Mid-week mealing at Matsuri

You may not have eaten at Matsuri Japanese restaurant, but I'm sure you have driven past and seen the simple decor complete with sparkling windows and rows of intimate tables with diners chatting over piles of food.

I've eaten here numerous times over the years. Yes, it is somewhat overpriced for what it is, and on occasion the sushi can disappoint. But, they serve a truly delightful eel teriyaki AND some of the freshest sashimi you can uncover in Perth city.

I've gone here tonight with my girlfriends Vee and Elise for a catchup dinner; a healthy choice in a nice location. We're too busy talking for the first part of the night to even look at the menu. But eventually we order, and the food comes about fifteen minutes later. The staff are sweet, patient and traditionally Japanese in origin.

My dinner starts off with a small serving of Nigiri Sushi ($14.50). It's two pieces of salmon, one tuna, one prawn, one egg and two vegetable sushi. The wasabi on side is hot and clears the nasal path; the flesh of the seafood firm and fresh. The presentation is simple, but pretty. The only negative with this dish is that the rice underneath some of the sashimi items is a bit too cold and hard for my liking.



I accompany it with an entree serving of Agedashi Tofu ($9.50). It's not really your traditional sense of this dish - the tofu is lacking the light tempura batter and missing the daikon that should accompany it. But it is a large serving, and tastes great with the light sauce that it swims in.

Elise chooses the Beef Ginger Set Meal ($18.90) - which is grilled pieces of beef in a cold ginger sauce. Accompanying the plate is a bowl of miso soup, rice, salad and cold bean shoots. The salad is delicious, covered in a tangy dressing that makes you eat up every drop. The ginger sauce coating the beef is unexpectedly delicious to me as I savour the bite she offers. Usually I find ginger quite overpowering, but this is intricate and tasty.

Vee chooses the Fish Teriyaki Set Meal ($18.90) which comes with the same sides as Elise's. I was pretty close to getting this myself and when it's delivered to the table I have immediate food envy. The fish fillets are a generous serving (which is a little outside of the norm for Matsuri), covered in a goopy and thickly delicious teriyaki sauce. It's warming on this chilly spring night.

I like Matsuri. It's reliable food that is generally of a good standard. The menu selection is limited which is a downfall, but what's there is typical of Japanese restaurants.