Kabuki 2 Go

I was reading a fellow Brisbane food blogger’s http://foodblingbrisbane.blogspot.com and interested in his favourite Urbane Restaurant.  I walk down Mary St to simply check out the location.  I pass the Belgian Beer Cafe and find the location under construction.  This must be where Serenghetti Restaurant used to be.  That being the case, the scale is pretty small, just to my liking.  I have a preference for smaller places where I think the chefs can take personal attention to each customers dish instead of the larger places which remind me of manufacturing factories.  Of course the renowned larger places with proper manuals and training pull off a superb job. 

I turn the corner to see how the Felix St eateries are doing.  There are so many places doing sushi roll take away!  An LR sushi outlet, a bento style takeaway shop and Kabuki 2 Go across the road. 

I pondered whether I should go to LR to have a posting as the decider of the top sushi shop in town in comparison to the previous Top Sushi posting, but remembered the blog commending Kabuki 2 Go’s sushi.  Anyway, I just can’t pass on the opportunity to try a new eatery. 

I walk up the steps into the premises.  It’s an absolute stunning set up.  Right next to the Kabuki Restaurant, they’ve created a semi outdoor stall with adjacent courtyard seating and look at the view!  It’s a secluded city oasis! 

I look at the food on offer.  They have 2 choices of hot food, the chicken katsu curry or meatballs with rice $6.00 each.  They also have a select choice of sushi rolls $2.00-.  The waitresses are Japanese, sometimes an unreliable but better than nothing indication…  I ponder again.  I just had a regular serving of Xa Ho Fan.  The logical choice is to get 1 or maybe 2 sushi rolls.  But what the heck….  I had to try the chicken curry.  One theme I have is can anyone beat Hanaichi’s chicken curry.  I should blog about it some time soon.  Their curry is pretty B grade but that’s the key of fastfood I think..  I think it’s pretty much just the taste of commercial S&B or House curry roux powder (with some added meats and veggies I am sure but) with some very crunchy deep-fried chicken katsu.  Skin on and dark meat, just the way I like it!!  The rice is variable but usually ok.  Another unique thing is customers can pour on as much shichimi chilli powder as they like.  The mixture is a true B grade gourmet winner, undeniably good.   

I receive my curry, choose a shady table in the courtyard and sit down.  A picture before I dig in.  It looks pretty good! 

Unfortunately, the curry was not to my taste.  For me, the curry sauce although with no visible remaining ingredients, is not thick enough and was too starchy for me.  I could taste a lot of molten potato.  The sauce was too weak in saltiness, koku and spice.  The color too is representative of the taste.  It is pale brown with no shine and you can see the potato adding a shade of white.  The rice was too soft for me and the chicken, although done ok, the katsu crust had no crunchiness left.  Overall temperature is also too low.  Luke warmness tends to be unpleasant, I think.  It was ok and I finished it, but not something that would attract me to come back to. 

However, the meatballs did look pretty good, the commended sushi must also be tried and more than anything, I really love the views and the shady set up of the outdoor courtyard seating so I think I’ll be back. 

As I walk back, a newish eatery, Jeremy’s on Albert St catches my eye again.  The decor is really nice with naked brick walls.  I wonder if it’s worth a go.  NOT today after 2 meals already that’s for sure!