208 William St
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9328 8578
http://www.facebook.com/aisurusushi
Hours:
Tue-Sun 12:00 - 14:30
Tue-Thu 18:00 - 21:30
Fri-Sun 18:00 - 22:00
Aisuru Sushi is in the heart of Northbridge, and always buzzing with customers any time of the day or the evening, day after day. That is so, because Aisuru offers a mix of Japanese, Chinese and "Fushion" artistically-plated dishes. In fact, they look as if they were going to be photographed for a food magazine. Moreover, the restaurant has a contemporary classy minimalist interior with three different seating areas, and a good relaxed posh ambience.
Aisuru's Miso soup is my favourite Miso ever. A good fresh miso, golden tan, not the usual vintage maroon from sachets you find elsewhere.
The Agedashi Tofu makes a perfect entré. Tofu is always a bit of a pin to cook, as it is tasteless by nature. However this this dish is great: Curd tofu (creme caramel texture) inside, finely glazed and crunchy on the outside, floating in a very light marinating sauce with some dry herbs on top. Warm. A great mix of textures in your mouth, with a very delicate but distinct flavour. It is like eating three clouds fallen from a fairy-tale sky into a tiny pond.
The Plum Roll is, by far, my favourite roll at Aisuru. Unlike other rolls, they are perfectly rolled, and the sauce and oil used as a base are delicious. The dish is moist, flavoursome, colourful, and yummy.
The Black Velvet Roll has "caviar" on top and warm tempura prawn in the middle, avocado, crab, rice, and it tastes good. However, the rolls crumbled easily when pressed by the chopsticks, probably because they were rolled too fast and/or the rice was a bit loose. I found the sauce two thick and not a match for the rolls - my opinion.
Very similar to the other is the Caterpillar Roll, again with rolls badly rolled, but lovely overall.
I love the popcorn tempura, but I would rather have it with that much mayonnaise!
Among the things that haven't wow me are the vegan Pyogo Roll, which was tasteless per se, but brought to life by the delicate semi-gelatinous sauce on which the rolls were resting on. The Waygu beef tempura was a bit bland, not especially flavoursome.
Their banch tea, although in a tea-bag, it is lovely.
Service is t-e-r-r-i-f-i-c, and the waitresses very helpful, friendly, and fast; they will attend you with their über-cool Ipad in their hands so you can see the photo of every item in the menu, as well as the items you are ordering.
THE NOT SO GOOD
1/ The place is expensive. Forget what "Bargain Bites" in the "Sunday Times" says. Unless you eat like a canary, you are going to have a BIG bill. Usually, I pay about 35 bucks for my lunch there, and I never leave full.
2/ In a place like this, and at those prices, I expect the details to be posher. I expect good quality paper napkins instead of the cheap ones they have. I expect wooden washable chopsticks not the usual disposable ones. I expect a good selection of Japanese teas (not just one), and a bigger selection of Asian soft drinks, too. I also expect a pot of tea per table not a cup with a teabag, even if they refill it regularly with hot water.
3/ Let your taste-buds decide without taking into account a-priory wow-ness uttered by somebody else in a newspaper. Fact: some dishes taste great and others just look great.
4/ They need bigger dishes to plate their half-serves and side dishes, so we have a bit of more room to move the food around without creating a mess on the table.
5/ Some of the rolls are badly rolled...
6/ The menu hasn't changed in months. What about getting a bit creative?
TIPS
* Order a full serve of sushi, as they offer 8 pieces and are relatively cheaper than the half serves, more filling, and they are plated wonderfully.
* Try anything that you would not find in other sushi places, as those dishes are what you should come here for, beyond the presentation. I would not order teriyaki varieties or vegan rolls here, honestly.
This is the last hype sushi place in Perth CBD. Go, and let people see you are there. OMG yore heerr chooo!
Food 7/10 (presentation 8.5, taste 7)
Tea 7.5/10
Ambience 7.5/10
Layout 7.5/10
Service 9/10
Pricing 6/10
Overall, 7.5
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9328 8578
http://www.facebook.com/aisurusushi
Hours:
Tue-Sun 12:00 - 14:30
Tue-Thu 18:00 - 21:30
Fri-Sun 18:00 - 22:00
Aisuru Sushi is in the heart of Northbridge, and always buzzing with customers any time of the day or the evening, day after day. That is so, because Aisuru offers a mix of Japanese, Chinese and "Fushion" artistically-plated dishes. In fact, they look as if they were going to be photographed for a food magazine. Moreover, the restaurant has a contemporary classy minimalist interior with three different seating areas, and a good relaxed posh ambience.
Aisuru's Miso soup is my favourite Miso ever. A good fresh miso, golden tan, not the usual vintage maroon from sachets you find elsewhere.
The Agedashi Tofu makes a perfect entré. Tofu is always a bit of a pin to cook, as it is tasteless by nature. However this this dish is great: Curd tofu (creme caramel texture) inside, finely glazed and crunchy on the outside, floating in a very light marinating sauce with some dry herbs on top. Warm. A great mix of textures in your mouth, with a very delicate but distinct flavour. It is like eating three clouds fallen from a fairy-tale sky into a tiny pond.
The Plum Roll is, by far, my favourite roll at Aisuru. Unlike other rolls, they are perfectly rolled, and the sauce and oil used as a base are delicious. The dish is moist, flavoursome, colourful, and yummy.
The Black Velvet Roll has "caviar" on top and warm tempura prawn in the middle, avocado, crab, rice, and it tastes good. However, the rolls crumbled easily when pressed by the chopsticks, probably because they were rolled too fast and/or the rice was a bit loose. I found the sauce two thick and not a match for the rolls - my opinion.
Very similar to the other is the Caterpillar Roll, again with rolls badly rolled, but lovely overall.
I love the popcorn tempura, but I would rather have it with that much mayonnaise!
Among the things that haven't wow me are the vegan Pyogo Roll, which was tasteless per se, but brought to life by the delicate semi-gelatinous sauce on which the rolls were resting on. The Waygu beef tempura was a bit bland, not especially flavoursome.
Their banch tea, although in a tea-bag, it is lovely.
Service is t-e-r-r-i-f-i-c, and the waitresses very helpful, friendly, and fast; they will attend you with their über-cool Ipad in their hands so you can see the photo of every item in the menu, as well as the items you are ordering.
1/ The place is expensive. Forget what "Bargain Bites" in the "Sunday Times" says. Unless you eat like a canary, you are going to have a BIG bill. Usually, I pay about 35 bucks for my lunch there, and I never leave full.
2/ In a place like this, and at those prices, I expect the details to be posher. I expect good quality paper napkins instead of the cheap ones they have. I expect wooden washable chopsticks not the usual disposable ones. I expect a good selection of Japanese teas (not just one), and a bigger selection of Asian soft drinks, too. I also expect a pot of tea per table not a cup with a teabag, even if they refill it regularly with hot water.
3/ Let your taste-buds decide without taking into account a-priory wow-ness uttered by somebody else in a newspaper. Fact: some dishes taste great and others just look great.
4/ They need bigger dishes to plate their half-serves and side dishes, so we have a bit of more room to move the food around without creating a mess on the table.
5/ Some of the rolls are badly rolled...
6/ The menu hasn't changed in months. What about getting a bit creative?
TIPS
* Order a full serve of sushi, as they offer 8 pieces and are relatively cheaper than the half serves, more filling, and they are plated wonderfully.
* Try anything that you would not find in other sushi places, as those dishes are what you should come here for, beyond the presentation. I would not order teriyaki varieties or vegan rolls here, honestly.
***
This is a good place to have a special dinner with somebody, you know, one of those occasions in which you don't mind the bill, order many half servers, many sides, plus dessert and the drinks, anything you fancy, the quantity you fancy, so you end the night fulfilled and having a foodorgasmic experience.This is the last hype sushi place in Perth CBD. Go, and let people see you are there. OMG yore heerr chooo!
Food 7/10 (presentation 8.5, taste 7)
Tea 7.5/10
Ambience 7.5/10
Layout 7.5/10
Service 9/10
Pricing 6/10
Overall, 7.5
