Mino Japanese Restaurant
I'm going to let you in on a secret - this is the place my family spend every major celebrations. For years and years we have come to this small Japanese restaurant in Mosman directly opposite Boronia House, and the food has never disappointed. We always go for the same thing - the Japanese banquet - and every time, we roll out of the restaurant feeling completely satisfied.
The meal begins with a mouthful of plum wine with a small amuse-bouche, which changes from time to time. On this occasion, the amuse-bouche is a lightly seared piece of beef in a plum sauce; and we also ordered an additional oyster in a light vinaigrette. The slightly tart and light sauce accompanies the oyster to perfection, I could easily have half a dozen of these in one sitting - but knowing the big meal to come, restraint must be exercised.
Up next is a delicate-fleshed white fish, lightly battered, and drizzled with a miso paste. The Japanese really know how to do fish - the sauces used always compliments and adds interest to the fish without overpowering.
The trio of king fish, tuna and salmon sashimi at Mino is always melt-in-your-mouth fresh. In the years I have been to Mino, I have yet to have one unsatisfying experience. The aburi salmon sushi is simply heaven - the rice is expertly cooked with just the right amount of vinegar, and the mayonnaise / teriyaki sauce drizzle pairs beautifully with the lightly seared salmon pieces.
After all those delicious food that have already come, we move onto what can be compared to a "mixed entree" dish. At the very top, in a leaf-shaped dish, is a very lightly seared, practically sashimi scallops dish. The scollops rest on a bed of finely shaved kaikon and is paired with onions and salmon roe for a dash of saltiness. Moving clockwise, the next piece is a deep-fried soft-shell crab, crunchy in its oiliness and served with matcha salt. Steamed barramundi is served in its little tin-foil package, and this cooking method ensures that not a drop of juice is wasted. At the bottom of the plate area some tempura courgette flower. Finally, whimsically served in an expresso cup, are soba noodles in a light dashi soup.
There is a wide variety of main courses from which to choose. I will show two examples - the first is an eel hotpot. The soup is a light dashi-soy soup which pairs perfectly with rice (the rice at Mino is beautiful - each grain glistening in its plumpness), and the silky, wispy egg adds both texture and taste.
Another example is the wagyu steak, done however you like. The meat is marbled and melty, with a distinctive fatty-taste which is a lot more pleasant that my description would suggest. Served with a slightly tart ponzu sauce, the fattiness of the beef is balanced out in the most satisfying way.
The dessert at Mino is also beautiful. It involves two small pieces of cocao - the closest I can think of is Royce's nama chocolate. It's unlike any other chocolate one can find in the shops - it is incredibly melty and soft. The panna cotta is served with yuzu syrup. The panna cotta itself is not very sweet, but the citrisy syrup is. The best part? Mino's ice creams. Coming in a range of mouth-watering flavours, my favourite by far is the fig and pistachio, with small pieces of the fruit and nut strewn generously throughout the smooth ice cream.
Score: 4.5 / 5
A long-time favourite which will remain a favourite for years to come.
Cost: $63pp for the full Kaseiki; $49 for a smaller version.
Address: 521 Military Rd, Mosman
Website: http://www.minomino.com.au/
Up next is a delicate-fleshed white fish, lightly battered, and drizzled with a miso paste. The Japanese really know how to do fish - the sauces used always compliments and adds interest to the fish without overpowering.
After all those delicious food that have already come, we move onto what can be compared to a "mixed entree" dish. At the very top, in a leaf-shaped dish, is a very lightly seared, practically sashimi scallops dish. The scollops rest on a bed of finely shaved kaikon and is paired with onions and salmon roe for a dash of saltiness. Moving clockwise, the next piece is a deep-fried soft-shell crab, crunchy in its oiliness and served with matcha salt. Steamed barramundi is served in its little tin-foil package, and this cooking method ensures that not a drop of juice is wasted. At the bottom of the plate area some tempura courgette flower. Finally, whimsically served in an expresso cup, are soba noodles in a light dashi soup.
There is a wide variety of main courses from which to choose. I will show two examples - the first is an eel hotpot. The soup is a light dashi-soy soup which pairs perfectly with rice (the rice at Mino is beautiful - each grain glistening in its plumpness), and the silky, wispy egg adds both texture and taste.
Another example is the wagyu steak, done however you like. The meat is marbled and melty, with a distinctive fatty-taste which is a lot more pleasant that my description would suggest. Served with a slightly tart ponzu sauce, the fattiness of the beef is balanced out in the most satisfying way.
The dessert at Mino is also beautiful. It involves two small pieces of cocao - the closest I can think of is Royce's nama chocolate. It's unlike any other chocolate one can find in the shops - it is incredibly melty and soft. The panna cotta is served with yuzu syrup. The panna cotta itself is not very sweet, but the citrisy syrup is. The best part? Mino's ice creams. Coming in a range of mouth-watering flavours, my favourite by far is the fig and pistachio, with small pieces of the fruit and nut strewn generously throughout the smooth ice cream.
Score: 4.5 / 5
A long-time favourite which will remain a favourite for years to come.
Cost: $63pp for the full Kaseiki; $49 for a smaller version.
Address: 521 Military Rd, Mosman
Website: http://www.minomino.com.au/
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