The tempura prawn was absolutely delicious. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
When I heard that Iori was closed for renovations, I was nervous. What would change? Might this 25-year-old institution lose some of its charm for the sake of modernity?
I need not have worried: it was a simple kitchen upgrade, and the rest of the restaurant has stayed more or less exactly the same, down to the poetry in plastic sleeves displayed on the wall and the ancient television propped in one corner.
There are many reasons to love Iori, but one must be the vintage charm it exudes: solid wooden tables, vinyl-clad chairs, dim lights and staff in traditional Japanese dress. A raised dining section offers the option to sit on tatami mats, which one family chose to do the night we dined.
Each dish at Iori is crafted with great care and attention to detail. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Iori regularly posts special offers on its Facebook page, usually a set menu at a discounted price. We booked in for the san-shoku zen special, which was advertised at a shockingly affordable $25 each.
For that price, I assumed the portions would be small, and suggested we also order an entree – nasu dengaku perhaps, or agedashi tofu (both favourites). Our server assured us that the meal was substantial enough that we probably wouldn’t need anything else, and suggested we could add something on at the end if we were still hungry.
This turned out to be excellent advice.
Our set, arriving promptly on matching red-and-black trays, consisted of a selection of sashimi on rice, udon noodles with tempura prawn, katsu, pickles, and teriyaki chicken (also on rice). We both picked up the tempura prawn first, to savour the delicate crunch before the soup softened it. Tempura is a finicky beast that can, in the wrong hands, turn oily, stodgy, or overcooked, but in the hands of Chef Mamoru Aizawa, this prawn is perfect.
It’s particularly nice paired with an umeshu plum soda – fruity, a little sour and spritzy.
The udon soup was rich with soy and full of bouncy, fat noodles, which I chewed and slurped happily (and it’s totally acceptable when consuming Japanese soups). The bowl of sashimi was chock-full of flavour, with multiple kinds of roe, slices of salmon, kingfish, prawn and omelette, a dollop of mayo, a cheeky pea-sized ball of wasabi and a nice portion of ginger pickle.
Both teriyaki chicken and katsu were tender and lovely. But may I just have a moment to talk about the rice? So often dismissed as a filler, rice deserves its space in the limelight. The rice at Iori is a little sticky, a little chewy and so satisfying. I cleaned up every last grain.
Iori’s interior speaks to traditional Japanese culture, with clothing and art on display. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Our server, although green, was exceptionally friendly and helpful. When she heard we had to be out by 7:30, she kept an eye on the time for us throughout the meal. Fortunately, we are fast eaters, so we were able to sneak in dessert, opting for an assorted plate of black sesame ice cream, green tea cheesecake and fried red bean bun. The plating is a little retro – a floret of whipped cream, a single berry and an individual mint leaf per dish – but each is delicious. I particularly like the nuttiness of the black sesame ice cream.
It turned out that there were two birthdays at nearby tables, and both were celebrated with dessert on a birthday plate, the dimming of the lights, and the traditional birthday song, enthusiastically led on both occasions by Chef Mamoru himself in his friendly baritone.
On his way back to the kitchen the second time around, he joked that he needed to rest his voice, but I’m reliably informed he comes out to sing for every single birthday, even when there are many more than two (apparently Iori is popular for birthdays!)
It’s a genuinely delightful moment that demonstrates how much Chef Mamoru cares for his guests. And he’s been caring for customers, dishing up precision Japanese food and singing happy birthday to Canberrans for 25 years: hip hip hooray!
Iori is located at 41 East Row, Canberra. They are open from 6 pm to 9.30 pm, Monday to Saturday. Follow Iori on Facebook to stay up to date with their regular special menus.
Original Article published by Lucy Ridge on Region Canberra.
