The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement

En Izakaya is 10 years old but more than holds its own

Dani Valent
Dani Valent

En Izakaya's timber interior.
En Izakaya's timber interior.Supplied

Japanese$$

In the 10 years that En Izakaya has been quietly trucking along on Carlisle Street, Melbourne's Japanese food scene has matured.

There's better sushi (though lots of bad food court sushi too). We've got a ramen scene. There are interesting angles on the cuisine at nifty neighbourhood places such as Neko Neko and Taiyo Sun, and upscale restaurants like Kisume and Ishizuka.

You could say that En was ahead of its time, offering modern Japanese food for sharing in a smart but convivial setting, pushing beyond the norms of suburban sashimi-gyoza-tempura-teriyaki menus. Yet even now that better options abound, En still offers compelling reasons to visit.

Advertisement
Seared momen tofu and miso eggplant is a must-order.
Seared momen tofu and miso eggplant is a must-order.Chris Hopkins

The timbered interior is lovely, constructed without nails by Japanese craftsmen. Service is on the ball, led by owner Andy Gray. There's decent sake, served in pleasing pottery.

The food from chef Kota Ogawa, at En for nine years and head chef for seven, is a tasty mixture of respectful and riffing.

Classic baked eggplant and miso is turned into a composed entree that intersperses wedges of fried eggplant with cubes of fried tofu and slathers them in a bitey sauce of red miso, egg yolk, mirin and sake. Every single table succumbs to the succulence – you can't beat them, so …

Tempura crumbs add crunch to barbecue calamari salad.
Tempura crumbs add crunch to barbecue calamari salad.Chris Hopkins
Advertisement

Mochi, a squishy rice cake, turns up in all kinds of curious places in Japanese cuisine. At En, it's added to a prawn spring roll that also includes cheese and shiso, a minty herb. The combination is weird but it works, partly because it's hard to go wrong with fried pastry parcels, but also because there's a canny balance of sweet, gooey, fresh and crunchy.

Chef Ogawa was born in Takayama in central Japan, moved to Australia aged 11 and grew up with an Italian step-dad. He trained in an Italian restaurant before falling into contemporary Japanese cuisine and it's fascinating to find threads of that influence.

Charred calamari is tossed with rocket and dressed with a white miso vinaigrette that tips a hat to Italian vinegar dressings. The dish veers to Japan by including soba noodles and a little dashi broth. Tempura batter crumbs are scattered on top, bringing the crunch of fried calamari to augment the smoky flavour of the grill. It's a clever dish.

Daikon white radish salad at En Izakaya, Balaklava.
Daikon white radish salad at En Izakaya, Balaklava.Chris Hopkins

Sushi isn't a big focus but if a beautiful fish turns up at the market, it will come on as a special. (This week it's lusciously sweet alfonsino.) Another cracking special that will run for a while is paper-thin wagyu blade, tickled with a blow torch and furled over silken tofu. The beef is topped with a radish and ponzu paste that brings bite to the smooth, rich main elements.

Advertisement

Radish is also the star in a perky salad. Peppery daikon – a long white radish – is shredded and paired with honey and sour plum dressing; lotus root chips and shredded seaweed bring more textural play.

Ogawa dips back into his Italian influences for dessert. The "tiramisu", served in a martini glass, sees classic sponge fingers soaked in matcha green tea and layered with matcha mascarpone and red bean paste. The flavours are Japanese but there's a freedom and fun that is very En, focused on the enjoyment of sharing good food.

Tiramisu with a green tea twist.
Tiramisu with a green tea twist.Chris Hopkins

Rating: Three and a half stars (out of five)

Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.

Sign up
Dani ValentDani Valent is a food writer and restaurant reviewer.

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement