Kenzan @ GPO

Posted by Almost Always Ravenous on December 11, 2010 · 8 Comments 

GPO
350 Bourke St
Melbourne, 3000
96637767

Located through the ivory gates, passed Cafe de Vin, near the very end of the alley, is this sleek and extremely busy sushi place. So busy that the staff kindly informed me – whilst I was taking photos – that they would rather me not post about them, since they simply cannot cope with further influxes of customers. I will try keep it a short-short post, though no less noteworthy. Read on and you will understand why I must share this with you.

Between me and Ms JH, we shared a mix of sushi rolls, in-side-out rolls and onigiri.

Left: Spider roll (with sesame coating) – the filling were crisp and succulent soft shell crabs smeared with a sweet mayonnaise, wrapped with soft-fluffy rice with sesame and a pinch of flavour-enhancing saltiness from what I guess is pork floss. A winner of a sushi roll!!! I personally found this far superior to the salmon roe coating alternative.
Right: In-side-out Californian roll. Instead of your usual crab sticks, this place uses generous amounts of cooked prawns, which provide a delightfully fresh-bite.

Now, to the infamous stay-fresh, self-roll sushi rolls…

1) Unwrap; 2) Place rice on one end of seaweed

3) Roll

4) Finished product – is an oh-my-gosh-super-crispy-fresh seaweed that tears straight through upon biting. I was so engulfed, I don’t even recall what or how the filling tasted. Maybe next time I will remember…

The Onigiri (smoked salmon) – is also plastic-wrapped for that super-fresh seaweed effect. (Left: Note my failed attempt at assembling) It had that same light, fluffy and moist rice, with delicate hints of smoked salmon. After having the lip-smacking rolls, this was plain in comparison, but still delicious and very satisfying.

Rating: Yummy+1. Though the price of sushi here is much steeper than most sushi bars (as well as a surcharge for eating in), there is a sense of novelty and more importantly a higher quality. Arguably now my favourite takeaway sushi place in Melbourne, I’d happily return for more of those scrumptious spider rolls and perfectly dry-crisp nori rolls.

P.S. in taking this risk to post this for you, I hope that you will be courteous to the owners and grace your presence preferably at non-peak times =).

You might also like: DonToo, Shou Sumiyaki, Tao’s.

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Filed under CBD Melbourne, Japanese, Yummy +1 · Tagged with california, GPO, onigiri, roll, soft shell crab