Gou Sushi — Restaurant in Sydney

There are three things that set Gou Sushi apart from other sushi omakase menus. The first is the fishes, which are always fresh and interesting, with owner/chef Rio Chun Man Lau practically living at Sydney Fish Market. During my most recent omakase menu ($118/person) visit, his daily selection included chewy boar fish dressed with shio kombu and fatty trevally complemented by Azuma Restaurant’s yuzu kosho (spicy citrus paste). From a short list of well-priced fruit wines, Japanese beers and sakes, the Yuki no Bousha ($95) yamahai junmai ginjo travelled well across out whole dining adventure.

The second thing that Gou Sushi has nailed is pacing. By spacing sushi courses with small hot dishes emanating from the kitchen, diners are never kept waiting very long for food. While you tuck into kobachi (a trio of side dishes including marinated swordfish crackers, mushrooms and spinach entangled with sesame and bonito flakes, and mentaiko-topped crab omelette) the chef has the next round of nigiri underway. For us this was tender ark shell marinated in yuzu ponzu then flounder that had been aged between two pieces of kelp (kombujime) to amp its flavour. As we unwrapped a steamed leaf parcel containing sea eel and sticky rice, Lau had his blowtorch at the ready to make his signature yuzu miso marinated eggplant nigiri.

This leads me into the final thing about Gou Sushi that consistently draws me back: this chef has a unique perspective on Japanese cuisine you won’t find elsewhere. A mentorship under Toshihiko Oe (Masuya) has honed Lau’s Japanese technique, but it’s his Chinese cultural heritage that sees him slip fried leek into his tsuke scallop with kani miso. The tantalising flavour cuts through the richness of crab paste in the beautifully presented raw scallop ship. Menu stalwarts (regulars would riot if Lau took them off) are the fabulous garlic-butter topped aburi Paradise prawn and the crisp lollipop of sticky rice topped with spicy tuna tartare. A great menu newcomer saw sea eel (anago) and marbled kombu (tororo) wrapped around a quail egg served in a dashi kombu soup with chilli radish paste. Gou Sushi provides an excellent omakase adventure for a reasonable price and we’ve never...

have been to central station many times and walked down Chalmers Street many times. However I did not know of Gou Sushi. Lots of positive word of mouth in the foodie world led to visit to this restaurant. I vhs been totally missing out until now! This is hands down one of the best sushi train places i've been to. One associates sushi train with cheap, small and easy. This is not your regular sushi train. Yes, there are plates to buy going around on the train, but there is also a huge made to order menu that the chef makes right i front if you with significant care, and technique. Truly remarkable. Not only is this guy skilled, but also lovely and informative. We ordered some specials starting with a diced salmon mixture of wasabi flavouring and some spicy crackers - this was absolutely delicious. We then got the green tea soba which came out with fresh sashimi on top, a bottle of sauce to pour over and an egg to mix in. The flavours combined really nicely and we thoroughly enjoyed it. I decided to pick something off the sushi train and I picked the beetroot cured sashimi nigiri, this was delicious - probably the freshest sashimi i've ever had. We then ordered the tempura lobster tail. How can this be so cheap! $14.99!! Pieces of tempura lobster set in the lobster tail with tartare! Incredible. Also ordered the tuna tataki, again very fresh and tasty tuna and beautifully plated. Although I was very full, I just had to order the sushi sampler. The chef had individually prepared each piece; spicy tuna on fried rice or the butter poached prawn, eggplant and seared meat! I watched him make this with great technique. Seriously this place is so good, I cannot...

The quality of the sushi, sashimi and other menu items at this sushi train is unbelievable, to the point you feel like you are dining at a top Japanese restaurant.

What a find this place is and it is conveniently located across the road from central station! We arrived for dinner at 7pm and took up a seat around the train where you can watch the dishes being made before your eyes. All of the sushi items from the train are a work of art, and we recommend ordering the mixed plate which has everything from crystal bay prawn to wagyu beef to sea-eel sushi. These were delicately presented and each had a unique taste that left you wanting more! The sea eel sushi is the owners favourite and once you taste it you will see why.

Make sure you order some of the other dishes outside of the sushi and sashimi offerings. The cold soba and salmon bowl and the beef tataki were standouts but if you are a tofu fan do not go past the agedashi tofu. For those that want something a little more adventurous try the steamed egg custard with prawn and soybean - a truly unique dish.

The staff are extremely friendly and be sure to chat to the amazing chef as you watch him work his magic to create these delightful dishes. The prices are much cheaper than what you would expect! You will soon add gou sushi to your list of go to places, just...