If you are a fan of Sokyo in Sydney then you will no doubt be happy to know that chef Chase Kojima has teamed up with Jupiters Hotel & Casino to create the newest Japanese dining experience on the Gold Coast - Kiyomi.
When the other travel bunnie and I found out about Kiyomi late last year, we were so eager to try it we arrived only to find out that they were still in the process of opening. Last weekend we took a trip down to the coast again and mum was equally ecstatic about claiming Minibun George all to herself as the other travel bunnie and I were about having a date night (trust me, date nights don’t come easy these days).
We took the escalators to the second level to find a semi open space where traditional and contemporary collide. As a part of the hotel’s $345 million refurbishment, Kiyomi is decked out in dark wood, with a large glass panel featuring splashes of neon colours at the back to add a funky touch. Greeted by the hostess who then led us to our table, we were introduced to our waiter for the night, Ricardo.
Whilst deciding on what to have for dinner, we sipped on two mocktails offered at the restaurant - Miyagi Mojito and Kawaii Fizz, both $10 each. Miyagi Mojito is a combination of apple juice, passionfruit pulp, lime juice, fresh mint and refreshing soda water. As for Kawaii Fizz, I have no shame in admitting that I’d be more than happy to drink it everyday. Gladly. It’s a delectable combination of strawberries, coconut cream, vanilla and lemonade (or soda water if you prefer) and I can declare that the name is certainly very fitting.
The first dish to arrive at our table was the salmon belly ($6 per piece). The texture was silky and oily just as you would expect from that part of the fish, but it hardly showcased the chef’s skills. I took another sip of my drink wondering if Kiyomi is all about that hype. Then the next dish arrived. The scampi - seared, foie gras, apple and mizuna ($9 each) looked wicked, but tasted even better with the sweet, sweet flesh tempered against the mild peppery flavour of mizuna. The scampi turned to be my favourite dish of the night. We also savoured scallop, yuzu honey, scorched corn, mache ($18), Moreton Bay bug, grapefruit, samba, mayo, vinegar ($24) and Dengakuman, toothfish, caramelised miso, cucumber ($37). None of the meals were a disappointment. It’s amazing how a rather terrifying looking toothfish can taste so delicate and delicious.
The desserts, mango shiso ($13) and mochi ravioli ($10) in comparison to the rest of the dishes were not strong in my opinion, but only because the rest of the dishes were superb! There were several elements to the mango shiso including fresh mango slices, mango sorbet, basil and mint meringue and yoghurt cream, and the presentation was beautiful. It was a refreshing ending to what turned out to be a magnificent dinner.
We absolutely loved our dinner that night and Kiyomi is now one of my favourite Japanese restaurants without a doubt.
Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $152.00
the drinks look so refreshing! i really want to go to australia in summer so i will definitely be going here! id love it if youd comment back http://www.amyelizabethfashion.com/2015/02/a-different-type-of-new-year-detox.html xx
ReplyDelete