Daruma- Haymarket, NSW
A longtime favourite, a gem in plain sight.
Starting with my time in University, Daruma in Haymarket has been a consistent haunt of mine. Though it has been many a year since I spent Friday evenings there, the welcome I receive when I return is familiar to me.
This trip, I have opted for a few classics as well as a few seasonal menu items as I catch up with a long-time friend.
Some classics I usually get at Japanese restaurants when they have it available, include the following-
Shime saba (しめ鯖)
It’s always my pleasure to get my shime saba here at Daruma as their mackerel always feels plump, with the right balance of acidity to the meat.
Unlike the shime saba offered at locations like Yakitori Jin at Haberfield, this one is fully cured through with the mouth-watering marinade that the fish is typically pickled in.
Mentaiko udon (明太子うどん)
Daruma’s mentaiko udon is creamy indulgence of the mildly spicy salted pollock roe and the sweet umami it imparts over the bite of udon.
Most mentaiko sauces used in Wafu pasta and in this creamy udon is incredibly mild and worth trying even for people sensitive to heat!
Takowasa (たこわさ)
A popular drinking snack in the Izakaya scene, it’s one of my favourite drinking snacks- with the chewy crunchiness of the octopus with the crunch of wasabi root.
I find that a number of locations err on the side of caution with the amount of wasabi added to this dish- but at Daruma, the taste of the wasabi is stronger and it feels rather refreshing!
Daruma, like a lot of classic Japanese restaurants in Sydney, often have a rotating menu with seasonal items, and this day, I find myself order a 10 sake flight for AUD$30 to accompany a Wagyu Beef Shabu Shabu set which seems to come with a Sukiyaki alternative at AUD$98 for a serving for two. This set, best suited for the recent cold days, comes with some sashimi, kushiyaki and a serving of udon to add into the dashi whenever you feel like having it. The sashimi options on the day were 3 slices of salmon, tuna and bonito which was delightfully torched on the exterior to impart a smokey flavour to the flesh. We received chicken and eggplant kushiyaki.
Kushiyaki 串焼き
Though kushiyaki is a general term for skewered items, as expressed by the following kanji character- 串, the options on this day were a skewer of fried chicken and eggplant each for my friend and myself.
Shabu Shabu
A wintertime delight of a light dashi, with a side of vegetables, an assortment of mushrooms and most of all- meat!
They do have a range of drinks available, however this menu seems to have had less iterations over the years, when compared to the food menu. My drink of choice is usually a Ginger High-Ball- which replaces the soda water in a traditional High-Ball with ginger beer. If you have never tried this combination, I would highly recommend it, as I much prefer the stronger taste profile of the ginger against the whiskey.
Daruma is the epitome of warm service, dedicated staff, excellent food just to sit and chat with friends in the accompaniment of good alcohol and will always remain steadfast near the top of my favourite venue list for a place to meet with my friends.