EAT: THE MODERN EATERY, RICHMOND
I'm willing to admit there are several facets to Australia's western-most state that gives it some wow over Melbourne; nicer winter weather for one, beautiful beaches within reasonable distance of the CBD, tick, and while I'm yet to visit the area, they also have the picturesque Margaret River region. But when Perth's 'The Modern Eatery' recently landed in Richmond's Swan St, that was another point for Melbourne.
Otherwise known as the House of Aburi Sushi, the restaurant prides itself on their signature aburi style cooking; a blow torch technique used to gently sear the top of fresh, delicate and raw pieces of sushi. The aromas and flavours that arise from the torching were absolutely sensational, and our mouths started to water as soon as we stepped foot into the venue.
The menu also features quite a selection of items outside of the aburi section, making the eatery a nice all-rounder when it comes to sushi and other Japanese fare. Dishes like grilled chicken baos and seared wagyu beef pair nicely with some sushi and sashimi. On the evening of our visit, we sampled the raw salmon with sweet potato, blackberry and baby tomatoes, Caribbean treasure craft roll with Japanese salsa, cucumber, tempura bits, avocado and spicy sauce, grilled chicken bao, and Miyazaki deep fried tempura chicken with a creamy blend of housemade tartare and nanban sauce. As I said, these dishes were great, and also added a bit more substance to the meal for those with more of an appetite but the standout was the aburi sushi by far. The combination of the soft char from the searing, the sweetness from their signature aburi sauce and the silky, raw freshness of the protein (in our case, salmon) was absolutely sensational. Magical. Love at first bite, and all the way through to and beyond that last bite.
The Modern Eatery is no doubt one of Melbourne's hottest openings of 2017, and a visit for their aburi sushi comes highly recommended.
The Modern Eatery
176 Swan St,
Richmond, Victoria, 3121.
(03) 9421 0089
http://themoderneatery.com.au/melbourne/
Disclosure: I dined as a guest of The Modern Eatery. All opinions expressed in this post are based entirely on my experience and observations made during the time of my visit.