Komeyui is a Japanese restaurant that had been on my radar since its opening in 2023. Since then, I've had quite a few readers ask me for a review, but given the pricing and mixed reviews I've had from a few friends, I've held out from going in favour of other omakase restaurants in Brisbane. Anyway, after all these years, I was invited to a social event at Komeyui and finally managed to experience it for myself.
Located in the former AFP premises, even though it was slightly refurbished as a restaurant, it couldn't help but give off a bit of corporate foyer vibes rather than a refined Japanese restaurant.
As we were attending a function, we were seated in a private dining area. We shared the Omakase at Table, comprising of five courses. For an extra charge, you could also get four courses of sake pairing. The meal started with a glass of complimentary umeshu. It was fruity and sweet but not a particularly smooth drop. I had asked the staff for the bottle but although they nodded, they walked away with it and I didn't manage to see what it was.
The first course was the Sashimi of the day. As with all of our courses, they were put down without much by way of introduction, luckily I was able to identify the elements of the plate, being scallop, kingfish, otoro, salmon and uni. It was paired with a glass of Kubota Junmai Daiginjo. The sake was floral and crisp with a smooth finish, pairing well with the first course. I found the sashimi to be of good quality. The salmon, kingfish and scallop were fairly standard. The uni was a tad on the watery side but the toro was melty and buttery rich. What did surprise me though was that it was served at room temperature rather than lightly chilled as you would in other restaurants.
Our next course was the Foie Gras Chawanmushi and Nori Crunch which was served with a glass of Izumibashi Junmai. The chawanmushi was silky smooth and the added foie gras on top made it particularly decadent and buttery. The nori crunch added some contrasting texture and was particularly delightful with the tuna on top of the crisp. Our drink was dry, had a refined scent and very umami, pairing well with the course.
Third course was far more meaty, comprising of the Australian Wagyu Imperial Blossom MB 9+. It came with a glass of Kenbishi Kuromatsu. I enjoyed the steak which was served rare but also found it odd that no one was asked how they liked their steak cooked and everyone was served steak to the same level of rarity. The steak itself was tender and buttery. I could have enjoyed far more than the four pieces served. The Kuromatsu had an interesting scent with a delicate nutty flavour to it, making it a very unique drop.
Our final savoury course was the Premium Nigiri, served with a glass of Dewazakura Seijo. Again the course was placed in front of me with no introduction. From left to right, it comprised of aburi kingfish, aburi salmon, tuna, scami and scallop with foie gras. I'm not a huge fan of aburi sushi but they were done well, providing a bit of contrast to our earlier sashimi courses. Each had a good topping to rice ratio and the fish was generously sliced. The Seijo was delicate and didn't overpower the fish.
Dessert comprised of an Ice Cream Sandwich Monaka served with a complimentary beverage. I opted for the green tea whilst Dr L had a matcha latte. Again I had to ask to be told that this was in fact a white chocolate and blueberry ice cream topped with vegemite caramel sauce. The white chocolate was quite overpowering and I couldn't get much of the blueberry taste. Vegemite provided more than a touch of savoury to the dessert and I'm not sure I enjoyed it. The monaka was crisp and light. I enjoyed my genmaicha whereas Dr L's matcha was also rich and strong.
Overall we had an enjoyable night at Komeyui. There were a few hiccups with the food as highlighted above but all in all it wasn't bad. We left the meal feeling not hungry but also not entirely full. The service and environment were definitely lacking compared to other omakase restaurants in Brisbane. I have no regrets in going to finally satisfy my curiosity, but would not be going back on my own initiative.
Price Range: $180 - $230pp
Value: 5/10
Service: 5/10
Environment: 5/10
Environment: 5/10
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