With this deliciously cold weather & the sun just warming our skin, we found ourselves wandering around West End today, with an unexpected little find that soon became a delightful surprise. Izakaya Goku in West End has only been open for 4 days, but with our experience we can assure you this may soon become a go to in West End for delicious Japanese delights. Izakaya literally means sit down sake shop but these days it's a Japanese Tavern - where one can drink with a menu of small dishes. We were immediately welcomed with warm service which continued throughout our experience. They have a selection of sashimi, Sushi rolls, Kushi Skewers, tempura, Okonomiyaki (japanese savoury pancake), hot a la carte, cold a la carte aswell as a range of beverages including japanese alcoholic beverages. We decided to try the:
1. Mouth watering Miso Glazed Seared Huon Tasmanian Salmon rolls, with avocado & cucumber. ($13.90)
2. Deep fried crunchy Soft shell crab in potato flour served with Yuzu citrus mayo. ($16.50)
Okay, if there was 1 dish to try if you went to this place that would take you to heaven & back, it would have to be the Seared Salmon rolls. Holy cow these were so damn good! The flavour & the addition of the fried shallots on top was UNREAL! Super fresh also!
We love softshell crab, & wow was this husband & wife of soft shell crab, & citrus mayo the perfect marriage!
We decided to also order the Crispy Karaage chicken. ($10) This was so tasty, that we could've ordered a second round! The Green tea we ordered was beautiful & warmed us up from the cold.
Overall, we really enjoyed all of our food. The owners also own 2 other places called "Sushi point" at Victoria point & Cleveland, & had an opportunity to open Izakaya which can seat about 40-50 people. There's enough choice in the menu that suits everyone's budgets.They are fully licensed so you can also come in to enjoy some Sake, Japanese Whiskey or some Australian wines. Make sure you check out their lunch time specials for $15, which includes a lunch dish, salad & hot green tea. read more