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2013-06-12
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Fukuichi at TripleOne Somerset has got to be the most underrated Japanese restaurant, in town at least. Nestled in a quiet corner, in a quiet part of town, it's easy to miss. Japanese cuisine is synonymous with clean cuts, elegant plating and/or presentation and refined tastes. Fukuichi embodies this very spirit with its signature sushi and iconic sashimi platters. They also well-stocked with a range of sakes and Japanese alcohol that I'm pretty sure would impress the sake lovers. With a reserva
With a reservation at 7.30, we arrived slightly early, but was still ushered to a bar-top seat that the staff had already prepared for us.The interior is distinctly japanese, with marbled table tops, hints of bamboo and wood. Service isn't top notch, but they are generally polite and courteous. Besides, we came for the food, not the staff!
The exterior of the restaurant also has 3 large sake barrels on display outside! An interesting touch which we felt was unique.
The bar gives us a lovely view of the sushi chefs at work, expertly slicing the raw fish with even strokes, resulting in fish slices of perfect consistency!We ordered the Bento Set A for $40 (this is the most expensive bento set because of what it consists of!), which comprises sashimi, assorted sushi, grilled salmon with roe, tempura, an appetiser dish and miso soup. We also ordered two pieces of Mekajiki (swordfish sushi) for $8 and their signature Seared Salmon Sushi for $22 (for 8 pieces). The prices are a tad pricey but when the dishes came, we fully comprehended why we were paying just that extra bit for our food.
The starter was a serving of Japanese style salad, in a light/tangy miso dressing. It tasted more sour than other Japanese style salads, so if you like your food really tangy -this one's for you. The cold jellyfish was mediocre, but proved to be a refreshing appetiser.
The Bento Set came in 3 portions -the appetiser and the 2 bento boxes. The first bento box had 3 components -roe covered sushi, a sashimi assortment (prawn, tuna and some fish I did not recognise!), and a sushi assortment with raw fish. The sushi impressed me because the lightly vinegared rice was so well shaped and it complemented the fresh fish. The fish was firm, not overly frozen nor wet, and was so delightfully tasty in its pure, unseasoned form. Delicious. The prawn and sashimi deserve a special mention. The prawns were creamy and the sashimi came in generous, thick slices -a truly treat...before I knew it, we had polished off that entire plate
Swordfish is one of my favourite fish apart from the usual tuna and salmon. Swordfish is firmer and less creamy, but the freshness really shines through, especially when its delicious, cold cut is a refreshing change from the creamier salmon belly. It's a fantastic contrast to anything fried and cloying, making this one of my top clean-eating picks! My companion was trying swordfish for the first time and he commented that the 'clean taste of the swordfish is really uplifting'! Definitely recommending this to everyone! The salmon and tuna go for around $6-7 per pair, and there are premium items such as sea urchin on their menu. Only for those feeling indulgent!
(Cont Bento) The second portion of the bento included the cooked food -grilled salmon with a layer of roe smeared on it, and assorted tempura. The tempura was the only mediocre dish in our dinner for that day, but it was still of a decent standard. The outside of the tempura was light and crisp while the inside still retained the freshness of the ingredients -the carrots, capsicum and prawns still maintained their original tastes. The salmon was what surprised us the most -the outside had been smeared with a layer of salmon(?) roe, giving the fish an even creamier taste. The flakes of salmon just slide off when your chopsticks gently pick at the salmon, and the savoury Japanese-soy style sauce has a taste consistent with expertly made teriyaki dips. Heavenly.
The seared salmon sushi is on the pricier side with 8 pieces for $22, but its completely worth it. Rolled by the masters with japanese cucumbers and avocado, with the salmon torched before serving, the fish has a slightly smoky smell to it. When you sink your teeth in however, it's a fusion of flavours with creamy textures combined with the burnt aroma of semi-cooked fish. Delicious as it looks -everyone should try this! It's one of their more popular sushi orders and nearly every table has one plate of this. The Bento is great for sharing -perfect for 2 people, so you get to order other sushi and try other stuff too! This bento also gives the widest variety (you can get a bento set for around $20+, but the variety of the bento isn't as vast and the quality of the dishes are less premium too), but also ensures that you get the best of everything. Fantastic deal! Fukuichi also offers a range of hot dishes, but we say skip that. Go straight to the ala carte sushi and signature rolls -try the seared salmon, or live to regret it!
The place is pretty spacious, but it can get a teeny bit crowded especially on Friday and weekend nights, you may want to call and make a reservation ahead! This is also one of the places where bar top dining isn't cramped and stuffy, there's ample foot room and space for the dishes, and it's interesting watching the chefs at work (at least you know how your sashimi is being prepared!!). Fukuichi serves great, fresh Japanese cuisine with refined flavours for the discerning. It may not be on the highest end of Japanese fare available locally, but it comes close to the best value for quality (the bill came up to around $82 in total for 2 people.)
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