Izakaya Samurai — Restaurant in Sydney

Nestled inside the Quadrant Building at 197 Military Road in Neutral Bay, Izakaya Samurai has got just about everything you could want for Japanese Izakaya dining. Every table has an iPad installed for ordering but don’t worry if you’re not comfortable with this gadget as they also offer a menu to peruse. If you are in any doubts about either, the staff will guide you through. Owner/ Chef Shinya showed us how to order through the iPad and I must say it’s a piece of cake, you can really zip through the side index and see the tempting array of food and drink just a tap away! A tasting menu was curated for us and the first one to arrive was the main size Sashimi – $37. Shinya-san said it is one of their best sellers and I can see his point. The freshness of seafood mix, slices of tuna, salmon, king fish, snapper, scallop and scampi served on a bamboo mat along with stringy daikon, sliced lemons, parsley and lettuce all to embellish the presentation was jaw dropping and tasted just sensational, you will not be disappointed! If you’re a fan of tacos, check out their Salmon Taco – $8.80, crispy taco shell filled with slightly seared salmon cuts, it’s smokey and flavoursome. Adding a bursting little juicy pop on the palate are the ‘tobiko’ (flying fish roe) shallots and thinly sliced onion. Hardcore nigiri sushi lovers take note! Their Salmon Aburi – $16.80 and Mixed Sushi Aburi $18.80 (scallops, white fish and salmon) is definitely not to be missed. ‘Nigiri’ (hand-pressed sushi) is all about technique, the presentation speaks for itself! The fish and scallops are slightly charred on the surface leaving the inside fresh. What I liked with these sushi was the slightly vinegar taste of the ‘shari’ (sushi rice) which was not overpowered by the smokey taste of the fish and scallops, it maintained a well-balanced flavour. Adding to the poetry of this sushi are mayonnaise, flying fish roe, shallots and soy sauce. Because of the toppings, you may find that the chopsticks will not hold everything and cause the nigiri to separate. Don’t worry, use your hands, it is an acceptable sushi etiquette. I can’t help but have a big smile on my face when the Japanese-style beef hamburger – $17.80 or ‘hambagu’ with chips served on a sizzling plate arrived. This dish brings back memories of my time in Japan. It’s one of my favourites in between Izakaya dishes to order, so the timing was spot on. Big on flavour the meat is thick and juicy. The grated ‘daikon’ (white raddish) on top of the patty and ponzu dressing adds a refreshing and citrusy touch and who doesn’t love some crinkle cut chips!

The service remains impeccable, staff keep on checking our table making sure that all empty plates were taken away and if there is anything we may need. Shinya-san came over and explained in detail some of the elements of the dishes and answering any questions we had. Eggplant with Sweet Miso $10.80 and Pan Fried Pork Gyoza $8.80 were served together. I love this eggplant with sweet miso (Nasu Dengaku). Hands down to Izakaya Samurai’s version. Eggplant is creamy with a soft texture slathered with sweet and savoury sweet miso. The marriage between the two is a delectable combination, it may appear simple, but the depth of flavours are amazing and keep you digging to the last possible piece. Oh holy Gyoza! It is as ubiquitous as ramen in Japan and I reckon it’s the most sought after Izakaya dish. Give me a gyoza and sake or beer and I’ll go to heaven. Five pork dumplings served on a hot plate, perfectly pan-fried juicy on the inside and golden brown on the outside. You can never go wrong with this dish! Room for dessert? I was in awe when they brought the Dessert Plate – $17.80. It was well-plated with slices of green tea cake, cheese cake, custard and vanilla ice cream. Every bite was heavenly, never had such a variety of luscious patisserie on one plate! The accompanying strawberry slices, mandarin and cream added harmony to this plate.

(we...

The food might be fine for customers, but for delivery drivers this restaurant is one of the most unpleasant places to deal with. I have delivered here many times with Uber Eats and every visit has been marked by the same problems: long waiting times, zero cooperation, and staff who go out of their way to make drivers feel unwelcome.

Drivers are not allowed inside under any circumstances, and if you happen to step in for just a moment to ask about the order, you are immediately told to leave in an extremely unfriendly manner. The reception staff in particular show no professionalism, no courtesy, and no willingness to treat drivers with basic respect. Instead of working together to ensure fast delivery and happy customers, the attitude here makes it clear that drivers are seen as nothing but an inconvenience.

Restaurants and delivery drivers should be partners, but here it feels like the opposite. Out of all the restaurants I’ve worked with, this one stands out in the worst possible way. I sincerely hope they reconsider how they treat the very people who help bring their food to customers, because the current behavior is...

i wasnt impressed. The food wasnt really fresh. I had been told it was a good place from a friend, simply because of the good google reviews. I ordered the samurai sashimi rice bowl. This place is good if you prefer quantity over quality because you will definitely full. The rice bowl set came with miso soup, a tofu thingy and rice with a bit of leafyness. Maybe it was just the takeaway that the qualtity was so poor like this. The competition for japanese restaurants is tough and this just didnt succeed for me. The seafood was not fresh, the sashimi was chewy and stuck in my throat. I have been to other resturants with a lot higher quality and a slightly higher price. but the setting of the place looked comfortable and this would suit your sushi cravings with a cheap dinner and a family chat or something. Everyone raved about the ipad menus... this is not new. If you go ten minutes away to the city they had them everywhere since a...