Terasu — Restaurant in Queensland

Booked in for three people on 24 January 2025, and asked if we could sit outside, the answer was straight “NO” even though the place on the balcony was half full.

In my view, Terasu the restaurant outlet at Ardo is overrated by many reviewers.

Food is overpriced but at their premium quality no doubt about that . Sushi and sashimi set was NOT sized at Japanese Restaurant standard. They were obviously smaller than normal. (Sorry we did not take any picture). We sat at the first table opposite the bar. The total bill for food and beverage was $410.

Ambience is pretty average. Decoration was nothing interesting and looked pretty low class especially the lamp they place on every table which look like a plastic toy rather than decorative item.

Service is nothing special. Most of the servers were “Working and holiday visa” people who were trained for few days before they let them work on floor. One of the girl served the Tempura plate over your head and said “sorry” that she served the dish that way??? Ummmm???

Asked one of the server what would you recommend, she recommended DUCK BAO, which is a deep fried seasoning duck served with Chinese bun and Peking duck like condiments (cucumber, scallion, and hoisin sauce!). Honestly, this item is Chinese NOT Japanese food.

The staff, overall, needs more professional training. All of them were great, don’t get me wrong. They tried their best in their service with happy smile on their face and positive attitude.

The cutlery was at it’s cheapest level in a so called “fine dining” restaurant. Chopsticks were disposable bamboo putting for you on the table not on chopsticks holder, I am not sure what the thing we used to Place chopsticks in the restaurant is called (please let me know if anyone knows what I mean 🤭)

I do have lots to say about this restaurant but I am too lazy to write.. hee hee…. In conclusion, ask if I shall go back there again? The answer is...

APPALLING. If you've got money to burn and have time to stop for takeaway afterward because you're still hungry, by all means try this place. Prices are outrageous for what you get and flavours are nothing special. For $30, I had expected my mushroom dish to come with cauliflower rice, as advertised, not a scant scattering of bits of cauliflower. (Waitress had to carefully examine my dish to prove that there was any cauliflower present at all)

Granted, we were a table of 12, but come on: 45 minutes before any of our drinks reached the table? This was a very special family occasion and when the last meal came out 2 hours after our arrival we were all just done. I would have been happy to order another glass of wine but it took so long I dare not risk it.

We did feel for the wait staff who had no alternative but to constantly apologise for how long everything was taking. The karaage chicken was quite good and, thankfully after wait staff realised wer were starving, our table received a complimentary order (enough to satiate one person).

Many ordered the expensive "feed me" option, featuring a multitude of small courses, and when they questioned why there wasn't enough food for everyone, they received a lecture on portion sizes and something about not letting everyone get too full. If only!

To their credit, the management did hear our concerns and reduced the overall cost by 10%. Still, we are astounded a place such as this can operate when costs of living are so high and this is nowhere near value for money.

Not fine dining. Emperor's New Clothes. Don't give them your money. Go literally...

It's pleasant to find restrained cuisine here, where the natural flavors of the ingredients are well preserved.

First, the sushi, sashimi, and nigiri platter: The salmon and kingfish were very fresh with a nice texture. The tuna was a bit lacking, without a fresh taste or any particular texture, resembling loose dough. Also, the vegetables in the sushi rolls had a refrigerator odor, which is unacceptable.

Next, the tempura: It looked very appealing, which stimulates the appetite. The taste had the characteristic aroma of fried food, with a crispy batter intertwined with slightly elastic shrimp meat. The sauce was good too, reducing the oily mouthfeel of the fried items.

Then the Wagyu beef: It was indeed well-prepared. Although it didn't reach the level of exceptional Wagyu texture, thanks to the chef's careful cooking, the caramelized exterior paired well with the tender interior of the beef. It offered a rich mouthfeel while tightly combining different aromas. I would recommend this.

Lastly, the dessert: The taste was good, with restrained sweetness, which I prefer. The combination of flavors was well-balanced without any jarring elements. However, the mochi skin was a bit difficult to separate, which might make eating it look a bit fierce (laughs).

Overall, this restaurant lives up to its price and is worth trying. If they could pay a bit more attention to details, I believe they could do even...