It took quite a while for us to get here after it was recommended to us by Brian Lloyd, MD at Brooks. As often happens suggestions by people in the industry turn out to be worth following and this one certainly was. The buzz about Minamashima is extremely positive.
Entry is via an unobtrusive glass door.
The restaurant is simply set out with an understated sophisticated decor. Tables along one side of the room are separated from a long bar behind which chef Minimashima, pictured above, displays his skills. They have an attractive and informative web site.
We had the degustation menu with matched Sake. You could have it with traditional wines if you wished.
Many dishes were served on black plates/platters and were hard to photograph at the table.
This was the menu.
Grilled Otway shiitake mushroom, Kombu butter, dried fish and nori seasoning
Served with a cloudy sparkling sake - Dassai sparkling nigori
Chawanmushi spanner crab kombu flake
A delicate combination of flavours and textures. Truly fine food.
Kaishun junmai iwami karakuchi I couldn't believe the alcohol content, over 16%
NZ storm clam sake steamed
Another masterpiece.
Tamazakura Junmai Ginjo
Charcoal grilled wagyu rib umeshu soy.
I was so wrapped in the food that I overlooked a pic. here. It was a small very tasty dish served in a sort of urn so there was little to see
Chiyo Moromi Nigori
Strawberry shiso sorbet
Sushi
Gunard kombu cured
Sea perch Ponzu dressing
Scampi
Hokkiado Hotate/ Scallop
Mirugai/Geoduck
Engawa/flounder fin
Otoro/tuna belly
Otoro aburi
Uni Murasaki
Anago box sushi
These were as a good an example of sushi I have ever experienced. Of course everything was light and fresh, the proportions of fish to rice were just right, the variety great. Each came with a lightly pickled pile of ginger and instructions as to the need for added seasoning to taste.
Asahi Wakamatsu Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu
This was one of the low alcohol offerings!
Hokkiado snow crab broth, Yuba, winter melon
Taketsuru Ozasaya Junmai Kimoto Genshu
Warabi mocha, Okinawa black sugar syrup, calamarised walnut
And dessert
With a great dessert wine
Umetsu Junmai Umeshu Nokyo This is the sort of meal we might have expected at a high end Tokyo restaurant. It compares to Tempura Hajime, which is still surviving with room for only 12 diners, but we thought it considerably better. The major downside is that it was expensive, about $250 per person with one matched wine and they were generous with the wines which were dangerously intoxicating.
Score 17/20