Shyun - 2014
The wonderful city of Melbourne, a true foodies paradise. With a plethora of top notch eateries, I’m slowly (but surely) making my way through my seemingly endless list of places to dine.
Recommended by fellow food blogger ieatblog, Shyun is an extremely popular Japanese restaurant located in the outer suburbs of Carnegie. It’s one of those restaurants that you wouldn’t know about unless you knew it was there or were looking for it.
The tiny, cramped interior has a somewhat claustrophobic feel, especially during peak hours, but the welcoming staff work rapidly to ensure a high customer turnover.
Arriving to a front section that was already full, we were walked out to the restaurants rear featuring another dining room - lol oddly enough, reminding me of Darryl Kerrigan’s pool room.
Fascinating ordering system - using an iPad, allowing us to actually see what we’re selecting - YAY for technology!
The takoyaki octopus balls set a high standard as our first dish. They were exceedingly delicious - crisp exterior, wonderfully creamy and tasty. Always a must when dining in a Japanese restaurant.
The soft shell crab was very likeable, crispy crab enveloped in a even ratio of rice and vegetables, with a generous serving size…..amazing value for $12.90.
We also ordered the Spicy Tuna Rolls (not pictured), which again for $12.50 were an absolute bargain. The tuna had a robust scent, with a somewhat fatty texture. Combined with fresh vegetables and balanced tuna to rice ratio, we had ourselves another winner.
The Nasu Dengaku was utterly phenomenal. It ticked all the right boxes: Full bodied flavour from the velvety, smooth eggplant combining magically with minced meat and miso sauce. Definitely the standout dish of the night.
Shyun is hands-down one of the best Japanese restaurant in Melbourne. I’m not even close to kidding. I’ve dined in several Japanese places in Melbourne and Adelaide, some significantly more expensive, and Shyun (similar to Wasai in Adelaide) proves that excellence and affordability are able to work in perfect unison.
Adelaidian’s, if you’re ever in Melbourne, Shyun’s a MUST.
Until next time, happy noms :)
