Dessert nights at Oishii Go happen four nights a week at the Capital Food Markets Belconnen. Photo: Tenele Conway.
Discussions of dessert don’t normally start with an analysis of the English language, but I feel compelled to make a case before we get to the sweet stuff.
There are a lot of words in the English language that we’ve co-opted, or straight-up stolen, because they suited our needs.
‘Cafe’ is definitely a French word, we just dropped the accent over the e. ‘Al dente’ is absolutely Italian, but how else would you describe pasta that is a little firm but not overly so? ‘Lager’ is German (originally lagerbier); sommelier is French; restaurant is Italian … I could go on forever.
The point of this linguistic rabbit hole is to say I have a new one to steal, and I have the Japanese firmly in my sights. The word is oishii, and it simply means delicious. ‘Delicious’, by the way, is a hybrid Anglo-French word derived from Latin, so as far as I’m concerned, everything is fair game.
With all that in mind, there couldn’t be a better word to describe the dessert nights at Oishii Go, a Japanese eatery in Belconnen’s Capital Food Markets. Bringing trending desserts to the moody nighttime atmosphere in the markets, they are definitely delicious.
Having only opened shop in December, the dedicated dessert nights launched a little later in February, with a free croffle offer to get people excited.
Now settled into the nighttime routine, I went along to see if I could find something oishii (see what I did there!)
The Dubai pistachio toast is a delicious doorstopper of a dessert. Photo: Martin Conway.
I didn’t need to look far to secure two oishii dishes, and I was impressed by the sheer volume of food, along with a real attention to detail in the presentation and flavours. These are, no doubt, Instagram-worthy dishes.
The Oishii Go team pointed me toward the Dubai pistachio toast, a new menu item just launched, and boy, this could only be described as epic. Served on top of a wedge of brioche that must be equivalent to a third of a loaf, it oozes with chocolate and pistachio sauces, beautifully toasted coconut and ice cream. And just in case the toppings aren’t enough, there are two additional bowls of sauces to dunk your bread into.
When described in words, it sounds heavy-handed or maybe a total sugar overload. While it is certainly pure decadence, it also has some lovely touches that show real care, like the just-charred edges of the brioche, the warmth of the light, fluffy bread and the perfectly portioned quantities that allow you to enjoy all the flavours throughout the whole eating experience.
The Thai milk tea bingsu melts in your mouth, literally. Photo: Martin Conway.
To back up this doorstop of a dessert, I had to go for the Thai milk tea bingsu. This shaved milk ice dessert has been trending lately, but it actually has deep roots in Korean history, dating back to the 14th century, and has seen multiple recent waves of popularity, including a post-World War II wave.
The Oishii Go bingsu aligns with current trends, where the primary bowl of shaved-ice milk comes with a range of toppings you can dish out to your liking. In this case, there was condensed milk, Oreo bits, squares of wafer biscuits, and delightfully chewy mochi balls.
Being a first-time bingsu eater, I was delighted by how the frozen shaved milk stays intact until it hits your mouth, when it disappears in a puff of flavour. A smarter person than I tells me that this happens because the ice is fluffy and filled with air, which insulates it and slows the melting process.
Again, this dish benefits from the attention to detail always employed here. We are supplied with two spoons without asking for them, because how could you not share this? The mochi balls in syrup are served warm, the condensed milk is warmed, and there’s a shot of Thai milk tea on the side.
At this time of night, most of the market shops are closed, with just a few dessert vendors and the larger dinner places with external entrances open. Large tables in the central eating area are perfect for post-dinner groups of friends, and more intimate tables in quiet nooks and crannies will suit couples looking for an oishii experience on the west side.
Oishii Go is open from 2 pm to 9:30 pm, Wednesday to Sunday.
Original Article published by Tenele Conway on Region Canberra.
