Sushi & Nori King Street - Review

I confess - I am a sushi addict and I have no shame.  Mr P. and I have been indulging for many years, and there looks to be no cessation of our wild obsession/addiction.  So when we heard there was a fairly new eating precinct nearby with a new sushi place, we were in like Flynn, as the old saying goes.  

The old Exhibition grounds have been taken over by restaurants, hotels and apartments.  It makes sense to have multiple use of this space that used to sit unused for 11 months of the year, but I did like the untouched aspect of it before.  Anyway, we now have a new(ish) place to indulge our fetish for rice and raw fish.

look out for the fishy sign

So yes this is a sushi train, and yes most plates are $4.50 each with premium plates being $8.  Mr P. is not a fan of the narrow, wooden seating, though I don't have any problems with it.  There are a few booths but once again the seating is all hard, wooden furniture.  We have now eaten here 3 times over the last couple of months.  The staff are not effusive or terribly pro-active, (and our waitress had trouble understanding our English) but get the job done eventually.

black rice with tuna and avocado 

You don't often see black rice, so I was happy to try this one.  The rice was a great colour, and had a nutty taste with a bit of texture.  Both Mr P. and I were fans.

prawn lollipops with spicy sauce $8

Prawns with a crunchy coating and a tangy sriracha mayo sauce.  Looks like panko breadcrumbs which are always extra crunchy.  I enjoyed these fishy morsels.   

Tiger roll (chicken)

For some reason, this is called a Tiger roll.  Well I guess everything tastes like chicken, doesn't it?:=)   Even tigers.  Not bad.  Pretty much your everyday maki roll.

Dynamite roll

More maki.  Avocado and imitation crab meat I think.  I love Kewpie mayo but sometimes you can have too much.  

chicken gyoza

What can I say?  You know what these are like.  A dumpling is a dumpling is a dumpling.  And I loved them.

cute little jars of pickled ginger 

Good to see this is not the pink stuff which has been dyed.  This was quite tangy and thank heavens, not sweet.  And I adore the pretty little jars.

tuna cheese rolls

Slightly odd and a bit different, but I liked it.  I mean what's not to like about tuna with melty cheese all over it?

veg spring rolls

Crunchy on the outside, vegetable-y on the inside.  Mr P. loves spring rolls, so he had to have these.  He said to tell you they were good.  Oh, and he said he thought kids especially would love them on the sticks.  He could have lived without them, though :=)  Not really a stick kind of guy.

brown rice with tuna and avo

These were just fine.  I liked the brown rice, which gives it a point of difference.  And you can tell yourself it is sooo healthy (teehee.)

teriyaki chicken

I would have liked a bit more flavour here.  The sauce just didn't have enough pizazz.  It was adequate but not exciting.  (Mr P. agrees with me here.)

some kind of fish? 

Oops, I forget what this was.  Looks like fish of course.  Oh well, you get the picture.  Rice and fish and mayo most likely :=)  And nothing wrong with that either, she says munching happily. 

grilled scallops

These were delicious; plump and lightly grilled with great texture; not overcooked.  They were a teeny bit smothered in the sauce though.

tempura veg. or is it soft shell crab?

Tempura veg.?  Not entirely sure.  Looks a bit like the tempura soft shell crab I saw spinning round the train.  Mr P. thinks it is the soft shell crab.  Once again, crunchy outside, perhaps a bit nondescript inside - okay if not outstanding.  But hey, anything deep fried can't be bad :=)
  

and yes it's licensed

A glass of Sauv Blanc to keep me happy.

I LOVE these tiles

Okay, so this is another sushi train, but it has some interesting and different choices.  (Mr P. has me tell you that he thinks the quality is above average, and everything is fresh and innovative.)  I like that the regular plates are all the same price, which seems to be the current fashion ATM.  I love the decor - those tiles! - and the bright, light atmosphere.  They have a takeaway bar at the front also; handy for nearby workers.  You can have a quick bite or linger in a booth, as half a dozen young things were doing the other day.  Melty cheese anyone?



Ph: 07 3252 9511
Cnr of King and Machinery Sts.
Bowen Hills Q 4006



     

Cucumber And Yoghurt Soup - Perfect For A Hot And Steamy Night

Who can believe that we are now in the thick of 2018?  And here is my first recipe blog post for the year - a cold, smooth soup that is just right for the very steamy nights we are having here in sunny Brisbane.  Ironically, Mr P. and I went down to (usually) cool, grey Melbourne to visit family and friends and boiled in the 41C heat!  (105F for you folk of North American climes.)

Years ago when I lived in share houses with lots of crazy people, my housemate and I used to make a version of this soup with loads of garlic.  We didn't have a food processor so I guess we had to grate and chop everything by hand.  Eek!  Must have taken us ages.  Worth it though:=)  We all went around the next day with garlic burn - hmm, I mean breath.  

dive in to some icy cool soup 

Recipe from the brain of Sherry's Pickings:


Serves 4 as an entrée, generously:


ingredients: 


1.5 long thin cucumbers, roughly peeled and chopped into large chunks = approx. 470g. (1 lb.)

3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

a (very) large handful of walnuts - about 80g.

1 large, ripe avocado - peeled and chopped into large chunks

zest and juice of 1 large lime (or 2 small)

sea salt to taste - maybe 1/4-1/2 tsp

ground black pepper to taste 

200 mLs iced water - add more if you like it thinner

a pinch of dried chilli flakes (optional)

5-6 ice cubes, plus extra for serving

1-2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

500g. plain thick yoghurt

a large handful of green herbs, torn roughly or chopped - I used chives and parsley but use your fave - plus extra for serving



Method:


Pretty much, you are just going to blitz everything in your food processor

Start off with the chunks of cucumber and whizz

Then add the garlic cloves; and whizz some more

Throw in the walnuts and yep - blitz 'em

Add the rest of the ingredients except the yoghurt and herbs and blitz away till smooth and lush

Now chuck in the yoghurt and herbs and whizz again

Serve with the extra herbs, and throw in an ice cube or 2 to each bowl if desired

Nice with a brown rice cracker or 2


Notes:


Use whatever kind of cucumber you prefer; it will all taste good

Dill and mint are also good in this soup but we like parsley and chives more:=)

Experiment with the amounts and herbs; have it how you like it

Make sure you have a large food processor, or make it in batches

I only added half the yoghurt into the processor, then whisked in the rest later

Sparkling water gives it a nice zing

gather your ingredients

zap those cukes

more zapping (I used sparkling water)

lots of blitzing later...

pour into a large bowl and whisk in the ice cubes 

sprinkle on some extra herbs

This soup will leave you feeling very virtuous and refreshed.  All that delicious and tasty, nutty. garlicky fun.  Just make sure your loved one eats it too.

my cucumber doodle

In My Kitchen - January 2018

I gulped when I wrote that title!  But I'm really looking forward to a new year, as this one wasn't the best year in the Pickings' household chronicles.  A death, lots of illness, misunderstandings and general all-round funky vibes, as in the smelly and musty sense. 

As I promised/warned in my last post, this is IMK Lite this month.  Just a quick hellooo before the New Year arrives.  I hope you have all had a wonderful, fulfilling holiday break.  We had a very quiet Christmas on our own mostly, but with a brief lunch foray to some friends down the road.  Air con essential in this hot and humid Summer we are having. 
    

Just in case you've forgotten how after your Christmas stupor (kidding) :=)


Here are the options again to add your post:

1. Adding via the link button at the bottom of this post.  Instructions can be found on the sidebar of this page, under Add your IMK link
2. Comment on this post, providing a link to your post so I can add it to the linky list below
3. Email me: sherrym1au@gmail.com, with your link or any queries about the link process



So, in my hot summery kitchen:

cute leafy tumblers

Yep you guessed it; these are from our friend Brooke at Red Door Studio.  I do like a good, solid tumbler to drink water from.  And this is good - and solid.

more oil and garlic

I always order a box of biodynamic garlic every Christmas from Elmswood Farm.  I was worried I might run out (eek! garlic panic), so I bought an extra box this year plus more olive oil.  The cloves with skin on, go into the freezer in plastic bags and last us all year.

Discworld tea towel 

Do you know the Discworld?  Have you read Terry Pratchett?  I am a big fan of his literary creations, and I love Gimlet's Deli which sells only the best rat pie surprise.  Free range rats of course.


I do have a few more things I could show you, but I will save them for the February IMK, when we are all back on board.  Happy New Year, folks!  It has been a big pleasure being your host this year.  See you next year.  Thanks heaps for joining in, especially to the stalwarts who manage it very often.  Much appreciated and enjoyed by us all.



   

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Sherrys Pickings