Its hardly a gourmet trip to Melbourne without at least one meal at the acclaimed three hatted Minamishima, which has been serving traditional Japanese Omakase in Richmond for the last 12 years. It was the first place I made a reservation for when I knew I would be going down. Arriving just before 6, I was hoping to be seated early inside, but in true Japanese fashion, I was asked to wait until exactly 6pm when they opened.
I was seated at the end of the counter, quite far away from the chef. As such, he had minimal interaction with me throughout the evening. Their Omakase is currently priced at $325pp, which was on the expensive side for Melbourne. Other than the base price, there were a few signature add ons that waitstaff offer to you at the beginning. Prices for the add ons are high and it was for that reason I abstained from the gold leaf sushi that I would have really wanted to try, since I couldn't justify the extra $120 price tag.
Service was somewhat unexpected that evening. There were only 12 customers at the counter and I counted more than six staff. When the ratio is at 2:1 you would ordinarily expect service to be very attentive and thoughtful but that was not my experience. Throughout the evening I had to wave down a member of staff to get service, after trying without success to get their attention. Staff did work hard in changing plates and topping up water, but they lacked the warmth and friendliness I would have wanted and it felt more like everyone was going through the motions of another dinner service. It was a bit disappointing.
Starting off with an aperitif, I had a matcha sake martini. Bold and strong, it was balanced out by the intense earthy matcha flavours. It was a premium beverage with a premium price tag but fitting for the occasion.
The first course was Lobster, anago and hatsumushi in a dashi stock. It was delicate with rich umami undertones. The lobster was fresh and crisp, the lotus root gave the soup stock a starchy texture and the anago was lightly savoury. It made for a very appetizing morsel.
Unlike other Omakase restaurants, Minamishima has their nigiri courses integrated throughout the banquet, rather than as a stand alone highlight in the middle. Our first nigiri of the night was the Ika. It was a thick plump slice that was tender and stuck to your teeth in a way that a fresh piece of calamari always does. It was expertly sliced, putting the chef's skills on full display.
Next was the Minamioosuzuki. I haven't had this before but it is also known as a Hapuku. It was delicate, clean and firm.
Our next nigiri was the far more familiar Kinmedai. It was lightly torched. The skin was very crispy and the meat had a mellow umami flavour to it. It was particularly enjoyable complemented with the light saltiness of the crisp nori.
Selecting from the robust and richer selection of sakes, I opted for the Kirei 92. Having learned that sake is better the more polished it is, it was interesting to sample such a bold but well balanced sake.
The sake paired especially well with our next course, the Kamo Rakkasei Chawanmushi. Duck Foie Gras was rich and smooth, balanced out by the silky smooth steamed egg. Delicate and bold at the same time, the taste lingered on long after we finished this course.
Three nigiri came after that, the Hotate and Engawa. The scallop was pristine and as sweet as you would imagine, with a firm texture. Engawa is really growing on me and compared to the one I had at Norimaki, it was even more richm buttery and fragrant.
I'm never a huge fan of Ebi, because I consider it to be fairly standard no matter where you go. In this instance it was a bit better than the usual, with also a very fresh and sweet flavour and a smoother texture than the average.
Our next course was the very warming Shabu shabu A5 wagyu with daikon. The beef was cooked to a prefect medium rare. The daikon was helpful in cutting through the richness and the dashi stock bound it all together very well.
Of all the optional extras, I only opted for the Oscietra Caviar Nigiri. This single nigiri was priced at $60. It came served on top of a small perilla leaf and was topped with a silver foil. I was a bit taken aback by how small it was, and perhaps I am a bit spoiled by Katsuya offering me far more Oscietra Caviar at a far more reasonable price, but felt very much not worth the price. I do note the skill the chef had to form the nigiri without use of nori to maintain its structural soundness. Taste wise, it was of course delectable with its popping bubbles of umami goodness.
Our palette cleanser came in the form of a Shiso and Rhubarb Sorbet. Lightly sweet and very tart, it definitely reset our taste buds for the rest of the course. The texture was also light but very smooth for a sorbet, to a point where it was almost creamy like a gelato.
This was the Nodoguro Gohan. It was a cooked seaperch with a seafood seasoned rice. The skin was lightly charred to release the oils under its skin, making the rice all the more fragrant. Even though I prefer raw fish, the firm meat was still very enjoyable for me.
The course then continued with three more nigiri, the Ikura and Katsuo came next. Like the other caviar nigiri, the ikura was skilfully assembled to stand on its own without need to have a piece of nori to hold it together. The bonito was one of my favourites of the night, firm, savoury and silky smooth, it had a very bold and intense flavour that I loved.
Final nigiri of the night had to be Otoro. It was lightly seared and sliced to release more of the oily goodness. Rich and decadent, I wish I could have had many more of these.
All sushi courses are concluded with a Tamagoyaki and Minamishima is no different. Light and spongy, it was like a cake more than an omelette.
The savoury portion of the meal ended with Awabi, Saiko Miso Broth. The abalone was firm but also tender, with a bite that was a bit like al dente pasta. It had a savoury flavour to it reminiscent of the sea and the dashi in the miso was also very fragrant.
Both dessert courses, being the Yomogi Creme Brulee and Japanese Tea Chocolate came at the same time. The creme brulee was earthy and grassy without being overwhelming. The texture was silky smooth and contrasted by the crispy burnt sugar. The Japanese Tea Chocolate was also not too sweet, with rich matcha, gemaicha and hojicha flavours respectively. Both desserts were washed down with a caramelised hojicha that cleared our palette after such a decadent meal.
Overall, I really enjoyed the food at Minamishima. Every element was executed with a high level of precision, demonstrating the chef's skills. Having said that, as I hinted at earlier on, when you are paying this kind of price for a meal, it's not just a matter of the food being skilfully crafted, but you also have to have a pleasant evening. To that point, the chef and staff didn't really care to make the experience particularly hospitable. There was no warmth and no care given to the customer. The additions to the course felt like a money grab and I left feeling like another figure on their income statement. It was good to try, and the food itself was delicious but I will not be back and I can't really recommend it.
Price Range: $325pp base cost. $$$ for extras
Taste: 9.5/10
Value: 7/10
Service: 5/10
Environment: 8/10
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