Sushi Sei
Having been a longtime fan of the Kuon label, I’ve attended their original Kuon Omakase in their first year of opening 5 years ago, Irori Kuon during their first year of opening and now I finally find the time and the opportunity to visit Sushi Sei on the premises of the original Kuon Omakase.
With a consistent menu rotation, every season brings a new addition to their tables or adjustments to accommodate and highlight new and seasonal produce. This trip, we visited at the tail end of January, just as summer was in full swing and we were treated to a bunch of summery delights including a corn chawanmushi.
Summer Chawanmushi
Nothing spells summer more than corn and how better to have a lightly sweetened corn chawanmushi.
While I do prefer a classic combination, I enjoyed this different take on the chawanmushi.
Ankimo
A dish of monk liver, served with a tart ponzu, and finely grated momiji-oroshi and green onion.
One of my favourites, it has been hard to find this since my move to Australia and I revelled in finding such a classic execution here.
★★★★★
Ikura Don
Ikura- the little salty pearls of salmon roe, best eaten atop fresh and hot rice. My go-to in Japan, this is a classic must-have.
Hotate Uni Ikura Don
Fresh and briny, the hotate, uni and ikura don is a taste of the sea in all the best ways possible.
The sweetness of the fresh scallops, the creaminess of the uni and brininess of the ikura is a treat.
★★★★★
Engawa and Tsubugai Sushi
If you’ve never had Engawa before, it is a cut taken from an olive flounder, aromatic when torched and comes by in limited quantities.
Tsubugai is whelk, its meat sweet, crunchy and chewy when fresh, the texture a delightful treat to my senses and one of my personal favourites.
Akihagai, Imperador and Bonito Sushi
As with any sushi restaurant, Sushi Sei also offers a variety of fish for your choice and selection.
Ochazuke
A nice homely dish, welcoming and simple, ochazuke is light and savoury.
Shishamo
Small river smelt with their eggs, shishamo are typically served one or two ways- fried or grilled, with the latter being my go-to and served with kewpie mayonnaise and shichimi togarashi.
Back home, shishamo are usually served with their heads but I found them headless here.
With a slightly more costly menu, I can’t say that Sushi Sei is a staple but it is most definitely a special occasion venue in the city. Previously I had to book months in advance for any KuOn location, but having an option where walking in is possible definitely makes dining here more appealing if you find yourself needing a feed outside the peak dining hours.
Shop NE 20/2 Little Hay St, Sydney NSW 2000