Japanese-Peruvian!

I've been waiting to write this review until I visited Azabu a second time. Azabu was officially my first meal in Auckland a week ago and it's officially now my favorite restaurant in the South Pacific.

From the outside one might miss this stealthy restaurant as it virtually has no signage - reminiscent of all the best places in NYC. But this place requires zero gimmicks to attract its legions of devout patrons every night. Let the food and ambience do the talking!

Dimly lit inside with simple chic decor, this is THE PLACE for a night out with your foodie friends as the concept here is to share plates. Heck you can even invite your drunk friends as it houses a bar in the far back. Dancey, uptempo music pipes through the speakers which sets the tone for your dining experience. Good-looking servers methodically intertwin with runners as they graciously bring out each plate and interpret the masterpiece that's sitting in front of you - the presentation alone gets 5-stars, it's seriously a work of art.

May I talk about the food now!?!

I've tried the follwing items and believe me when I say this, each one is a masterfully crafted experience for your palette. It's a mind-blowing sensation of sorts as so many combinations of ingredients mesh seamlessly together.

Grilled Octopus - I've NEVER had octopus like this before! Perfectly TENDER octopus with yuzu pepper soy, aji amarillo (Peruivan mild yellow chile) mash potatoes, shichimi tatar and chives

Tuna Sashimi Tostada - Don't get me started on the quality of fish here! The Tuna was definitely a Grade 1 (highest quality ranking). Served with corn, wasabi tartar, picked daikon, chopped jalapeño and coriander (cilantro for my Cali friends haha)

Snapper Ceviche - I've had a lot of fish ceviche in my day but not like these big chunks. Snapper marinated in lime soy dressing, plum dressing, aji amarillo and topped off with tobiko (cavier).. this is a must try!

Salmon Tiradito - 10 pieces of the creamiest, firmest, richest salmon you'll ever have! The salmon is marinated in leche de tigre (citrus based marinade) with a passion fruit and coconut cream sauce that eloquently surrounds the plate and topped with crispy spaghetti squash. You'll literally want to lick the plate to get every last bit of that sauce!

Rainbow Sushi Roll - Yes yes yessss! I know what you're thinking - that sounds like a typical sushi roll. It's faaaaar from typical here at Azabu! I watched the Raw Bar chef lovingly assemble this pièce de résistance and was blown away by his technique and attention to detail. Salmon Avocado inside Tuna, Salmon and Hamachi Kingfish outside.

Eggplant Tempura - veggie lovers dream! Lightly breaded and deep fried eggplant stacked with hatcho miso and spring onions.

Braised Pork Cheek Bun - Azabu's twist on the classic bao! A soft milky bun stuffed with delicious slow cooked pork drizzled with a sweet, tangy tamarind sauce. I wouldn't share this if I were you.