Shinwa Izakaya - Japanese Bar & Restaurant

/
Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Shinwa Izakaya.
Shinwa is an izakaya-style establishment located on Brunswick’s bustling Sydney Road, dedicated first and foremost to the art of Japanese eating and drinking, offering a laid back environment for catching up with friends and family with a focus on quality food designed to share in stylish but comfortable surroundings.
Accompanying the wide range of sake, Japanese beers, umeshu and shochu is a smorgasbord of Japanese small eats comprising of skewers, gyoza, okonomiyaki and the like.
Gyoza Teppan – fried housemade dumplings with special ponzu sauce
Yakitori

Shinwa boasts some of the best yakitori that Melbourne has to offer. We absolutely loved their range of grilled skewers. Without exception, each skewer had been sufficiently seasoned and was wonderfully flavoursome and displayed a delectable outer charring courtesy of having benefited from the perfect time on the grill.
The eggplant skewer was of particular note. Complemented by a delicious sauce and dried bonito flakes, it was a memorable treat for its beautiful texture and burst of umami.
Shinwa tempura set

The Shinwa tempura set featured deep fried king prawn and fish fillet and assorted vegetables (black mushroom, pumpkin, eggplant, sweet potato) served with grounded ginger and meshed radish and tempura dipping sauce. The tempura batter was ethereally light and crispy. The ingredients inside the batter were fresh and pleasing - the eggplant and king prawn were the most memorable.
Housemade Japanese curry sauce served on top of rice and garnished with red pickles

The Japanese curry was outstanding. The beef was perfectly cooked and the curry was robust, fragrant and had just the perfect amount of spice. Together with steamed rice, it was an addictive and comforting dish.
Nigiri selection

The sushi platter of assorted nigiri sushi boasted a tenderness exhibited by high quality produce. The seared salmon nigiri was our favourite - this melt in your mouth nigiri combined the best of both worlds (partially cooked, partially raw).
Japanese greentea cheesecake
Kokutou manjyu

Our dinner ended on a sweet note with the Kokutou manjyu, a delightful Japanese brown sugar and red bean cake. Shinwa’s rendition of this traditional dessert was beautifully light and fluffy and when eaten with the creamy sesame ice cream, was a little piece of heaven.
Fairly new to Melbourne’s culinary scene, Shinwa Izakaya already has a band of loyal followers and it is easy to understand why.  Unblemished execution of Japanese food in light of its vibrant atmosphere, desirable beverage selection and overall dining experience, Shinwa has certainly earned our stamp of approval.

Location: 139 Sydney Rd  Brunswick
Phone: 0412 705 314
Cuisine: Japanese, Bar, Seafood, Tapas, Asian


Shinwa Izakaya - Japanese Bar & Restaurant on Urbanspoon