Mains $5 – $15
Licensed & BYO, Corkage $2.00 per person

Locations in Chatswood and Bondi Junction