NOTE: In 2023, Izakaya Midori gained new owners. … It takes courage to open a ‘destination’ restaurant, one so out of the way that diners must ‘seek to find’ it. Without walk-by foot traffic, destination restaurants depend on reputation and recommendation, other diners spreading the word about great food and service. Izakaya Midori is one...

For a culturally ‘mish mash’ dish, ramen is unrivalled in its ability to gain fans. Talk ramen and its converts will espouse the beauty of their favourite bowl, not to mention their preferred ramen house. Among its lovers is former Japanese professional rugby player Hiroshi Takeyama, whose dream of opening a ramen restaurant in his...

It’s always fascinating to find out the story behind a restaurant – how the owners came to be here, the concept they envisaged and how that translates into the restaurant’s menu and daily life. No journey is more interesting than that of Kemuri’s owners, Hiroyuki Okubo and his wife Yuki. After coming to Australia twenty...

From a working man’s dish in China to Japan in the 19th century, to being given ‘haute cuisine’ status in America by chef David Chang, ramen has journeyed along trade routes and survived world wars. Despite being a cultural ‘mish mash’, ramen is unrivalled in its ability to gain fans #noramennolife. Talk ramen and its...

When you’re looking for food on the run, poke bowls are one of the healthiest, most convenient fast food meals in town. The name ‘poke’ (pronounced ‘po-kay’, and written without an acute accent on the ‘e’) comes from the Hawaiian word meaning ‘to slice’ or ‘cut crosswise into pieces’, referring to the leftover pieces of...

Named after the ancient title of Japan, Zipang, Chef Atsushi Mizushima’s cafe has a split personality. By day, it’s a tiny ‘dine in’ or quick ‘grab and go’ eatery where workers stop in to get lunch. By night it’s a romantic laneway restaurant guarded at two entrances by ancient warriors. We first dined at Zipang...

The Gold Coast has been one of our holiday playgrounds, a major decision maker in our choice of a place to settle.  Living here since 1998, Itoshin, owned by Tomy Ito and chef husband Shin, was one of our first dining discoveries, an obvious choice to review for Mietta’s Eating & Drinking in Australia 2001....

The back streets of Japanese cities are filled with tiny eateries, each specialising in different dishes. They’re the inspiration for travellers who have gone home to create their own version of Japanese culture with ramen and yakitori bars, sushi and teppanyaki restaurants, shabu-shabu and izakaya popping up around the world, the latter being one of...

If approachability is the mark of a true izakaya, then Izakaya Umakamon has it in bucketloads. Tucked opposite the Novotel Surfers Paradise and a few doors away from The Island Hotel, this tiny izakaya is located close to the heart of party central. Seigo Hakata, former Head Chef and Manager of JFX, opened the 22-seat...

Tonight, Kemuri Japanese held the first of its Izakaya Omakase share menu of eight exceptional courses for a minimum of two people at $45pp. Wine, sake and beer can be purchased by the glass, or chosen by Sommelier Hiro (ex-Paper Daisy and Ten Japanese) to match the courses. The restaurant is decorated in izakaya style...