Like so many South Aussies, this year’s travel agenda hasn’t exactly gone to plan. My #Japan2020 dreams have pretty much eventuated into binge watching all the Japanese anime and reality TV Netflix has to offer (which is a lot, btw)! Thankfully with COVID-19 restrictions easing in SA in the past month, I jumped at the chance to at least give my tastebuds a little overseas adventure at one Adelaide’s staple Japanese restaurants, Ginza Miyako.
Tucked into the lower level of the Stamford Plaza on North Terrace, I knew I was in for a real treat when we were asked to remove our shoes to take a seat in their traditional horigotatsu dining area. Shoes off? Yes, please.
Image credit: Ginza Miyako Japanese Restaurant
Hot tip: wear something that’ll be easy to slip in and out of these sunken chairs with a little class. I was very thankful Adelaide’s frosty winter nights inspired me to throw on a pair of black tights! Phew!
I like to keep things easy when it comes to eating out… and I like to keep my food rolling on for as long as possible, so I was quick to order their Traditional Kaiseki course.
By the time we finished sipping a complimentary sake, our first dish of the night arrived. An entree made up of four delicate dishes, each delivering in flavour what they lacked in size; including duck, sashimi, a Japanese-style beef carpaccio and a Coffin Bay oyster topped with the most refreshing miso sauce! Yum!
Next up, a selection of vegetable and prawn tempura, followed by a trio of nigiri goodness — tuna, salmon and kingfish – the ultimate nigiri rainbow!
But the best on show for the night, was poetically left to last — our Sukiyaki: a Japanese hot pot made up of thin slices of Wagyu beef in a rich soy broth, atop seasonal vegetables and a 65°C steamed egg. Honestly, it makes me feel all warm and toasty just thinking about it.
After a few more Sakes — which, if you’re as big a fan of Sake as I am, you can have matched to your entire meal — we finished off with a dessert of black sesame ice cream, which was surprisingly addictive and a stunning matcha tiramisu.
Beautiful food, wonderful staff, and the chance to play footsies under the table with your significant other, Ginza Miyako ticks so many boxes.
Sure, I wasn’t soaking up the lights of Tokyo as hoped for 2020, but sipping Sake in front of gorgeous Shoji screens, overlooking the lights of Adelaide, was a pretty good backup option… and a nice little reminder that if i’m going to be stuck anywhere this year, Adelaide’s a pretty good spot for it.
Rosie xx
