Kemuri is a little Japanese gem hidden from sight in the middle of suburban Carrara. Owned by Hiroyuki Okubo and his wife Yuki, one could easily overlook it due to a lack of curiosity or understanding. In fact, the couple between them have great experience, Yuki a French-trained chef and Hiro a top-level sommelier and restaurant consultant.
At first glance, the menu looks as simple as the tiny wood-faced venue with white-washed walls, serving bao, gyoza, Japanese curry and other bowl food (all $15 and under) with a few choices of sides.
But that’s where simple stops!
The bao buns are handmade, soft and fluffy, the gyoza are joined by a fine biscuit-like layer that snaps as we bite it: ‘Angel Wings gyoza’ found in specialty gyoza shops in Japan. The karaage also is light and fluffy – the best we’ve had.
“I’ve spent my life in great restaurants, and I wanted to do something unique that no one else does,” Hiro says. “The real secret is using excellent quality fresh ingredients with simple seasoning, no MSG,” Hiro sums up, “We make our karaage from free-range chicken from the Glasshouse Mountains. There’s a huge difference in tenderness and flavour of the meat,” he adds.
Simple dishes. Not just wonderful, but perfect. Who needs more than this?
Kemuri Japanese Restaurant, 3/124 Pappas Way Carrara, Ph: 0451 133 996
Read our review of Kemuri Japanese Restaurant here.
NOTE: This article was published in The Sun newspaper on 13 March 2019.
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- 300 g Chicken Thigh fillet, each thigh cut into 5 or 6 pieces
- 1 small clove crushed garlic
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 70 ml sake (or dry white wine)
- 40 ml soy sauce
- 1/4 cup potato starch
- vegetable oil for frying
- lemon to serve
Ingredients
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- Add the ginger, garlic, sake and soy sauce to a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the chicken, then stir to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Add 2cm of vegetable oil to a heavy bottomed pot or frypan. Heat until the oil reaches 180℃.
- Put the potato starch in a bowl. Add a handful of chicken to the potato starch and toss to coat each piece evenly.
- Fry the karaage in small batches for 4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to the paper towel lined rack to drain. Serve with lemon slices as a garnish.